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Berklee Lays Off 70 Staff as Budget Pressures Mount

President Jim Lucchese attributes the cuts to rising costs, enrollment uncertainty, alongside shifting visa policies.

Overview

  • The reduction represents about 3% of Berklee’s workforce across Boston, New York, and Valencia and does not include faculty positions.
  • A spokesperson said the workforce changes will not affect programs or academic offerings.
  • Affected employees are being offered severance, subsidized health-care continuation, and career-transition support.
  • Students protested outside the Boston Conservatory, according to videos shared by the Berklee Faculty Union, which is negotiating a new contract.
  • Leaders point to vulnerability in international enrollment, with roughly 2,700 foreign students last year—about 32% of the student body—whom experts say often pay full tuition.