UNLV pauses hiring in plan to tackle $9.6M budget shortfall

UNLV announced Friday it will reduce its operating budgets by 25 percent and implement a two-month hiring freeze to help alleviate a $9.6 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2025.

The move comes following a decision by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents to approve cost-of-living adjustments up to 12 percent for all academic and administrative faculty for the 2024 fiscal year and 11 percent for the 2025 fiscal year across all of Nevada’s academic institutions.

“This measure is necessary to manage and align our staffing costs with the reduced budgetary resources,” a letter read.

In a first step to ease financial constraints, the university is implementing a 25 percent cut in all state operating budgets, effective immediately. The university will cut nonsalary expenses, such as groundskeeping, campus maintenance and supplies. Essential services including the university’s required insurance, accreditation and campus utilities are exempt.

A university letter identifying the actions to be taken notes that all departments will be required to identify and decrease nonessential expenses including travel or hosting.

The university did not respond to how many vacancies there are within the institution that would be affected by the two-month hiring freeze.

The letter defended the increased compensation for Nevada System of Higher Education employees in response to the rising cost of living. A July 2023 news release from the Board of Regents said the adjustment reflects the system’s duty to fairly compensate its employees and the decision emphasizes the board’s dedication to recruiting quality educators.

“This increase will assist with employees’ wages and the rising cost of living, allowing them to continue providing quality education and services to students across Nevada,” the 2023 news release said.

Contact Ella Thompson at ethompson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @elladeethompson on X.