While the MFA grapples with an eight-figure deficit, some are taking the museum to task over its decision to lay off nonwhite curators and the director of belonging and inclusion.

Why it matters: The layoffs have dismayed some visitors who accuse leadership of abandoning their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which a museum representative called "completely false."

• The MFA is the latest museum to downsize amid a nationwide downturn, citing a $13-million budget gap.

Catch up quick: The MFA laid off 33 people last week and cut 23 vacant roles, marking a combined 10% staff reduction, per reports from GBH News and WBUR.

• A Change.org petition launched Thursday night said the layoffs affected nonwhite curators dedicated to Native American Art, Islamic Art and Fashion.

State of play: The museum eliminated its belonging and inclusion director as well as its chief of learning and community engagement as part of a broader restructuring.

• While the senior community engagement role existed since 2018, both positions were mentioned as "good-faith efforts" in an agreement the MFA reached with the state attorney general's office in 2020 to resolve allegations of racism against seventh-graders from the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy. (The deal expired in 2023.)
• Olga Khvan, a museum spokesperson, said the museum's commitment to DEI precedes the agreement with the attorney general and that its belonging and inclusion role is "evolving."

Yes, but: The elimination of those two senior roles, along with layoffs affecting nonwhite curators and staffers, sparked criticism from some Boston-area residents.

• The online petition, which has garnered just more than 1,700 signatures, calls for the reinstatement of assistant curator of Islamic Art Nadirah Mansour and at least four other staffers of color.

The other side: Khvan said in an email to Axios that the layoffs resulted from a "careful, deliberative process involving input from the whole MFA — not an action targeting any group of employees, department or division."

Go deeper

President Trump intensified his war against Harvard University overnight, demanding $1 billion for "damages" and threatening criminal investigations.

Why it matters: Trump's escalation could mean a breakdown in negotiations between the university and administration.

• After months of quiet diplomacy, Trump now suggests he's preparing to use the full weight of federal law enforcement and financial sanctions to punish Harvard.

State of play: Despite New York Times reports that Trump had dropped a demand for a $200 million settlement payment from Harvard, the president jumped on Truth Social overnight to switch to a more aggressive position.

• Trump is now publicly calling for $1 billion in damages. That's a fivefold increase from previously reported figures.
• In the posts, Trump explicitly described the Harvard situation as "Criminal, not Civil."

Of note: Trump spent the early morning hours blasting the Times reporting as "wrong," effectively torpedoing the deal spearheaded by billionaire Stephen Schwarzman.

Between the lines: Trump can hurt Harvard in two primary ways:

• Harvard relies heavily on federal grants for research funding. Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut those ties.
• Investigations into the university's handling of antisemitism, ties to China and other civil rights complaints give the White House a way to crack down on school policy and administrators.

Drop the H-bomb

🚨 Four Mass. residents were charged by the feds in a $1-million multi-state fraud scheme to obtain benefits and pandemic assistance. (CBS Boston)

• Prosecutors allege the defendants used over 100 stolen identities to get $440,000 in SNAP benefits and more than $700,000 in pandemic unemployment payments.
• The investigation centered on El Primo restaurant in Leominster, where prosecutors say fraudulent SNAP cards were used to buy food that was then prepared and sold for profit.

🏛️ Meanwhile, the White House criticized Gov. Maura Healey for refusing to provide SNAP recipient data to federal authorities, claiming she's "protecting fraudsters over constituents." (Boston Herald)

• Healey said the state has "no assurances" the data won't be given to ICE.

❄️ Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn called for the city to purchase snow-melting machines after residents complained about clogged streets and sidewalks after the recent 23-inch snowstorm. (Boston Globe)

😵 A Newton woman impersonated a doctor and botched a cosmetic eye surgery procedure that permanently scarred a patient, according to prosecutors. (MassLive)

• Authorities say she performed double eyelid blepharoplasty surgery on a 22-year-old woman at an unlicensed clinic in Allston without a medical registration.

☕ Boston's second favorite celebrity Ben Affleck has his fourth consecutive Dunkin' Super Bowl commercial comin' up, this time featuring '90s sitcom stars Jennifer Aniston, Jason Alexander and Newton's own Matt LeBlanc. (Boston.com)

Renting is cheaper than owning a home in all 100 of the largest U.S. metro areas, according to a LendingTree analysis.

Why it matters: Housing costs have soared nationwide, with stubbornly high home prices and mortgage rates weighing on would-be buyers.

• Homeowners with a mortgage now pay around 37% more per month than renters, researchers found.

In metro Boston, it's 40% more, nearly $1,000 a month.

By the numbers: The median monthly gross rent was nearly $1,500 in 2024, based on the latest available census data, compared to over $2,000 a month for mortgaged homes.

• That gap widened from the year before as homeownership costs rose faster than rents.
• Bay Staters pay even more. Median rent in metro Boston was $2,093. Homeowners paid a median $3,005 a month.

What they're saying: "The cost disparity here could be enough to convince someone that they'll never be able to own a home in some areas, and — unfortunately — they may be right," said Matt Schulz, LendingTree's chief consumer finance analyst, in a statement.

What we're watching: President Trump has proposed a raft of policies meant to lower mortgage rates and boost home-buying demand.

• But making housing more affordable is easier said than done.

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