Research Cuts
The Trump Administration announced budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health on Feb. 10, sparking panic among some universities that rely on federal funding.
Moves to cut funding have left universities in a state of confusion, as actions from the federal government come at a rapid pace. 22 states have sued the decision, which would reduce NIH funding to universities to 15%, according to NBC News.
Georgia Southern is a campus with robust research happening in nearly every department. Being a public university, federal funding is used to make many of these projects happen.
Recent attacks on DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs in public universities, have added to the ongoing budget cuts made to public universities. According to the Associated Press, DEI funding being pulled has the potential to “upend all aspects of campus operations, from essays on college applications to classroom lessons and campus clubs.”
Campus Reactions
While there is a pending lawsuit against the decision to cut scientific research, it could still be upheld by the courts. I talked to Georgia Southern’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development David C. Weindorf about the changes and what it could mean for students and staff.
“The changes to federal guidance have been coming at a brisk pace. Some of the executive orders have been challenged in court by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, American Council on Education, and others. Thus far, the impact to Georgia Southern students and staff has been fairly minimal. However, the Office of Research and Economic Development is carefully monitoring developments and stands ready to assist affected folks should federal guidance continue to evolve.”
Students around campus have also commented on the proposed changes, with some saying that their grad school research work has already been cut due to recent decisions by the Trump administration.
Bionca Joseph, a senior, said that these cuts were “A violation of free speech,” and that “grad school funding was being pulled for research on underserved communities.” She also said, “Diversity internships, along with my work at the National Park Service, have been impacted by the cutting of federal funding.”
Jackie Taylor, a freshman, talked about potential research funding cuts. “Depends on what the research it goes into, but overall still a bad move.”
What Now?
Research in universities is something that has been happening in the U.S. for decades, and cuts have been rapidly evolving over the past few weeks. Cuts to DEI have put many research positions and internships in jeopardy.
If upheld, research cuts to the NIH could add to the funding blitz happening on college campuses. Georgia Southern is a part of a much larger situation unfolding at the national level.
