In response to the University of Nebraska system’s Nov. 7 announcement of a hiring freeze, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has paused on hiring for open state-aided positions, except in two instances:

• Positions in which a job offer had already been extended by Nov. 7, have moved forward to the hiring stage or have been filled. Positions that were in active interview stage by Nov. 7 are undergoing further evaluation.

• Vacant positions, or positions that will become open this spring semester, will be further analyzed to determine their criticality to the university’s mission. Some of those positions may be filled.

Permission will need to be requested to complete or initiate the search process and will only be granted for the highest-priority positions with a critical need for immediate replacement.

To receive consideration for mission critical positions, units should submit requests for these positions to their respective vice chancellor by 3 p.m. Dec. 8.

Questions may be directed to respective vice chancellors. Decision-making will primarily reside at the vice-chancellor level; if approval is granted at that level, approval will be needed from the chancellor, and with the chancellor’s approval, from the president of the university system.

The hiring freeze will continue through the spring 2017 semester as one method to help the state in its expected revenue shortfall this fiscal year. This hiring freeze is for all faculty and staff positions that are funded in whole or in part by state-aided dollars. The upcoming state legislative session, which begins Jan. 4, will be instrumental in setting the university’s two-year budget, which begins July 1.