Dear Faculty and Staff,
We write today to update you about the university’s finances as we navigate the evolving challenges and headwinds that all higher education institutions are facing, including uncertainty about the impact of recent federal government actions. This environment requires that we take a prudent and proactive approach in stewarding our resources to maintain GW’s long-term resilience.
We want to be clear that GW’s financial position remains strong. However, our resources are more limited than other large private research universities, and we must take steps now to anticipate difficulties that lie ahead in order to avoid significant disruptions to our community and the university’s stability.
One action we will implement beginning Monday is a position management review process in which hirings and promotions will require an additional level of review by university leadership before approval. This careful evaluation is necessary to ensure that we are staying within our budget while fulfilling our core mission. It is important to note that this process—which will be in effect through this fiscal year and could be extended—is not a hiring freeze, and we expect to continue hiring staff and faculty critical to advancing our university.
We recognize that this measure, and others we may be forced to take in the future, will require the cooperation and flexibility of all our colleagues. But this particular review allows us to make informed, strategic decisions that consider the impact and funding source of each position request. We will share more details about the position review process with administrative and academic leadership involved in hiring.
Thank you for your understanding as we navigate these times together and support our shared community.
Sincerely,
Christopher Alan Bracey
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of Law
Bruno Fernandes
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer
Scott M. Mory
Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff