Strategic Reductions and Pauses FAQs
As announced in the communication released on March 26, 2025, President Cantwell, Provost Riley-Tillman, EVP Brunelli, and EVP DeWald have approved the following measures to reduce spending effective April 1, 2025.
Overview of Cost Reduction Measures
- Strategic pause on non-essential faculty and staff hiring
- Strategic pause on out-of-cycle salary increases for faculty and staff
- Pausing non-essential travel and training
- Increasing review measures for essential purchases and contracts
- Renegotiating or ending non-essential contracts
- Reducing other discretionary spending
Strategic Pause on Non-Essential Travel and Training
In support of the pause on non-essential travel and training, all out-of-state and international travel requires advance approval and additional review. Spend Authorizations for travel funded by grant/extramural federal funds will be processed as usual.
Examples of potential essential travel activities may include:
- Travel essential to the responsibilities of a position as determined by the appropriate approver.
- Early career faculty (pre-tenure or faculty in the first 3 years of their careers).
- Graduate students.
- Travel for research and related development using current year F&O revenues.
- Travel necessary to protect life, property, or public safety.
- Travel by volunteers, contractors, and/or private parties.
- Trips approved prior to the Strategic Reductions effective date.
How do I request a travel exception?
- Additional routing and approvals will be built into the Spend Authorization process. This includes completing a questionnaire explaining the critical nature or importance of the travel to WSU operations.
- All out-of-state and international travel requires an approved Spend Authorization before travel occurs.
- Central Travel Accounts (CTA) airfare purchases are only allowed after Spend Authorization approval.
Who is responsible for approving purchasing, contracts, and travel exceptions?
| Unit | Purchasing and Contracts Approval | Travel Approval |
|---|---|---|
| Pullman Academic Units | Dean, Chris Riley-Tillman, and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Spokane Academic Units | Dean, Chris Riley-Tillman, and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Pullman Administrative Units | Vice President or Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Campus Faculty | Respective Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Campus Staff | Respective Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
FAQs: Travel Exception Process
No, the following grant funds (FDs) are exempt from the review process on travel:
- FD035: Hatch as Amended
- FD036: Regional Research
- FD037: McIntire-Stennis Forestry
- FD038: Animal Health and Disease Research
- FD039: Animal Health and Disease Research – Vet Med
- FD040: Smith-Lever as Amended
- FD041: Smith-Lever EFNEP
- FD042: Smith Lever- “RREA”
- FD043: Grants and Contracts – Federal
- FD044: Grants and Contracts – State
- FD085: Grants and Contracts – Local
All out-of-state travel requests will require additional review. However, exceptions may be granted for:
- Travel essential to the responsibilities of a position, as determined by the EVP, Dean, VP, or Chancellor.
- Early career faculty (pre-tenure or faculty in the first 3 years of their careers).
- Graduate students.
- Travel for research and related development using current year F&A revenues.
- Travel necessary to protect life, property, or public safety.
- Travel by volunteers, contractors, and/or private parties.
- Trips approved prior to the Strategic Reduction effective date.
If the trip has been authorized via the Spend Authorization process prior to the effective date of the review process, no additional approvals are required. If funds have already been expended on out-of-state travel (e.g., non-refundable expense) and that were not yet approved on a Spend Authorization, this information should be included in the request for an exception.
Any questions regarding the review process pertaining to travel should be directed to:
Email: travel@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 335-2038
Reference Guide: Request or Review an Exemption From the Procurement and Travel Strategic Reduction
Strategic Reduction on Purchasing of Goods, Services, Equipment Orders, and Contracts
Purchases or contracts for goods, equipment, and services costing $10,000 or more require approval through the exception review process before WSU Purchasing and Contract Services can process them.
The review does not apply to the following:
- Items costing less than $10,000 (excluding tax and shipping).
- Purchases funded by grant/extramural federal funds will be processed as usual.
- Purchases necessary to protect life, property, or public safety (e.g., WSU Police). These purchases must be justified and approved via the exception process. For emergency purchases addressing immediate situations, contact Purchasing Services as soon as possible.
How do I request a purchasing or contract exception?
- Contract Requests or Requisitions funded by the grant accounts (FDs) listed in the FAQs (see below) will be processed as usual.
- For all other funds, complete the questionnaire built into the Create Contract Request and Requisition processes. The justification must include a rationale explaining the essential nature of the purpose and its significant impact on protecting life, property, public safety, or other critical needs (such as system operations, services, students, or other mission-critical activities). On exempt funds, you may indicate that you are using exempt funds in the rationale box.
