'It's impacting everybody': Alverno College in Milwaukee to cut programs, staff amid $9 million deficit

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- For nearly 140 years, Alverno College on Milwaukee's south side has worked to educate thousands of minority students -- primarily women or people of color.

But now, the school is facing a significant fiscal deficit of $9,000,000 dollars which could force some major changes and other "proactive measures."

In a recent letter, school officials said "regrettably, this entails making difficult decisions including notifying our college community about employee reductions, to safeguard our financial sustainability."

When asked about specific program or staff cuts, officials said they'd provide more details within the next 60 days -- the timeframe given for their upcoming reduction recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

According to Jean O'Toole, the college's director of marketing and communications, the school is working to make sure students and their education won't be disrupted during these uncertain times.

“We’re looking at our operations. We’re looking at programs," O'Toole said. "We’re looking at what is viable to us, what we’re good at, and striving toward that to meet the needs of our students.”

Alverno isn't alone. In fact, it joins the growing list of colleges announcing closures or cuts.

Cardinal Stritch University closed after the end of its spring semester in 2023 and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recently announced the impending closure of its Waukesha campus after its spring semester in 2025.

“I think the issue that is facing Alverno College is the same for higher education in general," O'Toole said. “I think we are all facing the same sort of financial hardships, the enrollment cliff, a change in the demographic of our student makeup.”

On May 3, the school announced an anonymous donor had agreed to match up to $1.5 million in donations made starting now through the end of December. 

"Alverno has a great legacy," O'Toole said. “We’re creating that next generation of leaders, and we need to keep that going.”

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