St. Cloud State University’s dining operations are bracing for a major shakeup, with more than 150 campus food-service workers set to lose their jobs in 2026. Compass Group USA, which runs the school’s dining through its Chartwells Higher Education arm, has notified Minnesota officials that it plans to cut roughly 153 positions, with separations scheduled for July 1, 2026. The reductions cover frontline hourly workers as well as several managers who keep the university’s dining halls and catering services running.
The planned cuts came to light in a notice filed with the Minnesota State Rapid Response Team and reported by KARE 11. The filing lists Compass Group USA, Inc. as the employer, identifies the affected worksite as St. Cloud State’s campus and pegs the estimated headcount at about 153 employees.
According to the Rapid Response documents, job titles flagged in the layoff plan range from hourly cook supervisor, grill cook and food services worker to executive chef, dining services assistant director and several administrative roles. For more on how statewide layoff notices work and what support is available, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development breaks it down on its Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development layoff resources page.
Restructuring And Budget Pressure
The pending dining cuts land as St. Cloud State continues its “Boldly Forward” restructuring, a multi-year effort aimed at closing a projected $14.5 million budget gap over the next two years. Much of that transition work is slated to hit in July 2026, the same month the dining layoffs are scheduled to take effect, according to St. Cloud State University.
In public updates on the overhaul, university leaders have said they are trying to absorb changes through vacant positions wherever possible, while also warning that some limited layoffs could still be part of the final picture. The dining cuts will likely factor into broader conversations about how the restructuring plays out on campus for both workers and students who rely on those services every day.
How Dining Services Could Change
Chartwells, Compass Group’s higher-ed division, runs dining programs at hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide and currently lists St. Cloud State as a client in company materials and job postings. The company did not immediately weigh in publicly after the notice surfaced, and KARE 11 reports that it reached out to the university for comment as well.
For now, campus leaders and Compass Group are expected to sort out how meal coverage, hours and services will be maintained as positions transition or disappear. That could mean changes behind the scenes for staffing, schedules and menus, even if students initially see the same dining halls and food courts when they walk in.
Resources For Workers
State Rapid Response teams are tasked with stepping in early when mass layoffs hit, offering workers help with resumes, job searches and connections to training programs and unemployment benefits. Many of those services are delivered through local CareerForce centers, which work directly with affected employees.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development also maintains guidance on plant closings and mass layoffs, along with information on how displaced workers can connect with nearby workforce centers to figure out next steps.
Students and employees will be watching closely for formal notices from Compass Group and St. Cloud State as the July 1, 2026 implementation date approaches. Local officials and campus leaders say they plan to work with the Rapid Response Team to link affected workers with available support. This story will be updated if the university or Compass Group issues additional public statements on the layoffs.