- Dean, Vice President, or Chancellor level approval on Contract Requests will be evidenced by a Dean, Vice President, or Chancellor signature on the Contract Request Form prior to submission in Workday. Approvals at Executive Vice President or Provost level will not occur if a Dean, VP, or Chancellor has not signed the Contract Request Form.
- Requisitions and Contract Requests over $10,000 that are not funded by the exempted grants (FDs) listed in the FAQs below will be routed for approval through the appropriate exception request approvers. Once approved, these will route back to Purchasing Services or Contract Services for normal sourcing and contracting processes to continue.
Who is responsible for approving purchasing, contracts, and travel exceptions?
| Unit | Purchasing and Contracts Approval | Travel Approval |
|---|---|---|
| Pullman Academic Units | Dean, Chris Riley-Tillman, and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Spokane Academic Units | Dean, Chris Riley-Tillman, and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Pullman Administrative Units | Vice President or Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Campus Faculty | Respective Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
| Campus Staff | Respective Chancellor and Leslie Brunelli | Executive Vice President, Vice President, Dean, or Chancellor |
FAQs: Purchasing and Contracts Exception Process
Any Requisitions or Contract Requests submitted prior to the strategic reduction effective date will proceed under normal processes.
Orders and contracts already placed are legally binding for the university and will typically proceed to completion.
No, the following grant funds (FDs) are exempt from the review process on purchases:
- FD035: Hatch as Amended
- FD036: Regional Research
- FD037: McIntire-Stennis Forestry
- FD038: Animal Health and Disease Research
- FD039: Animal Health and Disease Research – Vet Med
- FD040: Smith-Lever as Amended
- FD041: Smith-Lever EFNEP
- FD042: Smith Lever- “RREA”
- FD043: Grants and Contracts – Federal
- FD044: Grants and Contracts – State
- FD085: Grants and Contracts – Local
Yes. The following purchases do not require additional approval levels:
- Any single item under $10,000.
- Purchases funded exclusively from the grant funds listed above (FDs).
Note: Any other purchases justified as essential to operations or core mission-related activities must be sent through the exception process built into Workday.
Equipment refers to furniture, equipment, and software. Orders for furniture, equipment, or software that do not meet the criteria above must be submitted as an exception request. Leases for equipment or software are also subject to review.
Reviewers will evaluate the following factors when determining approval:
- The criticality of the purchase of the goods, equipment, or services.
- How the purchase supports essential operations or activities that must continue during the strategic reduction review process.
- Whether the purchase of goods, equipment, or services is intended to generate revenue exceeding the costs of the purchase or contract.
- The consequences if the exception is denied.
The $10,000 threshold for equipment purchases applies to a single item. A list of goods, supplies, or equipment items that add up to over $10,000 will also be subject to the review process and will require an exception. Reminder: Breaking up orders to circumvent the $10,000 threshold violates policy and state procurement law.
No.
If the amendment or change order increases cost above $10,000, an exception request is required.
Yes, unless the purchase is funded by one of the exempted grant funds (FDs) or is under $10,000. Otherwise, these requests must go through the exception request process built into Workday.
Any questions regarding the purchasing review process should be directed to:
Email: purchasing@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 335-3541
Reference Guide : Request or Review an Exemption From the Procurement and Travel Strategic Reduction
Other Areas of Spend Reduction or Cost Avoidance
Renegotiating or Ending Non-Essential Contracts
Effective April 1, 2025, units are strongly encouraged to review all spend contracts to identify any that are non-essential or where other services or solutions may be possible (i.e. internal service centers, other state or public agencies, less costly solutions, etc.). Any contracts that are expiring and that are subject to renewal should be evaluated closely with only those most critical being renewed. All contracts that are in place should be considered for potential spend reduction to the maximum extent possible. As a reminder, many contracts have language included that requires a certain number of days prior to expiration to provide notice of cancellation or to avoid some type of auto-renewal as may be included in the agreement; please reach out to your local administrative support and the Procurement & Contracts team to look into each identified contract to determine if it can be terminated, renegotiated, or if notice of cancellation for an up-coming renewal is possible.
Reducing Other Discretionary Spending
Units are strongly encouraged to review and critically evaluate all other spending regardless of funding source. Examples include: food purchases for business meetings, events, and other gatherings; office supplies, subscriptions, memberships, and promotional items. The use of donated funds to support student scholarships is encouraged and will not be impacted by the slowdown.
General Assistance
For any assistance reviewing contracts and other areas of spend that are encouraged to be addressed during this strategic spending reduction please contact Purchasing Services at:
Phone: (509) 335-3541
Email: purchasing@wsu.edu