CalArts Lays Off Nine Staffers

In an attempt to balance a projected $15 million budget deficit, the private California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Santa Clarita, California, laid off nine employees this summer and eliminated at least twelve open positions, according to Hyperallergic. All of those laid off worked in the administrative department; five belonged to the union, which formed earlier this year under the auspices of the United Auto Workers and ratified its first contract this past April. Union leaders bargained with the administration for those who were laid off to receive three months of severance, rather than two weeks of pay per year of service; three months of COBRA insurance coverage; and rehiring priority for any positions becoming vacant over the next two years.

“The nine staff positions, as well as about a dozen vacant staff positions, are being eliminated as part of a necessary workforce reduction, which will enable CalArts to address a structural deficit, prioritize student-facing services, and better align our staffing with current and projected enrollments to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities to our students,” a CalArts spokesperson told the platform.

CalArts, like many other art schools around the US, has seen declining enrollment since the Covid-19 crisis, with figures down 12 percent since the pandemic: Having enrolled 1,532 students in 2019, the institution welcomed 1,353 students in 2023. The school in the past year has delayed hiring, limited travel, imposed spending restrictions, and adjusted admissions and financial aid packages. This past spring, CalArts attempted to reduce its number of employees by sending voluntary separation and early retirement notices to between fifty and sixty faculty and staff, Hyperallergic reported. About half—twenty-two faculty and ten staff—accepted the offer, and the school went ahead with layoffs, despite union protests.