Arkansas-Little Rock Lays Off 13 Professors

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock laid off 13 faculty members as part of its ongoing retrenchment process, the Arkansas Times reported. Affected are two associate professors and one instructor of theater arts and dance; an associate professor of world languages; seven professors of education; and one associate professor and professor of systems engineering. The university has previously linked retrenchment to declining enrollment over several years. Christina S. Drale, Little Rock's chancellor, said in an emailed statement that retrenchment was not about the COVID-19 pandemic but rather "part of a multi-step plan to focus on institutional priorities and achieve sustainability in light of enrollment shifts."