Concordia University Chicago is letting go of 51 faculty and staff members and closing 15 academic programs due to budget concerns that have been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic and a reassessment of its priorities. The university, affiliated with The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, is offering retirement or severance packages to employees who were laid off, departed voluntarily or had their positions eliminated, said school spokesman Eric Matanyi. That’s about 7% of total employees prior to the reduction in force, he said.
