Coronavirus CT: Yale University Announces Long-Term Hiring Freeze

NEW HAVEN, CT — Yale University announced a number of steps it is taking to blunt the economic blow caused by the new coronavirus. Among the measures are salary and hiring freezes.

Yale announced that it is extending a hiring freeze to June 30, 2021 for all open faculty and staff positions. Rare exceptions can be made, but must be approved by the provost, senior vice president for operations or the dean of the Yale School of Medicine.

‘Our objective is to focus support on our existing faculty, students, and staff,” wrote Provost Scott Strobel and Senior Vice President Jack Callahan Jr. “Deans will review with the provost the status of faculty searches and jointly determine which, if any, can proceed, and which should be delayed until the financial situation has improved.”

Faculty will not receive salary increases and managerial and professional staff won’t receive merit increases in the fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2021. Faculty and staff will receive increases that accompany promotions and unionized staff will continue to receive increases in line with collective bargaining agreements.

Several capital projects have been paused on campus due to public health reasons. Every capital project is being reviewed for financial consideration and most will be either paused or delayed until further notice.

The university is also asking faculty and staff to forgo non-essential expenditures, including travel. The university isn’t funding international travel through Aug. 15 and domestic travel needs to be reviewed.

“We trust that the Yale community understands that these actions announced today are an essential first step on the path to addressing our longer-term financial challenges, and that additional actions are likely going forward,” Strobel and Callahan Jr. wrote. “We will continue to evaluate the impact of the larger economy on Yale’s long-term financial situation, work collaboratively with leadership across the university and with our bargaining units, and keep you informed in the coming months.”