Provost Peggy Agouris and Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration Mike Todd send the following message to faculty and staff on March 5, 2025. – Ed.

Dear William & Mary Community, 

We write to share temporary and proactive steps the university is taking to ensure we are prepared for a fluid and evolving national landscape. Fortunately, the university is in a strong financial position. Out of an abundance of caution, we are looking to conserve resources we have in place and ensure we are well-prepared for the future.

With that goal in mind, the president has asked us to temporarily slow hiring for the next 90 days, through June 1, 2025 – to give every unit time to assess potential impacts of federal reductions to grant funding, indirect cost recovery, and more. Various areas of the university may have different levels of exposure to projected reductions. By slowing the pace of future commitments, we can strengthen our ability to be flexible in support of current commitments to our people.

These decisions are not made lightly, and William & Mary’s values-based mission of teaching, learning, and research serves as our bedrock. We know that uncertainty can create extra concern for our community. We commit to providing as much clarity as we can as new details become available, and this information will be added to the university’s federal guidelines resource hub.

What a “temporary slowdown” means: 

Cabinet leaders will continually assess the potential impact of federal funding reductions to their programs, sharing those scenarios with us. As they do so, we have asked that they prioritize resources and positions very systematically before proposing new faculty and staff hires – to defer all but the most urgent hiring through June 1.

Important exceptions to ensure that urgent needs are addressed and to minimize disruption will be considered. Possible exceptions include: 

• Hiring for positions already in the final stages, such as those with candidates who have completed on-campus interviews.
• Externally funded positions with dedicated funds, including those supported by private funds and state-legislated funding that cannot be redirected or repurposed.
• Other exceptions to ensure continuity of mission (teaching, living and learning, research).
• For any exception, please reach out to your Cabinet leader.

We understand that slowing hiring and deferring new hires may require adjustments in staffing and may bring up follow-on questions about workload management and more. We will be working closely with Cabinet leaders to provide guidance over the coming weeks – so that those who are impacted by this slowdown have appropriate support. 

We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through these temporary measures. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to listen, to answer your questions, and to work together to find paths forward even amid uncertainty.

Sincerely,

Peggy Agouris
Provost

Mike Todd
Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration