The University of Southern California on Monday implemented a voluntary budget cut and staff freeze that employs cleaning, citing financial stress from federal fund cuts.
USC came into effect immediately and announced nine measures “limit and reduce spending.”
“We are writing to update you with the steps USC is taking to protect its financial sustainability and academic mission,” the university said in a letter published on the “We Are SC” website. “As you know, universities and universities across the country face tremendous scrutiny and financial stress due to uncertainty in federal funding, reductions, increased costs and other risks.”
The cuts come as the Trump administration threatens to cancel federal contracts between private and public universities.
The UC System implemented a similar system-wide employment freeze last week. Last Friday, Columbia University agreed to reclaim $400 million in federal funds on a list of requests that the Trump administration removed $400 million in federal funds and accused them of “facing permanent harassment of Jewish students,” according to NBC News.
On March 10, the Department of Education said USC, along with 59 other universities, was investigating the federal government’s allegations of anti-Semitism.
In a announcement Monday, USC said the university relies on approximately $1.35 billion in federal funding, including $650 million in student financial aid and $569 million for research initiatives.
The divisional cuts made at the start of the fiscal year are a new baseline, with all capital projects being “reevaluated to determine which could be postponed or suspended,” the school said. Staff freezes “There are few critical exceptions” and teacher employment is effective, with “a significant limit at all schools.”
Non-essential business travel, meetings and entertainment have also been restricted, universities have been added, and all divisional units have been instructed to streamline operations.
“We understand the impact these decisions have on our dedicated faculty and staff and want to ensure that they are not lightly made,” the school said.
As of June 2022, the Southern California campus fund was around $7.3 billion, according to the We Are SC website.
With President Carol Fort scheduled to retire at the end of the school year, the new leadership will soon take over USC. Beong-Soo Kim, current senior vice president and legal counsel at USC, will serve as interim president.
“We will remain optimistic that these measures will not only help us survive the current storm, but will also allow us to put the university on a stronger footing for many generations,” said the university’s leadership.
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