ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Faculty and students at Monroe Community College are pushing back against proposed layoffs following an announcement by the Board of Trustees. The decision, driven by declining enrollment, could impact several full-time faculty members.

During a crowded meeting Wednesday at the downtown campus in Rochester, professors voiced strong opposition to the layoffs. Bill Drumright, a full-time history professor with two decades at MCC, expressed concern about the broader implications of such cuts.

“You make that type of cut to full-time faculty, you are going to have ripple effects throughout the basic education that students get,” Drumright said.

In a statement released Wednesday, the college stated in part, “Throughout this process, MCC will maintain laser focus on the success of its students to ensure no disruption to their educational pursuit nor the quality of instruction upon which its national leading reputation has been built and sustained.”

Brianna Cook, a student attending Wednesday’s meeting, reflected on her personal experiences and the potential impact of the faculty reductions.

“We heard that there was a proposed cut or layoff of 25 full-time faculty here at MCC, and that really concerned us because I am in my last semester here. MCC has been really good for me. I am a non-traditional student. I have gotten a second chance here,” Cook shared.

Drumright emphasized the need for the administration to explore alternatives to layoffs to preserve the quality of education at MCC, whether exploring other cuts or having teachers trained in other subjects. “The board needs to reconsider what they are doing. It doesn’t need to be this way,” he stated.

Attempts to get comments from the Board of Trustees after the meeting were unsuccessful.

The exact number of potential layoffs has not been specified.

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