31 Employees Laid Off At Sacred Heart University

FAIRFIELD, CT — Sacred Heart University has laid off 31 employees, citing the coronavirus pandemic and related financial fallout as the reason for the cuts.

The layoffs are part of a larger initiative to stay competitive and reimagine how the university will operate in the face of expected "financial and enrollment challenges," President John Petillo said in a message to faculty and staff provided Monday to Patch.

“As this pandemic continues, along with the related financial crisis, it is our collective responsibility to position the University to best fulfill the mission, vision and values that are at the very core of who we are,” Petillo said in the message.

The university switched to online-only learning in March at the outset of the pandemic, but intends to reopen its Fairfield campus for the fall semester on an adjusted timeline. The coronavirus is associated with more than 4,400 Connecticut deaths, although daily statewide fatalities have plateaued in recent weeks, frequently falling into the single digits.

Sacred Heart also announced in June plans to acquire select programs from the University of Bridgeport, a move Petillo addressed in his message to employees.

“You may be asking why we did this while announcing layoffs,” he said. “I hope you can understand that both decisions were made to help ensure the University’s strength into the future. The acquired programs provide us opportunities to extend and diversify our academic offerings without spending any additional operational dollars.”