New guidelines to support financial stability

Dear UIC Community,

The evolving federal landscape presents potential financial risks, with significant uncertainty surrounding federal support of higher education broadly. In addition, we are contending with higher costs driven by inflation and increased tariffs, possible reductions in federal grants and facilities and administration revenue, and immigration policies that could impact student recruitment and staffing.

To ensure financial sustainability as we navigate these uncertainties, UIC is implementing a hiring “chill” and new restrictions on high-dollar investments.

Effective immediately, formal approval is required for:

• All new hires, including filling existing vacancies, extra help, temporary and temporary services, retiree rehires, graduate assistants and teaching assistants.
• All high-dollar investments, such as renovations, capital projects or other one-time expenditures.
• All high-dollar future funding commitments, including faculty startup packages or other multiyear financial obligations.

“High-dollar” refers to any obligation that equals or exceeds $250,000. Multiyear commitments should be evaluated based on their total cost over the full funding period. The approval process is effective immediately and applies to all new requests, including projects planned for the 2025 fiscal year.

The approval process is summarized in the chart below. This requirement applies across the university, except for direct funded grant expenditures and hires. Clinical health positions will follow a separate approval process that will be conveyed to the health science units.

Units reporting to:	Approval required from:
Provost	Provost and Vice Chancellor for Finance
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs	Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Vice Chancellor for Finance
Chancellor	Vice Chancellor for Finance

To support consistent and transparent decision-making across the institution, further instructions, including standardized workflow processes for position approvals and high-dollar expenditures, will be provided to leadership later today.

While these financial uncertainties require us to exercise discipline, UIC is well-positioned to navigate this period. We have successfully managed previous financial challenges — including the 2016 and 2017 state budget impasse and the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic — and we will do so again. Thanks to careful financial planning and strong stewardship, the university has sufficient reserves to manage short-term financial pressures.

Even as we address these financial risks, we remain focused on our mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence. Doing what’s best for our people — students, staff, faculty and patients — drives all our decisions. By working together and making thoughtful, strategic financial decisions, we will emerge stronger. We appreciate your leadership and partnership as we move forward.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor

Matt Fajack
Vice Chancellor for Finance

Karen Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs

For more information, please contact:
Office of the Chancellor
chancellor@uic.edu