{"id":654,"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=654"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:33:44","slug":"trump-administration-takes-on-higher-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/trump-administration-takes-on-higher-ed\/","title":{"rendered":"How federal grant cuts and funding freezes threaten higher education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Sara Bedi\u00adgian
UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UConn, Connecticut's flagship university, has been impacted by the Trump administration through federal research grant cuts. \/\/ Photo by Sara Bedigian<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-1024x614.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-1024x614.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-1536x921.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-2048x1229.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Fair\u00adfield Way on the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut Storrs cam\u00adpus. UConn, Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut\u2019s flag\u00adship uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, has faced mil\u00adlions of dol\u00adlars of fed\u00ader\u00adal research grant cuts. Pho\u00adto by Sara Bedi\u00adgian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

High\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion has been con\u00adsid\u00adered a pil\u00adlar of sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic research, drug dis\u00adcov\u00adery and tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal inno\u00adva\u00adtion that has fueled the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan knowl\u00adedge econ\u00ado\u00admy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the nation\u2019s great\u00adest strengths \u2014 but it is being under\u00admined as nev\u00ader before by the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment, said Tom Kat\u00adsouleas, an engi\u00adneer\u00ading pro\u00adfes\u00adsor and the for\u00admer pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say that the U.S. high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion sys\u00adtem is the envy of the world,\u201d said Kat\u00adsouleas, who co-signed a May 2025 op-ed in the Wash\u00ading\u00adton Post <\/a>with oth\u00ader for\u00admer uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty lead\u00aders blast\u00ading the fed\u00ader\u00adal administration\u2019s attacks on high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion. \u201cAnd we are essen\u00adtial\u00adly as a gov\u00adern\u00adment killing the goose that\u2019s lay\u00ading the gold\u00aden egg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first year of Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump\u2019s sec\u00adond term brought sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant chal\u00adlenges to high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion insti\u00adtu\u00adtions, as the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion can\u00adceled bil\u00adlions of dol\u00adlars in research grants and pres\u00adsured uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to adopt ide\u00ado\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal changes, such as elim\u00adi\u00adnat\u00ading DEI pro\u00adgrams and lim\u00adit\u00ading inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal stu\u00addents. The actions have raised con\u00adcerns in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, home to 36 col\u00adleges and uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties, and across the U.S. about the future of acad\u00ade\u00admia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jef\u00adfrey Dudas, a pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of polit\u00adi\u00adcal sci\u00adence and pres\u00adi\u00addent of the UConn chap\u00adter of the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan Asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion of Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty Pro\u00adfes\u00adsors, said fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading has been invest\u00aded in uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties for decades, whether direct\u00adly fund\u00ading research pro\u00adgrams or cov\u00ader\u00ading some of the indi\u00adrect costs, such as infra\u00adstruc\u00adture that makes the research pos\u00adsi\u00adble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you threat\u00aden that, you are threat\u00aden\u00ading so much, not just the imme\u00addi\u00adate ben\u00ade\u00adfi\u00adcia\u00adries of those grants, but also the future land\u00adscape of acad\u00ade\u00admia,\u201d Dudas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment has been out\u00adsourc\u00ading research to uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties for decades rather than cre\u00adat\u00ading large bureau\u00adcrat\u00adic struc\u00adtures and fed\u00ader\u00adal agen\u00adcies. Through fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading to sup\u00adport uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty research, the gov\u00adern\u00adment is pay\u00ading a lot less than if the research was being done in-house, Dudas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UConn professor Jeffrey Dudas is president of UConn's chapter of the American Association of University Professors. <\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-655\" style=\"width:429px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_3427-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Jef\u00adfrey Dudas. Dudas is pres\u00adi\u00addent of UCon\u00adn\u2019s chap\u00adter of the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan Asso\u00adci\u00ada\u00adtion of Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty Pro\u00adfes\u00adsors. Pho\u00adto by Sara Bedi\u00adgian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t have to cre\u00adate their own labs. They don\u2019t have to go out and hire their own peo\u00adple,\u201d Dudas said. \u201cThis has been a very good deal for the nation, and a very good deal for the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To have this rela\u00adtion\u00adship threat\u00adened is extreme\u00adly unset\u00adtling, Dudas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At their core, the Trump administration\u2019s actions are an attempt to influ\u00adence ide\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgy on uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty cam\u00adpus\u00ades and make it more reflec\u00adtive of the president\u2019s pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jay Bergman, a pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of his\u00adto\u00adry at Cen\u00adtral Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut State Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty and advis\u00ader to the university\u2019s chap\u00adter of the con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive group Turn\u00ading Point USA, said he agrees with Trump that col\u00adleges skew to the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive pro\u00adfes\u00adsor at CCSU, Bergman said he feels sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant\u00adly out\u00adnum\u00adbered by his lib\u00ader\u00adal col\u00adleagues. When fac\u00adul\u00adty express their polit\u00adi\u00adcal views in the class\u00adroom, it makes this divi\u00adsion worse, Bergman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergman\u2019s views are shared by many Repub\u00adli\u00adcans. In a 2018 Pew Research sur\u00advey, about eight in 10 Repub\u00adli\u00adcans said pro\u00adfes\u00adsors bring\u00ading their polit\u00adi\u00adcal and social views into the class\u00adroom is a major rea\u00adson why the high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion sys\u00adtem is going in the wrong direc\u00adtion. Only 17% of Democ\u00adrats agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe that the cor\u00adrup\u00adtion and the rot in acad\u00ade\u00admia is so deep that one can\u2019t rea\u00adson\u00adably expect uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to reform them\u00adselves,\u201d Bergman said. \u201cAs a result, we need exter\u00adnal pres\u00adsure \u2014 whether it\u2019s from state leg\u00adis\u00adla\u00adtures, gov\u00ader\u00adnors or the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of higher ed<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From the begin\u00adning, the orig\u00adi\u00adnal role of uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties was to be repos\u00adi\u00adto\u00adries of knowl\u00adedge to pass on from gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtion to gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtion, Kat\u00adsouleas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the U.S., the first uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties were pri\u00advate, start\u00ading with Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, before pub\u00adlic schools devel\u00adoped in the ear\u00adly 1800s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThomas Jef\u00adfer\u00adson notably cre\u00adat\u00aded Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Vir\u00adginia with a dif\u00adfer\u00adent pur\u00adpose \u2014 not as a repos\u00adi\u00adto\u00adry of knowl\u00adedge, but as cre\u00adat\u00ading an edu\u00adcat\u00aded cit\u00adi\u00adzen\u00adry that he thought was essen\u00adtial to suc\u00adcess\u00adful democ\u00adra\u00adcy,\u201d Kat\u00adsouleas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University of Virginia in 1937. \/\/ Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/UVA-in-1937.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/UVA-in-1937.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-1234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/UVA-in-1937.jpg 640w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/UVA-in-1937-300x218.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">
Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Vir\u00adginia in 1937. Pho\u00adto cour\u00adtesy of Library of Con\u00adgress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Through the Mor\u00adrill Act of 1862, Con\u00adgress cre\u00adat\u00aded land grant uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties that were focused on sup\u00adport\u00ading work\u00adforce devel\u00adop\u00adment and farm\u00aders with agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, UConn was one of those schools \u2014 a farm school, found\u00aded in 1881, to pro\u00advide real-world agri\u00adcul\u00adtur\u00adal edu\u00adca\u00adtion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dur\u00ading World War II, uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties got involved in the devel\u00adop\u00adment of radar and nuclear weapons, using their knowl\u00adedge to cre\u00adate inno\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive dis\u00adcov\u00ader\u00adies for the nation. Fol\u00adlow\u00ading the war, Con\u00adgress cre\u00adat\u00aded fed\u00ader\u00adal research agen\u00adcies includ\u00ading the Nation\u00adal Sci\u00adence Foun\u00adda\u00adtion and the Nation\u00adal Insti\u00adtute of Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe role of uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties changed now from repos\u00adi\u00adto\u00adry of knowl\u00adedge to cre\u00adators of new knowl\u00adedge. And so that was a major shift,\u201d Kat\u00adsouleas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Elijah Polance<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz-1024x681.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-548\" style=\"width:513px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/ED-UCONNRESEARCH-Tom-Katz-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">

Tom Kat\u00adsouleas, the for\u00admer pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut. Kat\u00adsoleas explains the his\u00adto\u00adry of high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion in the U.S<\/em>. Pho\u00adto by Eli\u00adjah Polance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act legal\u00adized and encour\u00adaged uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to patent their research dis\u00adcov\u00ader\u00adies, lead\u00ading uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to become not only sources of dis\u00adcov\u00adery, but also engines of inno\u00adva\u00adtion, trans\u00adlat\u00ading that dis\u00adcov\u00adery into prod\u00aducts, ser\u00advices and devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inven\u00adtion of the inter\u00adnet, com\u00adput\u00ader, nuclear med\u00adi\u00adcine and space trav\u00adel have been direct\u00adly con\u00adnect\u00aded to uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties have played a crit\u00adi\u00adcal role in the fact that the Unit\u00aded States is the lead\u00ading eco\u00adnom\u00adic and mil\u00adi\u00adtary pow\u00ader in the world,\u201d Kat\u00adsouleas said. \u201cI would argue that high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion has become the Unit\u00aded States\u2019 most suc\u00adcess\u00adful indus\u00adtry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last sev\u00ader\u00adal years, there has been a shift toward a less favor\u00adable view of high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion. A 2019 Pew Research Cen\u00adter sur\u00advey<\/a> found that only half of Amer\u00adi\u00adcan adults think col\u00adleges and uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties are hav\u00ading a pos\u00adi\u00adtive effect on the coun\u00adtry and about 40% said they are hav\u00ading a neg\u00ada\u00adtive impact, up from 26% in 2012. When asked whether the U.S. high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion sys\u00adtem is going in the right or wrong direc\u00adtion in a 2018 Pew sur\u00advey,<\/a> 73% of Repub\u00adli\u00adcans said it was going in the wrong direc\u00adtion, com\u00adpared to 52% of Democ\u00adrats.