North Carolina State University Executive Vice Chancellor Warwick Arden told college deans, vice provosts and senior vice provosts on Friday that he was implementing an immediate "pause on all hiring activities" in response to uncertainty about the federal budget.
"Given the uncertain impacts of the presidential administration’s Executive Orders and guidance, the potential shut down of the federal government on March 14, and financial challenges that the state government is dealing with, leadership is becoming increasingly concerned with our budgets over the next year or two," Arden wrote in part in a memorandum.
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Arden wrote that the hiring pause would be "until further notice."
"I will consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis," Arden wrote.
Arden wrote that student workers, including graduate student appointments, as well as part-time and temporary employees are not included in the pause on hiring.
Chancellor Randy Woodson and Executive Vice Chancellor Charles Maimone are also included on the memo.
"I also encourage you to be conservative in the use of all your funds given the challenging financial climate we currently find ourselves in," Arden wrote.
The Trump administration has issued dozens of executive orders, some of which involve freezing federal grants and loans that go to college campuses. Woodson told WRAL News that his university receives more than 400 federal grants and contracts. The university received $416 million in federal funding in 2023-24.
The North Carolina legislature's own fiscal research division projected the state budget will have a structural deficit by 2027.
A UNC System spokesman said NC State initiated the hiring freeze, not the UNC System. The spokesman said he is not aware of any other schools have implemented something similar at this point.
NC State employs nearly 10,000 people, according to its website.
According to the state, NC State is the 20th-largest employer in North Carolina.
NC State has 38,464 total students, including 28,422 undergraduates. It has the largest student population in the UNC System.