Stony Brook University Continues Hiring Freeze, Makes Budget Cuts

STONY BROOK, NY — Stony Brook University is taking measures to survive the coronavirus pandemic — including a hiring freeze and cost-cutting.

"The pandemic and its health and economic impact have affected every institution of higher education, not just in New York or across the United States, but around the world," Stony Brook University officials told Patch. "Stony Brook is meeting these challenges head on, as the means to ensure and protect the university's future. We will continue to be transparent and will communicate frequently about the steps we are taking to achieve a stronger, more sustainable future."

For the upcoming fiscal year, the school will continue the existing hiring freeze for both new positions as well as those that become open due to natural staff and faculty turnover, according to the university.

"While not sustainable over the long run, this is a necessary step in the short term and a prudent measure at this specific moment in time — saving a combined $20 million," officials said.

"Out of pocket" expenses covering costs for items such as service contracts, supplies, equipment and travel will also continue to be frozen, the university said. This will save an estimated $2.3 million.

Senior campus leaders voluntarily took a 10 percent pay cut, and a 2 percent raise for all management confidential employees was put on hold indefinitely, officials said. Management confidential employees cover a broad range of occupations; including managers, middle managers, and specialists in fields as diverse as education, law, computer science, medicine, administrative support, and law enforcement.

During the last five years, the university’s central reserve fund has averaged $80 million, representing 8 to 10 percent of its total academic and research operating budget — in line with minimum requirements for an organization of Stony Brook's size, according to officials. The school will use the fund for a one-time offset of losses, which will reduce its central reserve fund by 50 percent in just one year.

"Which is unsustainable in the long term," officials said. "That is why we have engaged in a campus wide effort to develop a common understanding about the structure of our budget as the precursor to next steps — collectively determining actions that will put us on more firm and sustainable financial footing."

Stony Brook University closed on-campus housing in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Students are expected to start courses for the fall 2020 semester on Aug. 24. Seawolves will have a choice on course formats when registering: Some courses will be entirely online, some will be in person, and others will be hybrid, meaning that some students may attend in person while others participate remotely, the school announced in a news release.