University of Rochester faculty and staff:
These are challenging and uncertain times for all of us—at the University of Rochester and across higher education. To start, I want to acknowledge the very real stress, anxiety, and uncertainty many in our community are feeling. The evolving landscape—marked by shifts in federal funding, enrollment pressures, and broader economic concerns—has left many of us wondering how these changes will affect our work, our students, and our institution.
While we don’t yet know the full extent of these recent challenges, I want you to know that my team and I remain committed to you and to our collective mission as we navigate this moment together. I know that leadership across the institution shares that commitment. Guided by our values and the vision of our Boundless Possibility strategic plan, we will move forward with care, clarity, and a shared sense of purpose.
In order to move forward and to ensure the most successful outcomes, we are implementing the following actions and carefully monitoring the present and potential impacts of recent challenges. As we discussed in the recent webinar about federal policy changes and their impact on the University, we have taken several steps to manage our academic resources more carefully.
Spending Controls: Effective this past spring, we requested reductions in discretionary expenditures across academic and administrative units—recognizing that even small savings spread across the institution can add up significantly. In addition, we are working to ensure that proper review and approval processes are followed for all contracts.
Staffing Measures: We have instituted positional control over staff hiring with careful review of all hiring decisions, managing budget shortfalls primarily through attrition. In some areas, unfortunately, vacant positions may not be filled to maintain a budgetary balance. As President Mangelsdorf mentioned in last week’s webinar we are operating in a complex and dynamic environment—and as a complex and dynamic organization, we must continually adjust to changes in programs, policies, funding sources, and enrollment. Our workforce naturally ebbs and flows from year to year, and that variability reflects the nature of our mission and operations.
We are taking a careful, focused approach as we plan for the years ahead. This is not a one-size-fits-all situation. We are evaluating normal attrition and considering how job structures might evolve, while also creating standardized processes for how positions are proposed, approved, and managed. While changes in staffing and operations are happening, our priority remains minimizing the impact on our people and ensuring the University continues to excel in its core missions.
Faculty Hiring: We are sharply limiting faculty hiring. However, thanks to external support from foundations and philanthropic gifts, we can continue targeted searches in a few strategic areas. These externally funded hires will be the focus of our search efforts in the year ahead. The limitations in hiring do not include Medical Center clinical care operations, clinical faculty, or clinical staff.
PhD Program Enrollments: The University of Rochester Office of Graduate Education and Post-Doctoral Affairs (UGEPA) will work closely with PhD programs to evaluate the number of PhD admissions for Fall 2026. This is in response to a rapidly changing landscape that we first experienced last spring with other institutions deferring or rescinding admissions due to concerns about longer term research funding and graduate placement. To ensure financial sustainability of our doctoral programs in the face of a reduced federal F&A rate, a portion of PhD tuition will be budgeted on grant submissions as well as internal accounts for the next fiscal year, FY27. Specific details will be provided to faculty later this week.
Coordinated Marketing and Structural Realignment: We are reorganizing our prospective student marketing functions and making additional structural changes to reduce duplication and improve efficiency. The marketing and communications staff that were once part of the Office of Admissions have been integrated into the University’s central Marketing and Communications team, ensuring that our student recruitment efforts are aligned with the many new initiatives that are being launched to build our global reputation.
Enrollment Management Redesign: We are in the process of rethinking our admissions and enrollment management structures to better meet today’s competitive landscape. Among the potential changes is a transition toward a more coordinated masters graduate program enrollment management model that will align with new admissions and recruitment activities. Planning for this transition is underway, with a phased approach designed to ensure continuity, enhance coordination, and preserve discipline-specific expertise supported by technology integration to improve effectiveness of marketing and recruitment across master’s programs. The deans will be working closely with the Offices of Academic Excellence and University Student Life to grow high-impact, mission-aligned master’s programs that respond to market needs. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
Capital Projects: We are focusing our capital investments on the highest priority building and renovation needs across the University. Our five-year Capital Outlook provides a consolidated view of current projects underway, future strategic initiatives, and ongoing investments in deferred maintenance, IT infrastructure, and equipment. This comprehensive planning helps us prioritize projects, align resources with institutional goals, and forecast long-term funding needs related to margins, philanthropy, and debt management.
Philanthropic Activities: The University achieved a new fundraising milestone in FY25, securing $202.5 million in new gift commitments—our first time surpassing the $200 million mark. This marks the third consecutive year of record-breaking fundraising during the quiet phase of our campaign and provides strong momentum as we prepare to publicly launch For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester. This success reflects the deep commitment of our donors and the outstanding work of our Advancement team.
Research Activities: Research is a core pillar of the University’s identity, and recent disruptions in federal funding present real challenges to sustaining and expanding our areas of strength. To date, we’ve seen just over 30 federal grants terminated, and very recently grants have been successfully reinstated—resulting in a current net loss of approximately $9 million from our nearly $500 million annual research portfolio. We remain committed to pursuing research excellence. Last month, President Mangelsdorf dedicated $8.5 million to establish new transdisciplinary research centers designed to unite faculty across disciplines to tackle complex, real-world challenges. These efforts enhance our competitiveness for external funding and create compelling opportunities for philanthropic investment that aligns with emerging national research priorities.
International Scholars: The federal policy environment continues to create uncertainty for international students and scholars. Like many institutions, we are experiencing a decline in international enrollment, driven by visa delays, shifting regulations, global economic pressures, and increased competition abroad.
We remain strongly committed to our international community. Our global engagement team is actively supporting students and faculty through the visa process, addressing housing needs, and advocating for policies that protect academic mobility. Global engagement is critical to our mission and a strategic priority for advancing excellence and diversity.
Recruitment and Retention: Student enrollment is a shared institutional priority, and multiple teams are advancing the goals of Boundless Possibility for exceptional education. We are increasing scholarship support, improving advising, housing, and student life, and optimizing year-round learning and cocurricular opportunities.
Additional efforts include expanding undergraduate recruitment in key domestic markets, enhancing support for transfer and international students, and promoting Rochester as a top residential destination. A targeted national campaign is underway to strengthen our reputation at every stage of the enrollment journey. To aid in these efforts, faculty participation in admitted student events, transfer articulation efforts, and other yield-building activities is more important than ever.
Thank you for your partnership and your enduring commitment to our students and the ongoing mission of the University of Rochester. These are challenging times, but with collective effort, focus, and dedication to making our world ever better, we will emerge as an even stronger institution built on academic excellence and student success.
Sincerely,
Nicole S. Sampson
Provost and Chief Academic Officer
University Professor of Chemistry