Stanford University has laid off 363 employees, citing changes in federal policy under the Trump administration. The layoffs, which took effect last week, affect roles across administration, research, alumni relations and campus operations, according to a university spokesperson.
In a statement on July 31, the university said it is providing support resources and layoff benefits to eligible employees, but acknowledged the difficulty of the actions. The layoffs are attributed to “ongoing economic uncertainty” and “anticipated changes in federal policy,” including reductions in federal research funding and an increase in the excise tax on investment income, according to a letter from Vice President for Human Resources Elizabeth Zacharias.
President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” signed into law last month, increased Stanford’s endowment tax from 1.4 per cent to 21 per cent. Stanford’s $37.6 billion endowment is among the largest in the country. The university also lost significant federal research funding due to ongoing freezes at agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Stanford has been forced to make a $140 million reduction in its general budget for the upcoming year, according to a June statement from the school’s president and provost, who cited “significant budget consequences from federal policy changes.”
The Trump administration has targeted higher education this year. Columbia University recently agreed to pay a $200 million settlement to prevent funding cuts over claims it failed to combat antisemitism, though it did not admit wrongdoing.
