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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Clark University announces plans to scale down operations; layoffs coming
(This story has been updated with additional information.) WORCESTER ― Clark University is planning substantial cutbacks and restructuring as the school grapples with lower enrollment and the public's changing attitude toward college, with a quarter of faculty expected to be laid off over the next two years. "Now is a challenging time for those in higher education," Clark President David Fithian said. "We are announcing this plan to refocus what you would call our educational offerings from a student perspective." In an interview with the Telegram & Gazette, Fithian and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Magee said the university will be restructured, with all programming encompassed in three different broad fields of study in The School of Climate, Environment and Society; The Center for Media Arts, Computing and Design; and in health and human behavior. "We want to pick areas of academic studies where we know that we are good at," Fithian said. "For smaller institutions, you can't do everything equally well and we have to pick and choose what we are good at and what we are going to do going forward." While the university does not intend on cutting any programs, many of the programs will be placed to fit within the three main schools, streamlining a lot of the administrative process. Clark officials stated that approximately 25% to 30% of faculty will have their positions eliminated over the next two years, although that number may change. The layoffs are expected to affect non-tenured, pre-tenured and adjunct faculty. A decline in enrollment was cited as the biggest factor behind the changes. Fithian said the incoming freshman class, the Class of 2029, contains just 430 students, approximately 150 fewer than the school has averaged in the past. Fithian said the loss of students for the upcoming school year translates to approximately $7 million is less revenue. Fithian added that the school has lost around $1.5 million this year in grant funding from the federal government, while adding that the total could change and it's possible new grants could supplant lost revenue. "There are some grants that are still getting approved for different programs — obviously some grants are being targeted more than others (for cancellation) but it's possible we have more grant money in the future," Fithian said. Fithian said several factors led to declining enrollment — the first that prospective students and their families have become more discerning about the college process. "There is this doubt on whether going to college is the best path coming out of high school, and college has gotten expensive and more and more families are struggling to pay for it," Fithian said. "We get questions now about demonstrating outcomes — and the number one question we get is asking what Clark students are paid one to three years after graduating. You hear a lot more questions about what our students do if they are, for example, a political science major." Another factor is what those in higher education refer to as the "demographic cliff," an upcoming period where there will be a shortage of college-aged students, reflective of fewer births since the Great Recession in the late 2000s. Fithian said that the goal with the changes at Clark is to better position the school to thrive at what is anticipated to be a smaller scale. "Colleges and universities have survived for as long as they have because they have not undertaken a lot of risks," Fithian said. "What we are finding is that the environment that exists today will not allow for that. There is not this sense that if we just stay the course, others will revert to that. What we are doing is acknowledging that we need to change." At the graduate-school level, where a majority of the students are international, concerns about federal policy regarding student visas, including an incident in April in which 12 Clark students had their visas revoked, has led to apprehension about attending school in the United States. More: 12 Clark students have visas revoked in latest blow to Worcester's international students "A lot of schools attract a lot of international students, and there is a lot of pause and apprehension coming from international students," Fithian said. "Last year there was a delay in appointments for visas and we learned in August that a good number of students couldn't get a visa appointment until October, November or December. I'm worried about that happening again — the visa appointments may get delayed or outright denied." Fithian added that he said the school may consider selling off real estate in the future. Fithian said that moving forward, Clark and any other institute of higher learning needs to improve at showcasing the benefits of its education. "What we need to do a better job across the board in higher ed is not just explaining outcomes that go beyond first-year salaries out of college, but to better connect what we think of is liberal arts education, broad-based learning to make sure students are exposed to a scientific perspective, a historical perspective," Fithian said. "We need to do a better job demonstrating that the education we provide that connects those disciplines and the value that has to graduates." This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Clark University announces restructuring and faculty layoffs
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should I buy a home or have a baby amid tariffs? MA residents say no, says new poll
