What steps has Rensselaer taken?
A hiring freeze was implemented for both faculty and staff, with the exception of strategically important searches. Every portfolio on campus also was asked to reduce its budgets without reductions in salary, and each portfolio’s operational expenses were reduced in areas such as travel, advertising, and consulting services. Those measures had the effect of minimizing the number of staff members affected later by the reduction in force. As the economic situation worsened, further budget reductions became necessary and the difficult decision was made to reduce the staff by 80 positions in early December 2008.
