Storrs — University of Connecticut President Thomas Katsouleas has announced there will be a hiring and spending freeze at the Storrs campus, regional campuses and law school. 

The move was announced as the university aims to recoup millions of dollars lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“ We do not know what our fiscal future will look like or how long it will take our economy to recover,” he wrote in a letter to the UConn community Friday.

“ Given that, it is important that we undertake careful and conservative planning with respect to our budget.

“ To that end, I have directed university staff to begin planning for a variety of financial scenarios we may have to contend with, from moderate to worst- case.”

Katsouleas wrote the spending freeze is “ flexible in order to support necessary spending in response to the pandemic, sustaining our teaching and research missions and keeping our employees and students safe and healthy.”

“ This emergency spending freeze will continue until we have a better sense of the fiscal impact of the pandemic,” he wrote. “ It is meant to conserve university resources in the face of financial uncertainty.”

In a March 20 letter to Connecticut’s congressional delegation, Katsouleas said the revenue loss for the Storrs and regional campuses was projected at $ 39 million, including $ 29 million in lost revenues from room and board fees at the Storrs and Stamford campuses as well as lost revenue from event cancellations.

At the time, it was also estimated if the pandemic continued into the fall, there would be a loss of $70 million from international students who could not travel to the university due to travel restrictions.

However, UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said this morning that until university officials know how the pandemic “ plays out, both here and internationally,” they are not expected to have a clear sense of the impact on international student enrollment.

Katsouleas requested $50 million to $ 110 million in emergency funds to recoup losses from the Storrs, regional campuses and law school in his letters to the congressional delegation.

In his letter Friday, Katsouleas wrote “ essential” positions will be staffed to “ meet the service level expectations of the university.”

The following applies:

• New, non-faculty hires on regular and special payroll are only allowed by exception and with the approval of the president, provost or executive vice president for administration/ chief financial officer.

• Any faculty searches approved by the provost will proceed. As always, new searches will require the provost’s approval. The search for a new chief diversity officer, for example, is “ well underway,” Reitz said.

• New spending should only be undertaken out of necessity under a current contract.

• Any existing contracts for goods and services should continue.

• Contract renewals should be reviewed to determine whether they are necessary and the risk to the university of not renewing the contract should also be reviewed.

• Plans and encumbrances for supplies, equipment and other services should be reviewed to determine whether they are necessary.

“ I have been beyond impressed and heartened by the way our community has reacted to the challenges we face,” Katsouleas wrote. “ That continued perseverance and steadfastness will help us to get through this crisis.

“Though cautious, we will also remain hopeful. Thank you for your support of this important temporary measure.”