LSU has been in the midst of a hiring freeze since March 28, but the end is in sight, Interim President Matt Lee expects.

Lee said the freeze will be over on July 1, matching the end date of the government hiring freeze Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry instituted across the executive branch on April 11.

“We’re not hearing any different at the moment,” Lee said. “We’re cautiously optimistic that, come July 1, we’ll be able to get back on hiring.”

The university hiring freeze stalled hiring progress across the university but particularly affected many student worker positions.

LSU’s hiring freeze was announced in March by former president William Tate IV, who’s since taken the same job at Rutgers, alongside other budget-tightening maneuvers as the university prepared for an uncertain future for higher education’s federal funding.

Tate also announced then that the school would be reviewing administrative processes to see where it could eliminate redundant positions and centralize key roles. In addition, he said the school would be using AI where appropriate to relieve administrators’ burdens.

The school also said it will be withholding 2% of all department’s budgets starting in 2026 to prepare departments to “withstand potential funding reductions.”

Departments can earn back part of that 2% by reaching certain annual goals, but most of it will go into a fund for “small- and large-dollar awards to support academic and research initiatives from across the campus.”

Landry’s freeze was in reaction to projections that Louisiana would have a fiscal shortfall and would outspend its budget. In a press release that coincided with the executive order, Landry said the move would save $20 million for the state.