The University of Pittsburgh has instituted a hiring freeze for faculty and staff that will be in place through at least the end of June. 

The university says the hiring freeze comes amid "the uncertainty surrounding the federal funding of research grants under the Trump administration."

A notice was sent out to the Pitt community saying that the hiring freeze will last until the end of the fiscal year, adding that it could be extended into the next fiscal year.

The decision about the possible extension of the hiring freeze will be "subject to an evaluation of our financial performance," said Provost Joe McCarthy, Dwayne Pinkney, executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer, and Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences.

"The University does not take these actions lightly but, as a leading R1 research institution, we must strategically manage a range of financial pressures, including the evolving research funding landscape, inflationary costs, and the need to sustain our commitments to academic and research excellence," Pitt spokesman Jared Stonesifer said.

In addition to the hiring freeze, Pitt is asking "all University Responsibility Centers" to work to reduce non-compensation expenses, limit non-essential travel, and place limits on purchasing discretionary supplies.

Pitt says it will also continue to review university purchases larger than $25,000.