Should you choose now to buy a home, have a child or look for a new job? Massachusetts residents say no, according to a new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released Friday. The poll found that Massachusetts residents are very pessimistic about the U.S. economy and about making expensive life decisions. Based on the recent poll ,64%, including a majority of Democrats, Republicans and Independents, think it's a bad time to buy a home. Majorities also think it's a bad time to buy a car (54%) or have a child (51%). Few think it's a good time to buy a major household item (17%) or look for a new job (19%). The only action surveyed that Bay Staters are less pessimistic about is investing in the stock market: 27% think it's a good time to do so (with Republicans more likely to say so), 34% say it's a bad time and 39% are neutral. The poll also looked at how Massachusetts's residents feel about their current finances, their expectations for the economy in the coming year and their thoughts on tariffs. The Bay State Poll surveyed 907 Massachusetts residents online between May 22 and May 26. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.3%. Currently, 38% of Massachusetts residents say they are worse off financially than a year ago. 46% say they are about the same, and 16% say they are better off. When looking ahead, 46% say they expect to be worse off a year from now, compared to 27% who expect to be the same or better off. Those who expect to be worse off cite higher prices, increasing inflation, and a government who they expect will handle the economy poorly. More than half (55%) also expect the U.S. economy to experience bad times in the next year, and 68% think tariffs will hurt the U.S. economy. That includes 97% of Democrats, 72% of Independents and 17% of Republicans. 75% of Republicans expect tariffs to have a positive impact on the U.S. economy. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Should I buy a home right now? New poll shows MA residents say no
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Large helicopter to hover over Wachusett Mountain all day. Here's why
PRINCETON — With snow an afterthought, and with the aid of a helicopter, crews this week began installing a $20 million chairlift to the face of Wachusett Mountain. The existing four-passenger Polar Express will be replaced with a high-speed, six-passenger lift. The upgrade, which includes the mechanical system and towers, does not include a name change. Polar Express is a nod to the ski area's partner, Polar Beverages of Worcester. The four-passenger lift was installed in 1994. Wednesday, May 28, crews began moving construction supplies and chairlift components onto the mountain. A Canada-based helicopter was enlisted to transport large, heavy items from the ski area's parking lot to the slope. Workers on the ground connected the cargo to a cable that was attached to the helicopter. The effort includes the removal of existing equipment. The installation of the new lift is expected to be complete in time for the 2025-26 ski season. The lift was manufactured by an Austrian company, Doppelmayr. It will have the latest safety technology including auto-closing, self-locking restraining bars. More: High-speed, 6-passenger chairlift is headed to Wachusett Mountain This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Large helicopter to hover over Wachusett Mountain all day. Here's why
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Britney Spears said she was moving to Boston last year. Any sign of her in Massachusetts?
Last year, "Princess of Pop" Britney Spears announced via an Instagram post she would be moving to Boston, which created a lot of media buzz in the state. In the past year, she seems to have reunited with her sons, focused on healing her injured foot and also said she would be moving to Mexico, a claim The Hollywood Reporter refuted in an exclusive article, that she later clarified in another post. Unfortunately, she has not been spotted in Boston, Massachusetts, or even New England since she posted that initial post about moving to Boston in May 2024. Here's where the pop princess is resting her head now. Spears currently lives in a mansion in Thousand Oaks, a city in California. However, she could join Taylor Swift as another massively famous popstar with a property in New England, should she follow through on her move to Massachusetts. In her May 2, 2024, post, she says that she will be moving to Boston. She did not elaborate on why she's considering the move. For those wondering about the context around her original post, Spears was responding to reports about an alleged altercation with then-boyfriend Paul Soliz after she was seen walking out of the Chateau Marmont, wrapped in blankets. She has since ended things with Soliz. Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@ This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Did Britney Spears move to Massachusetts? Here's an update 1 year later
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Activists say 70-year-old Worcester resident detained at Logan Airport, call for release
Immigrant advocates are planning to hold an "emergency" press conference in Boston on April 30 on behalf of a 70-year-old Worcester woman they say was detained by federal agents at Logan International Airport on April 29. The organization Neighbor to Neighbor identified the woman only by her first name, Ruth. A spokesperson from the group said Ruth was returning from vacation in Zimbabwe with her son. "Ruth has lived in the United States for many years, and is a lawful permanent resident," a statement by Neighbor to Neighbor said. "She has worked for a local Worcester based nonprofit since 2024. She previously worked for a USAID-funded nongovernmental organization in Africa, which focused on public health." Ruth's son, a U.S. citizen, was let through security, but his mother was detained and the son was not given a reason, the spokesperson said. The Telegram & Gazette has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for more information on the case. Roberto Diaz, executive director of local organization Worcester Interfaith, said he knew about Ruth through her work in local organizations such as the Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice. Several advocacy groups – including the Massachusetts Communities Action Network, Neighbor to Neighbor, Worcester Interfaith, Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice and LUCE Immigrant Justice Network – are planning to hold a press conference at noon outside the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse in Boston to call for her release, calling her a "mother, an elder and community leader." Return to for more on this story. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Activists say 70-year-old Worcester resident detained at Logan Airport
