February 8, 2025
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Higher Studies News Update

Harvard, University of Chicago Caution Faculty Amid Uncertainty Over Trump’s Directive

A directive from the Trump administration aims to halt federal grants and loans, posing a threat to funding for higher education, particularly scientific research.

Although a federal judge imposed a temporary blockade on the freeze, some schools had begun preparations already. The University of Chicago advised faculty members to be cautious regarding the purchase of equipment, the initiation of new experiments, and travel connected to their grants.

According to a letter from President Alan Garber, Harvard University— which received nearly $700 million in federal research funding last academic year and has been under federal scrutiny— stated that the memo necessitates a “pause on a subset of federally funded research activities implicated in an evolving set of executive orders.”

Billions of dollars are awarded each year to US universities for a variety of items, including scientific research and tuition assistance. The suggested pause may not affect the distribution of federal loans and Pell Grants for college expenses, but it could influence university operations.

The schools obtain research funding from various agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Agriculture.

Barbara Snyder, president of the Association of American Universities (which represents leading research universities), stated, “We are extremely concerned about the impact of this action on our country’s ability to maintain its scientific and technological lead against competitors and potential adversaries.”

Along with some guidance as school officials attempt to figure out the next steps, the University of Michigan and Ohio State University have published the executive orders on their websites.  Yale University leadership advised faculty, staff, and students to keep working on federally-funded projects unless the university has received specific stop-work orders.

Yale President Maurie McInnis and Provost Scott Strobel wrote Tuesday, “The implementation of these changes will depend on how federal agencies and courts interpret them, so we do not have clear answers today regarding the impact of this and other government actions on our university.” “Given these uncertainties, we ought to be conscious of how university expenditures affect things.”

The University of Texas at Austin stated that they were not putting any research on hold.

Dan Jaffe, who serves as vice president for research at the University of Texas at Austin, stated, “We do not believe current guidance requires us to pause federally funded research activities unless the sponsoring agency orders a stoppage on a specific project.” 

On Monday, the National Science Foundation took that step, according to Sarah Spreitzer, who handles government relations for the American Council on Education, which represents 1,600 public and private colleges and universities. She stated that researchers who were set to take part in a grant review panel were informed it would not occur.

Spreitzer stated that this decision will affect grants currently under review, new grant announcements, and funding disbursements. The order does not seem to be attempting to recover federal funds. According to a statement on the National Science Foundation’s website, the Trump executive orders may also impact conferences, training, and workshops.

“It is challenging to grasp the magnitude of the impact, not only on higher education institutions but also throughout the United States and among the American populace,” Spreitzer stated.

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