Duke University is bracing for more voluntary layoffs and possibly involuntary separations throughout the summer, as it faces major financial pressures tied to changes in federal funding. In a recent message to the campus, Duke President Vincent Price described the funding cuts as having “dire implications” for the university’s operations and workforce.

Michael Hardt, a professor at Duke and a representative of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), joined Jeff Hamlin to express concern over the process. He emphasized that many faculty and staff feel left in the dark about how decisions are being made. Hardt pointed to similarities between Duke’s handling of layoffs and those conducted in certain federal agencies, such as the Department of Energy (DOGE), which have also drawn criticism for lacking transparency.

Hard ...