University of California sets hiring freeze in anticipation of Trump cuts

By Jasper Ward

(Reuters) - The University of California has imposed a system-wide hiring freeze and made additional cuts, its president said on Wednesday, as part of efforts to try to mitigate the impact of sharp cuts in federal funding.

In a letter to staff and students, the school's president, Michael Drake, said he has also directed all University of California locations to implement cost-saving measures, such as delaying maintenance and reducing business travel, to help conserve its funds.

The University of California operates one of the largest higher-education systems in the country, with 10 main campuses, six academic research centers and three national laboratories.

The 10 campuses have a total of nearly 300,000 students enrolled, more than 25,000 faculty members and 173,000 staff members.

Some of the proposed policy changes and executive orders issued by U.S. President Donald Trump since he returned to office in January threaten funding for lifesaving research, patient care, and education support.

"These actions affect colleges and universities across the country," Drake said. "As one of the most innovative, research-focused public institutions in the nation, these proposed changes would have a particularly profound impact on the University of California."

In addition, the 2025-26 California state budget calls for a substantial cut to the university’s budget, he said.

The university is the latest to announce a hiring freeze as the Trump administration threatens cuts to federal contracts and research grants.

Harvard and Stanford are among the other schools to have also temporarily paused hiring. Johns Hopkins University announced last week that it would cut more than 2,000 jobs after the Trump administration terminated $800 million in grants at the institution.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Aurora Ellis)