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Tuskegee University in Alabama was the first (and so far only) historically Black university to have a veterinary school. Last week, the program announced some layoffs.

Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in Alabama has laid off 10 employees during what its dean described as a "challenging time."

The university confirmed the layoffs on Thursday after being contacted by a local television news station that had heard directly from employees about being let go with little notice. The university acknowledged the layoffs without offering details in the following statement:

"Tuskegee University is always exploring opportunities to provide a stellar academic experience for our students. Staffing adjustments are part of that process. These adjustments did not include academic leadership and are minimal in number."

In a letter to alumni, Dr. Ruby Perry, program dean, said that 10 faculty and staff members were laid off. Directories of the college's faculty and staff on Tuskegee's website listed just over 80 employees as of Monday.

"This is a challenging time for our college and university," Perry wrote. "During this period, it is important to recognize the strength and resilience of our Tuskegee University community."

In recent years, the school has been under pressure to meet educational standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education, which accredits veterinary schools in the United States, Canada and internationally. Over the years, the accreditor has identified deficiencies at Tuskegee and put the school on what is known as probationary accreditation.

If a program loses accreditation from the federally approved accreditor, its students can lose access to federal loans.

In March 2022, the COE reported major deficiencies at Tuskegee in finances, clinical resources and outcomes assessment, as well as minor deficiencies in physical facilities and equipment, student support and curriculum.

The program remains on a probationary status with major deficiencies in three standards areas — finances, clinical resources and outcomes assessment, as of the most recent report from the COE.

The only veterinary school at a historically Black college or university, Tuskegee's program was founded in 1945 to provide opportunities to Black students who wanted to study veterinary medicine but could not because of segregation. At the time, the program was one of 10 in the country, and it was estimated that there were fewer than five Black veterinarians in the South, according to a brief history on Tuskegee's website.

Today, Tuskegee trains the majority of Black veterinarians in the U.S. and is the most diverse program in the country. Approximately 1.2% of veterinarians in the U.S. are Black, according to 2024 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Another historically Black university, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, is one of nine proposed veterinary schools seeking accreditation. Its planned start date is in 2026.

Responding to the layoff news, Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, a Tuskegee alumnus and president-elect of the AVMA, said in an email to the VIN News Service, "I can tell you that, with a long history of tough times, the administration, faculty, staff, students, and alumni are determined to continue the historic mission of serving all who ask in a time when many are denied."