Notre Dame will halt all new staff hiring in response to federal policy changes, according to an email sent to faculty and staff by University president Fr. Robert Dowd, provost John McGreevy and executive vice president Shannon Cullinan. Faculty positions, student workers and temporary workers are not affected by the “proactive” freeze. This email was first reported by WNDU 16 News Now.
“We must acknowledge the financial implications of a number of recent developments,” the letter read, citing the cancellation of federal grants and reduction of funding from the National Institutes of Health alongside proposals in Congress to increase the endowment tax on Notre Dame and other universities.
The University also announced it would work to limit spending on travel, entertainment and events and will order each division, college and school to model what a five percent budget reduction might look like if they were forced to implement it.
The University shared that it will distribute more information soon and is currently working with graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and employees affected by decreases in federal funding.
The letter maintained that the University’s decisions are driven by its mission as a Catholic research university and a force for good, citing commitments to teaching and research alongside efforts to ensure a Notre Dame education remains accessible to students across socioeconomic backgrounds.
“Let us approach the challenges of these times with the same courage, determination, and care for one another Notre Dame has demonstrated throughout its history, walking together as a community of faith, hope, and love,” the letter read.
Other universities, including Cornell, Emory and the University of Vermont have implemented similar hiring freezes.
