UI Announces Hiring Freeze

University of Idaho Interim President Thomas Bell has announced a hiring freeze and other cost-cutting measures in response to the 2-percent budget holdback ordered by Gov. Phil Batt earlier this month.

“While 2 percent may not sound substantial, we all realize what kind of impact any reduction in funding can have on what we as a university community do,” Bell said.

The hiring freeze includes positions currently vacant and positions that become vacant, with salaries going toward the holdback.

Cuts in personnel costs will save $880,000.

Another $317,900 will be cut from operating expenses and $135,000 from capital projects. And $479,300 more is to be trimmed from special programs, including agricultural extension and research, the Washington Alaska Montana Idaho medical education program, veterinary medicine, the geological survey and forest utilization research.

Each college and division is being asked to reduce operating budgets, and deans and vice presidents have been asked to limit budget requests for next year to 97 percent of this year’s base.