Harvard University Freezes Hiring Amid Financial Uncertainty

Officials say financial uncertainties linked to shifting federal policies are affecting faculty and staff recruitment.

People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard at the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass., on June 29, 2023. Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Harvard University has announced a temporary hiring freeze for faculty and staff as part of a broader effort to manage “financial uncertainties” caused by “rapidly shifting federal policies.”

The decision, which takes effect immediately, was detailed in a letter from Harvard President Alan M. Garber and other top administrators on March 10.

“Effective immediately, Harvard will implement a temporary pause on staff and faculty hiring across the University,” the letter reads.

The university leadership cited concerns over potential changes in federal funding and other economic pressures affecting higher education institutions nationwide.

Harvard officials emphasized that the hiring pause is intended to preserve “financial flexibility until we better understand how changes in federal policy will take shape and can assess the scale of their impact.”

While the freeze is expected to last through the current semester, university leadership will revisit the decision as circumstances evolve.

Beyond the hiring freeze, the university is asking its schools and administrative units to examine their budgets closely.

This includes scrutinizing discretionary and non-salary spending, reassessing capital renewal projects, and reviewing new multiyear financial commitments. The measures aim to “build the long-term capacity needed to advance academic priorities at a time of uncertain revenues,” according to the letter.

Harvard’s decision comes amid broader financial challenges faced by research universities. Last month, the university addressed concerns over federal funding for scientific research, particularly a new National Institutes of Health policy that reduces indirect cost support for research projects.

University leadership warned that such reductions could “slash funding and cut research activity at Harvard and nearly every research university in our nation.”

The indirect costs in question cover essential infrastructure such as laboratory space, equipment maintenance, and administrative support—resources that institutions rely on to sustain large-scale research efforts.

While Harvard’s financial standing remains strong compared to many institutions, its leadership proactively manages risks associated with external funding sources.

“We need to prepare for a wide range of financial circumstances, and strategic adjustments will take time to identify and implement,” the March 10 letter reads.

The university also reaffirmed its commitment to “advocate for higher education in our nation’s capital and beyond” while maintaining its core mission of research, teaching, and learning.

Exceptions to the hiring freeze may be made for positions deemed essential, particularly those linked to externally funded research projects. Harvard officials said they will work closely with school and administrative leaders to determine when exceptions are warranted.