UMass Dartmouth announced this week in a press release that the university’s Public Policy Center has closed effective July 1. The announcement came as UMass prepares for the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic  on fiscal year 2021, which began on July 1, 2020.

“The Covid-19 pandemic, besides causing untold damage to the lives and livelihoods of our society, has greatly affected our University and is causing ongoing financial ramifications that we are doing our best to address so that we can protect the health of our community while offering a quality educational experience. Unfortunately, difficult decisions must be made to ensure the stability of UMass Dartmouth,” said Chancellor Robert Johnson. “I want to thank Professor Michael Goodman for his hard work and leadership, and David Borges for his 23 years of dedicated and distinguished service to our campus and community. I also want to thank the entire PPC team including Michael McCarthy and Jodie Beksha-Tinsley for their commitment to the Center.”

According to the release, UMass Dartmouth is currently planning for a variety of budget scenarios as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact the wellbeing of society and the economy. The statement noted that the university is trying to minimize the impact of jobs being lost on campus as well as position itself financially for an unpredictable 2021.