Bracing for more bad news from the state of California, Hastings College of the Law is forgoing some raises and scaling back on hiring, and has asked department heads to shave 5 percent from their current operating budgets.

As the state wrestles with one of the biggest financial disasters in its history, Hastings administrators are anticipating an unstable state budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, and the likelihood of more cuts next year.