More layoffs could come to Viterbi
Tomo Chien
November 18, 2025
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
A decline in graduate student enrollment could cause the Viterbi School of Engineering to lose several million dollars in revenue next semester — and potentially force more budget cuts and layoffs, school officials told faculty in a meeting earlier this month.
2.
A private capital deal that would inject $2.4 billion into the Big Ten athletic conference was put on hold thanks to opposition from USC and the University of Michigan. USC reportedly objected to the deal because it would distribute more revenue to other Big Ten schools.
3.
The estate of notorious USC alum O.J. Simpson agreed to pay millions to the family of Ron Goldman — a man who Simpson was famously acquitted of murdering decades ago. It’s unclear how much money Goldman’s family will actually receive as part of the wrongful death lawsuit, given Simpson’s estate’s dwindling reserves.
4.
The Trump administration sued Gov. Gavin Newsom over a law that bans ICE agents from wearing masks in California, arguing that the state’s policies “discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents.” California lawmakers vowed to defend the bill.
5.
Sorry, seniors: New data shows that the Class of 2026 could face one of the worst job markets since the pandemic. The pessimistic outlook is in part due to deep layoffs at large firms and the potential for artificial intelligence to spur more.