ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Concordia University is set to lay off 41 employees at the Ann Arbor campus as the university reorganizes to improve its financial position, school officials said.
The private Lutheran university notified the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) of the layoffs in a letter on March 31, 2025.
“We are writing to inform you that effective May 31, 2025, or anytime during the 14-day period thereafter, Concordia University Inc., also known as Concordia University of Wisconsin and Ann Arbor (the ”University") will begin terminating employees as a result of the University’s decision to reorganization and reduction-in-force at both of its campuses to improve the University’s financial position, resulting in a reduction-in-force at the Ann Arbor campus,“ Kimberly R. Masenthin Assistant Vice President of Human Resources said in the letter.
The university said these terminations will be permanent.
“The University’s employees are not represented by a union and do not have any bumping rights,” according to the letter. “The University has provided as much advance notice as is practicable of the terminations.”
The video at the top of the article is from last year, when university leaders addressed financial and operational challenges.
This comes after the university decided to cut its sports programs on its Ann Arbor campus for the 2024-25 school year amid financial challenges.
“After the 2024-25 academic year, all intercollegiate athletic programs on the Ann Arbor campus will be discontinued,” Erik Ankerberg, president of Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor, said in a statement on the university’s website. “Initially, our leadership team hoped to preserve as many athletic programs as possible beyond the 2024-25 academic year. However, upon further analysis of our financial model, it became evident that continuing these programs in Ann Arbor beyond the upcoming year is not feasible.”
Shortly after announcing the athletic program changes, the university also said it would make adjustments to its academic programs after the 2024-25 school year.
Only seven programs – four undergraduate and three graduate – will remain on campus for the 2025-26 school year, according to a statement from CUAA Vice President for Academics and Chief Academic Officer Leah Dvorak on June 20, 2024.
Students have the option to complete their degrees online or to transfer to the Wisconsin campus.
Additionally, the university said that if a student decides to transfer to another university, will be given information about completing degrees at other schools based on agreements that it said were being developed.
You can find more information on these changes on the Concordia University FAQs and Resources page.
