NEWS RELEASE

10/24/02

Barbara Palmer, News Service: (650) 724-6184, barbara.palmer@stanford.edu

Provost announces staff hiring freeze

A staff hiring freeze will go into effect Oct. 25, Provost John Etchemendy announced Thursday.

The freeze will apply to all regular and academic staff positions, including temporary and casual employees, and staff hired through employment agencies, the provost said in a memo sent to university administrators. The freeze does not affect faculty positions, although some deans may choose to control faculty hiring in addition to staff, Etchemendy said. Hiring of student assistantship appointments, postdoctoral scholars and student temporary or casual help is not affected.

"This is a difficult decision necessitated by our concerns around economic conditions, both internal and external, " Etchemendy wrote in a memo sent to senior administrators. "The hiring freeze is a cautionary measure so that we do not fill positions now that will have to be cut later this spring or summer. It is my hope that by exercising restraint we can absorb some of the impact of the current financial environment on the university as a whole."

Under the freeze, all current openings will be placed on hold. Beginning Friday, Oct. 25, only senior university officers, including academic deans, vice presidents, vice provosts and administrators in equivalent senior positions, can approve hiring an employee for any position. On Nov. 30, 2002, any open positions not authorized for hiring by senior officers will be canceled. The approval process will ensure that only essential positions are filled, said John Cammidge, Human Resources executive director.

"By taking these measures at this time, we hope the likelihood of more serious actions in the future will be mitigated," Cammidge added.

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