Straws in the Wind - Part 50

News from the American Economic Association Committee on the Job Market

Unfortunately, this past job market season was a challenging one for candidates. In the second half of 2024, the total number of job openings listed on JOE [Job Openings for Economists website] was down 4.6 percent relative to the same period in 2023, and down 22.8 percent relative to the same period in 2022. Demand has remained weak in the first half of 2025, with the number of job listings on JOE down 14.4 percent relative to the same period in 2024, and down 39 percent relative to the same period in 2023.

To gain information about the prospects for the coming 2025-26 job market season, the committee will be surveying the chairs of US Economics Departments as to whether they are experiencing a hiring freeze, and if not, how their plans for faculty hiring compare to those in recent years.

The committee’s survey of job candidates on the market during 2024-25 is in the field and will conclude on Tuesday, August 5. If you were on the market this past year, please complete the survey so the committee and future cohorts can better understand your experiences on the market. Advisors and placement directors are asked to encourage their students on the market this past year to complete the survey.

Source: https://www.aeaweb.org/news/member-announcements/2025-jul-15. [Excerpt]

From the LA Times: Citing a budget deficit in excess of $200 million, the University of Southern California’s interim president said Monday that an undisclosed number of layoffs and other belt-tightening measures would be implemented to “deal decisively with our financial challenges.” Beong-Soo Kim wrote in a letter addressed to faculty and staff that USC is “experiencing significant shifts in federal support” for its research and other programs — a product of the Trump administration’s sweeping effort to cut billions of dollars in grants — and also faces “potential decreases in international student enrollment.” At the same time, Kim said, USC’s expenses have “significantly outpaced” its revenue for several years...

Full story at https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-15/usc-budget-deficit-layoffs.