Salisbury University is imposing a hard hiring freeze in the wake of news that the state could be facing a budget deficit as high as $300 million in the fiscal year of 2015 with future reductions that could top $450 million.
In addition, all current vacant positions for which there have not been offers already made are to be left unfilled.
President Janet Dudley-Eshbach said that with potential budget cuts the university must examine employee salaries and benefits which made up 74 percent of the university's state unrestricted budget as a primary financial solution to permanent cuts.
She said that last week the University System of Maryland had received a letter from the state Department of Budget and Management instructing the educational institutions to limit all discretionary spending for the remainder of the year.
Earlier this week Dudley-Eshbach said the Chancellor told the university presidents they must prepare for an estimated budget cut of between $40 and $80 million to the USM system.
Salisbury University expects a budget cut of anywhere from $1.6 million to $3.2 million.
