PHOENIX – The state’s three universities will not be affected by Gov. Janet Napolitano’s announcement yesterday of a hiring freeze for state agencies, but the Arizona Board of Regents will be discussing ways to tighten financial strings at its next meeting, officials said.

Napolitano announced yesterday that all cabinet agencies and executive agencies such as the Department of Administration and the

Department of Real Estate, should immediately implement a hiring freeze until further notice, said Shiloh Mitchell, the governor’s deputy press secretary.

In a statement released late yesterday afternoon, UA President Robert Shelton said the university plans to limit any hiring for the remainder of the fiscal year to positions that are “”most critical to the operations of the university.””

The UA has 42 fewer state-funded employees today than at the start of the fall semester, according to the statement.

The regents will talk about ways to cut spending at the next board meeting March 6-7 at Arizona State University, said Christine Thompson, assistant executive director for government affairs for the regents.

The governor’s office is still looking into whether state promotions will be affected, Mitchell said.

This is just one of the ways the state is looking to save money in lieu of a estimated budget shortfall of $1.1 billion for this fiscal year, Mitchell said.