DE Assistant Politics Editor

A University-wide hiring freeze has been temporarily avoided by the University because of tighter controls on hiring procedures, SIUC officials say.

However, hiring in some departments has been stopped temporarily unless a position needs to be filled in emergency situations, James Tweedy, vice chancellor of administration, said.

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Tweedy said faculty and staff positions for each department which need to be filled will have to be approved by the vice chancellors. However, hiring has been temporarily stopped unless the position needs to be filled, he said.

We’ve put a hold on everything until we can determine the criteria on what ones to fill and the ones not to fill, Tweedy said. SIUC Chancellor John C. Guyon said the University has sufficient resources to cover the University’s income shortfall without imposing a hiring freeze.

Previously, Guyon said he thought a hiring freeze would be needed by the University before June 30 because low enrollment has caused an income shortfall at SIUC.

At this point there is no hiring freeze, Guyon said. We feel we can find the necessary resources by tightening control of the positions that need to be filled.

He said other positions which have to be filled are offices which are staffed by one person, which if left vacant, will cause the shut- down of the office.

I think we have sufficient resources to meet the needs and fill some of the emergency-level positions such as a single-person office, Guyon said.

Tweedy said he was satisfied with the hiring freeze being temporarily avoided.

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I’m relieved because anytime you have a hiring freeze, it creates hardship on the unit, and work doesn’t get done, Tweedy said. We still have to identify the resources and find the funds to cover the deficit.