USC Imposes Hiring Limits, Budget Cuts as Questions Loom Over Federal Funding

The private university in Los Angeles received $1.35 billion in federal funding last year, including student aid and research grants.

The University of Southern California in Los Angeles on March 11, 2020. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Facing federal funding uncertainty, the University of Southern California (USC) has restricted hiring and reduced budgets to increase its “financial resilience,” the private institution announced on March 24.

The Los Angeles university published a notice to staff outlining the planned steps to address an expected shortfall as the Trump administration slashes spending on government grants and other financial assistance. President Donald Trump also signed an executive order on March 20 to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, moving its student loan processing responsibility to the Small Business Administration.