HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College is eliminating more than 100 positions and restructuring or ending 15 academic programs as it works to close a projected budget deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The college announced it will eliminate 87 filled positions and 41 vacant positions, including two faculty jobs. Employees affected by the cuts were notified last Friday morning.
College officials said the actions are part of several cost-saving measures tied to a projected shortfall in the upcoming budget cycle.
In a statement, HACC said the decisions were difficult but necessary and that impacted employees would be treated with care and support.
Eligible full-time employees whose jobs are eliminated may receive severance packages equal to two weeks of base salary plus one additional week for each completed year of full-time service.
The college’s $128 million budget for 2026-27, approved by its board of trustees this week, initially projected a deficit of nearly $10 million. Administrators said planned interventions are expected to reduce that gap to about $5 million, with a goal of returning to a balanced budget in 2027-28.
Beginning this fall, 11 programs will be restructured into broader “meta majors” and will no longer accept new students as stand-alone degrees. Those include programs in addiction recovery services, art, early childhood care and education, English, exercise science, electronic engineering technology, human services, mathematics, physical science, political science, and social services.
Four additional programs will be fully phased out after fall 2026: film and theatre, geospatial technology associate degree, geospatial technology diploma, and wellness and health promotion.
Outgoing HACC President John Sygielski told trustees the main financial challenge is long-term declining enrollment, a trend affecting colleges across Pennsylvania.
According to figures shared with the board, student credit hours have fallen from about 429,000 in 2010 to roughly 227,000 today. Headcount enrollment has also dropped from a peak of 21,500 students in 2010 to just over 12,000 across all campuses.
Sygielski, who has led HACC since 2011, is scheduled to retire this summer.
The college has selected Dan Lufkin, a college president from Texas, as its next leader.
HACC serves students across multiple central Pennsylvania campuses, including Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.
Source: PennLive