Last week, Illinois Tech President Raj Echambadi sent a message to the university community outlining financial challenges facing the institution.
"I am writing to share the difficult but necessary steps Illinois Tech is taking to strengthen the university's long-term financial health. ... the university has no choice but to pursue targeted reductions. ...," the president wrote in the email.
An Illinois Tech spokesperson confirmed that approximately 160 staff members and faculty were affected by the layoffs. The university cited demographic decline, research cutbacks and severe restrictions on international students as reasons for the reductions.
Some students say the impact is already being felt.
SEE ALSO: CPS raises concerns about financing and school opening after education board approves amended budget
"It's a little bit like a slap in the face when we have half our faculty that have been laid off, and the school is still continuing to send us billing statements about classes when classes have been canceled too," said Ming Xin, an Illinois Tech student. "My advisor is no longer going to be here in the coming semester, as well, and a lot of us have been affected to varying degrees."
Another Ph.D. student said his academic future has been thrown into uncertainty because his professor was among those laid off.
"It was very shocking for us because we were doing research, and we are about to finish our research in one year. And I'm about to publish my paper with him," the student said.
The student said his degree progress and student visa status are now in jeopardy.
Other students and staff members said they have seen fewer international students on campus and voiced concerns about the broader effects of the layoffs with the potential loss of research and innovation.