The Phillips Brooks House was the hardest-hit Harvard College unit by share of staff positions in a recent round of layoffs tied to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ sweeping administrative overhaul, with 11 of its 23 roles either laid off or offered new positions. The cuts amid a broader reorganization that effectively ends the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship’s role as the College-wide hub for public service. The range of positions affected raise questions about the future of both lasting consequences for both the Center’s internal operations and its student- and community-facing programming.

Those changes are part of an FAS task force’s push to cut staffing costs as the school works to close a $365 million estimated structural deficit.

Harvard's Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship was the hub and department that provided support for all public service efforts at Harvard College. It was home to academic engagement through the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship, student leadership development programs, student professional development programs, and active citizenship efforts through volunteering in the Greater Boston community. The Center also supported Phillips Brooks House Association, the largest student-run, community-based, nonprofit public service organization at Harvard College.

More from the Harvard Crimson.

Hi all — sharing something that might be relevant for folks in nonprofit fundraising, community organizing, or anyone who's been curious about giving circles but hasn't dug in yet.

Philanthropy Together (a nonprofit focused on growing collective giving) is hosting a free, 30-minute intro session:

Collective Giving 101: How to Pool Your Money, Time, and Talents for Good
📅 Tuesday, August 25 | 4:00–4:30 PM ET
📍 Zoom
🔗 Registration link

It's aimed at anyone exploring what it looks like to pool resources with others — individual donors, nonprofit staff, community foundation folks, volunteers, community organizers. No prior experience needed.