Oakland-based University of California, which includes six academic health systems, has implemented a systemwide hiring freeze to conserve funds, citing executive orders and proposed policy changes from Washington, D.C.
These changes threaten funding for patient care, research and education support, UC President Michael Drake, MD, wrote in a March 19 letter posted on the university’s website. Additionally, California’s 2025-26 state budget calls for a “substantial cut” to the university’s budget, Dr. Drake said.
The hiring freeze process will vary for each campus, he said.
“UC San Diego Health does not have a hiring freeze in place,” a UCSD Health spokesperson confirmed to Becker’s. “However, UC San Diego Health has a stringent hiring process in place and is limiting new hires to those critical to health system needs.”
The hiring freeze includes San Francisco-based UCSF Health. “We do not expect any impact to patient care at UCSF Health,” a spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker’s.
At Sacramento-based UC Davis Health, a centralized hiring review is already in place and “will continue in its current form,” UC Davis Chancellor Gary May wrote in a March 19 letter posted on the university’s website.
“I have directed Human Resources to design a centralized hiring review process for staff positions,” Mr. May wrote. “Meanwhile, we have asked every dean, vice chancellor, vice provost, and other senior leaders to continue their local hiring review processes until more details are available. We will follow our standard faculty hiring process, though we anticipate fewer faculty hires than in recent years.”
Dr. Drake and UC leaders are collaborating with state and federal elected officials and advocating for the university’s priorities, he wrote.
“The University’s legal team prepared for this moment and has been working diligently to protect the University and our mission through the courts,” he said. “We will continue to pursue all appropriate actions and advocacy options available to us moving forward.”
Dr. Drake also directed all UC locations to reduce business travel where possible. UC includes Orange-based UCI Health, Los Angeles-based UCLA Health and Riverside-based UCR Health.
President Donald Trump’s administration’s proposed cuts to medical research grants, which would cap reimbursements for indirect costs at 15%, have already affected academic medical centers. Although the cuts were temporarily blocked March 5 by a judge, National Institutes of Health funding is “effectively frozen,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said.
Lawsuits from 22 states and organizations argue the change would endanger patients and limit research activity.
Becker’s has reached out to UC, UCI Health, UCLA Health and UCR Health and will update this story if more information becomes available.
