The NCAA has furloughed their entire staff for three to eight weeks, according to a report by the Associated Press. A memo was sent out earlier today to all NCAA member schools informing them of the decision. The move to furlough roughly 600 employees was cited as an effort by the NCAA to cut costs.

The furlough, set to last from Sept. 21 until the end of Jan. 2021, will not affect senior NCAA executives.

“We are committed to supporting our member schools and conferences and student-athletes in every way possible, and yet I expect that some of our services to membership may be limited or delayed during this period furloughs,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in the memo. “I ask for your patience as we all strive to weather these difficult times together.”

The various cancelations and suspensions of college sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of economic disparity to the NCAA. The cancellation of the March Madness tournament was estimated to cost the NCAA $933 million in lost revenue.

The move to furlough their Indianapolis-based staff is the latest in cost-cutting moves made by the NCAA. The organization implemented a 20% salary reduction for senior management and 10% salary reduction for vice presidents, and cut its annual distributions to Division I schools from $600 million to $225 million.

*Editor’s note: Headline edited at 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 2.