October 23, 2025

Big news from Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)! Earlier this month, SEAS announced major layoffs affecting about 35 workers—that’s nearly 15% of its staff. A hefty chunk of these cuts hit student support jobs directly, raising serious alarm bells among the students and faculty. Why the cuts? SEAS said they carefully thought about “current and future needs,” focusing on “job criticality” and how long employees have been with the school. This info was shared with staff following Massachusetts laws protecting against age bias. Among those affected are notable advisers like Christopher Lombardo and Bryan Yoon. Lombardo, a lecturer and adviser in Electrical Engineering, led the popular Engineeering Without Borders program. He also created a course that allowed students to build clean water projects in places like Kenya and the Dominican Republic. The Harvard Crimson reports Lombardo warned his course might end with his layoff, calling it “one of the only courses across Harvard College in which students were gaining essential skills and immediately putting those skills into practice.” How sad! Bryan Yoon, a lecturer in Environmental Science and Engineering, was another student favorite. He guided many students through tough academic choices and said in a message that the news of his layoff “was a surprise to many.” Yoon expressed how proud he felt to be “your instructor, advisor, and mentor,” but now his duties will be passed on to other faculty and staff. Students are heartbroken. Kimmy G.A. Thompson ’26 called losing advisers a “huge loss” because these roles offer help that regular classes can’t provide. Emily Xing ’27, who took Lombardo’s course, stressed how important applied, mission-driven classes are for SEAS’s learning environment. Lombardo spoke to The Harvard Crimson, saying these cuts to student-facing jobs go against SEAS and Harvard College’s goals. “They run counter to the mission,” he said. What’s driving these tough choices? Dean David C. Parkes explained a “budgetary gap” caused by a bigger endowment tax, less federal research funding, and changes in how research money is handed out. Unlike past cuts—mainly hitting admin staff and researchers—this round hits students directly. That’s a new, painful twist. This move exposes a tricky balancing act universities face: saving money while still offering personal support and mentorship that are vital for student success. The loss of advisers and hands-on courses could change how well students learn and connect at SEAS. Moving forward, the big question is how Harvard will keep strong mentorship and impactful programs alive despite these financial pressures. Students, teachers, and leaders are watching closely, worrying about the future of quality education and the role of advisers in shaping students’ journeys.

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Tags: Harvard seas, Layoffs, Student support, Academic advising, Budget cuts, University funding,