Dear School of Medicine Community,

I write to follow up on UC President Michael Drake’s letter addressing the financial challenges facing the University of California system due to proposed federal policy changes and significant cuts in the 2025-26 California state budget. Like you, we learned today about President Drake’s announcement regarding a UC-wide hiring freeze and the directive to implement cost-saving measures where appropriate.

Following Chancellor Hawgood’s message, I would like to provide initial guidance on how the School of Medicine will approach these challenges.

What’s next at the UCSF School of Medicine:



As we develop our approach, we will integrate learnings from the hiring freeze implemented in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will again partner with UCSF leadership to develop a process for exceptional approval of essential hires and be guided by the following principles:

What you can do:

Today’s announcement is a good reminder that we should all continue to monitor costs, limit non-essential expenses, and carefully manage budgets. We will keep you informed about the School of Medicine’s budget and our financial planning for the upcoming fiscal year.



Your commitment and adaptability during this time are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued dedication to UCSF’s mission.

Sincerely, 

Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD 

Dean, UCSF School of Medicine