ITHACA, NY (WENY) -- Cornell University announced on Friday, February 28 it is implementing a hiring freeze across all divisions of the University.  University officials say the pause is a direct result of federal cuts to research funding, new tax legislation affecting their endowment income, and existing concerns related to the cost of the university's rapid growth.

The freeze has a few exceptions for positions the university is classifying as "mission-critical."  According to Cornell, the criteria for "mission-critical" includes identifying the position's core function, assessing the impact of the position on the institution, and finding alternative solutions instead of hiring. 

The University says new or existing hiring requests must be submitted for further review.

In the announcement, Cornell says they are making these changes to ensure the University can thrive for the long haul, stating, "To ensure that we continue to thrive in an even more complex future, we must commit, across every part of our institution, to a sustainable budget today."