Click here to read the full memo and view details related to a review and exemption request process.

President Roderick J. McDavis announced the freeze early last week, citing the uncertain impact of the state and national economy on the university's budget.

In Friday's memo to budget unit managers, human resources managers and others, Krendl and Decatur specified that the freeze applies to full- and part-time permanent or continuing positions in all units of the university, including the Athens and regional campuses, the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Auxiliaries. During the hiring freeze, planning units are to discontinue actions to create and post permanent or continuing positions unless they are identified as exempt or have been reviewed and approved by Krendl and Decatur.

Exempt from the freeze are:

• Positions posted through the People Admin system as of Sept. 19, 2008
• Faculty positions that Krendl previously reviewed and approved
• Student employees and graduate assistants
• Positions fully supported by an external grant
• Temporary positions (Group III)

University Human Resources will provide affected departments with a list of any positions in their units that meet the first two criteria.

"The hiring freeze has been implemented as a strategy to conserve funds and provide flexibility to manage the potential of budget reductions," Krendl and Decatur stated. "Such flexibility and preparation are essential to limit the impact on the core academic mission."

In addition to conserving personnel‐related expenses, they said planning units should give careful consideration to all expenditure categories and begin to build a one‐time reserve to use in the event of a mid‐year state budget cut.

During the freeze, Krendl and Decatur will review requests to post and fill positions critical to the university's mission based on these criteria:

• The position performs duties essential to the planning unit that cannot be met with current personnel
  
  
• The position serves an essential university function, including those related to health and safety, core academic function and demand, student recruitment and retention and Vision OHIO initiatives
  
  
• Availability of current planning unit funding

-- From staff reports