Penn State is committing to pay the salaries and benefits of all university employees through at least the end of April, President Eric Barron announced during a virtual town hall for faculty and staff Tuesday morning. However, there will be no General Salary Increases this year.

“Our objective here, with all this stress, is for you not to have an abrupt financial situation,” he said. “By deferring any decision until end of April, that gives us a chance to be strategic and think carefully about how the pandemic is evolving and how to mitigate its effects.”

Barron and Vice President for Finance and Business David Gray both said they expect to have a more concrete answer about the future of salaries midway through April.

In his opening remarks, Barron outlined three priorities administrators have set while responding to the coronavirus pandemic: 1) protect the health and safety of faculty, staff, and students; 2) get students to the finish line academically; and 3) address the financial health and well-being of employees and communities.

Provost Nick Jones noted several other concerns that have come up during this remote period and amid the uncertainty. In addition to not offering raises, he announced the university has advised departments not to fill new positions unless they are critical and that the university is also extending the tenure clock by one year for professors in the probationary period.

“It’s too early to be specific but it’s no question that we’ll be impacted,” Jones said. “No enterprise is immune to the deep recession we are facing, but it’s important to we promise and commit to communicate through this. Together, we will see Penn State through this crisis and emerge as an even stronger university.”

You can watch the town hall until 11:30 a.m. here.