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kat\u00adsouleas said polls start\u00aded show\u00ading less favor\u00adable views of high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion a decade ago due to beliefs that high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion was for the elite, did not include peo\u00adple from diverse back\u00adgrounds and was lib\u00ader\u00adal lean\u00ading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attack on higher education today<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Today, high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion insti\u00adtu\u00adtions are fac\u00ading unprece\u00addent\u00aded pres\u00adsure from the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment as the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion push\u00ades for changes in poli\u00adcies to reflect ide\u00ado\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A vari\u00adety of exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders have sought to change accred\u00adi\u00adta\u00adtion, increase fed\u00ader\u00adal over\u00adsight over admis\u00adsion prac\u00adtices to elim\u00adi\u00adnate race-con\u00adscious admis\u00adsions and require schools to report for\u00adeign finan\u00adcial ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addi\u00adtion to exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders, the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has cut fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading through agen\u00adcies such as the Nation\u00adal Sci\u00adence Foun\u00adda\u00adtion, Nation\u00adal Insti\u00adtutes of Health and Nation\u00adal Endow\u00adment of Human\u00adi\u00adties that do not sup\u00adport Trump\u2019s pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adties or view\u00adpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con\u00adtent-spe\u00adcif\u00adic can\u00adce\u00adla\u00adtions have been imple\u00adment\u00aded by agen\u00adcies like NSF and NIH by comb\u00ading through titles and descrip\u00adtions of active research projects to deter\u00admine if they include activ\u00adi\u00adties that vio\u00adlate Trump\u2019s exec\u00adu\u00adtive orders, such as words relat\u00ading to DEI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools around the U.S. have been impact\u00aded direct\u00adly by these cuts. In Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, UConn has lost $41 mil\u00adlion from research grant ter\u00admi\u00adna\u00adtions <\/a>and unex\u00adpect\u00aded non-renewals as of Oct. 15, accord\u00ading to Lind\u00adsey DiS\u00adte\u00adfano, inter\u00adim vice pres\u00adi\u00addent of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has also tar\u00adget\u00aded indi\u00adrect cost rate reim\u00adburse\u00adments for fed\u00ader\u00adal grants \u2014 nego\u00adti\u00adat\u00aded rates with the gov\u00adern\u00adment to reflect the total cost of doing research, includ\u00ading fund\u00ading util\u00adi\u00adties, build\u00ading main\u00adte\u00adnance and research admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion. While it varies per uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, pre-nego\u00adti\u00adat\u00aded rates range from 30% to 70%, accord\u00ading to a Library of Con\u00adgress report pub\u00adlished in May 2025. Ear\u00adly last year, fed\u00ader\u00adal agen\u00adcies released state\u00adments that would impose a 15% indi\u00adrect cost rate on all awards to uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties, accord\u00ading to pol\u00adi\u00adcy notices from NSF and NIH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was met with law\u00adsuits from state offi\u00adcials and uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties pro\u00adhibit\u00ading them from imple\u00adment\u00ading the rate reduc\u00adtion. As pro\u00adceed\u00adings con\u00adtin\u00adue, Con\u00adgress could decide to respond through over\u00adsight or leg\u00adis\u00adla\u00adtion, accord\u00ading to a Library of Con\u00adgress report<\/a> pub\u00adlished in Decem\u00adber 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the 15% rate is imple\u00adment\u00aded, that could cause a uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty to expe\u00adri\u00adence a short\u00adfall, Kat\u00adsouleas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The federal government's relationship with university's IDC's have changed throughout time. Now, UConn has a 66% IDC reimbursement rate. \/\/ Photo courtesy of Dec. 1 University Senate President's Report<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-1024x580.png\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-1024x580.png\" alt class=\"wp-image-657\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-1024x580.png 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-768x435.png 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-1536x870.png 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.55.15-PM-edited-2048x1160.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
The fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00admen\u00adt\u2019s rela\u00adtion\u00adship with uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties and indi\u00adrect cost reim\u00adburse\u00adments have changed over time. The Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut now has a 61% reim\u00adburse\u00adment rate. Slide from UConn Pres\u00adi\u00addent Raden\u00adka Mar\u00adic\u2019s Dec. 1 report to the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty Sen\u00adate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has used threats to fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading and dis\u00adcrim\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion law\u00adsuits to tar\u00adget spe\u00adcif\u00adic uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties, too \u2013 among them some of the top research uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties in the coun\u00adtry. Schools such as Har\u00advard, Colum\u00adbia and UCLA have faced crit\u00adi\u00adcism from the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion over alleged anti\u00adsemitism and DEI pro\u00adgrams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March 2025, the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion threat\u00adened to cut fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading to Colum\u00adbia Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, alleg\u00ading anti\u00adsemitism dur\u00ading pro-Pales\u00adtin\u00adian protests. Trump has stat\u00aded gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly that all fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading will be revoked for any col\u00adlege or uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty that allows \u201cille\u00adgal\u201d protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July, Colum\u00adbia agreed to pay $200 mil\u00adlion to set\u00adtle claims relat\u00aded to dis\u00adcrim\u00adi\u00adna\u00adto\u00adry prac\u00adtices and increase over\u00adsight on inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal stu\u00addent admis\u00adsions, accord\u00ading to a White House state\u00adment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion has also cut bil\u00adlions of funds to researchers at Har\u00advard, attempt\u00aded to restrict inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal stu\u00addent pro\u00adgrams and threat\u00adened the school\u2019s tax-exempt sta\u00adtus, accord\u00ading to a White House state\u00adment and Truth Social posts from Trump in spring 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Har\u00advard sued in response in April. While a fed\u00ader\u00adal judge broad\u00adly ruled in Harvard\u2019s favor and funds returned to the uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty in Sep\u00adtem\u00adber, the freeze had a sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant impact on research, accord\u00ading to the Har\u00advard Gazette, the university\u2019s news source, and the Har\u00advard Crim\u00adson, the stu\u00addent news\u00adpa\u00adper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2025, the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion froze over $300 mil\u00adlion in research grants to the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Cal\u00adi\u00adfor\u00adnia, Los Ange\u00adles and sought a $1.2 bil\u00adlion fine over the university\u2019s diver\u00adsi\u00adty pro\u00adgrams. A fed\u00ader\u00adal judge blocked the fine in Novem\u00adber, accord\u00ading to the Los Ange\u00adles Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Octo\u00adber 2025, the Trump admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion offered a deal for pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adtized fund\u00ading to nine oth\u00ader uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties that he hoped would agree with his pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adties. \u201cA Com\u00adpact for Excel\u00adlence in High\u00ader Edu\u00adca\u00adtion\u201d required uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to sup\u00adport ide\u00ado\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal con\u00addi\u00adtions such as lim\u00adit\u00ading inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal stu\u00addents, requir\u00ading stan\u00addard\u00adized test\u00ading, elim\u00adi\u00adnat\u00ading DEI ini\u00adtia\u00adtives, restrict\u00ading employ\u00adees from express\u00ading polit\u00adi\u00adcal views on behalf of the insti\u00adtu\u00adtion and shut\u00adting down depart\u00adments that go against con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools includ\u00ading the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Ari\u00adzona, Brown Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, Dart\u00admouth Col\u00adlege, Mass\u00ada\u00adchu\u00adsetts Insti\u00adtute of Tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy, the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Penn\u00adsyl\u00adva\u00adnia, the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of South\u00adern Cal\u00adi\u00adfor\u00adnia and the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Vir\u00adginia have reject\u00aded the com\u00adpact, accord\u00ading to the New York Times.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bergman said he is in sup\u00adport of Trump\u2019s com\u00adpact let\u00adter and believes the changes are nec\u00ades\u00adsary in the cur\u00adrent \u201ccor\u00adrupt\u201d state of high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the com\u00adpact sim\u00adply requires uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties to do what uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties are required to do, which is to edu\u00adcate stu\u00addents, rather than to indoc\u00adtri\u00adnate them, so that when they grad\u00adu\u00adate, they are knowl\u00adedge\u00adable in Amer\u00adi\u00adcan his\u00adto\u00adry and polit\u00adi\u00adcal insti\u00adtu\u00adtions and West\u00adern civ\u00adi\u00adliza\u00adtion and so that they can act as respon\u00adsi\u00adble cit\u00adi\u00adzens in a demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic soci\u00adety,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No schools in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut had received the com\u00adpact let\u00adter offer as of the end of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Sen. Chris Mur\u00adphy, a Demo\u00adc\u00adrat from Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut, said the let\u00adter and Trump\u2019s oth\u00ader direc\u00adtives impact\u00ading high\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion are attempts by the pres\u00adi\u00addent \u201cto bul\u00adly uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty offi\u00adcials into sup\u00adpress\u00ading crit\u00adi\u00adcism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe pres\u00adi\u00addent is in the process of destroy\u00ading the knowl\u00adedge econ\u00ado\u00admy and the research econ\u00ado\u00admy,\u201d Mur\u00adphy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kat\u00adsouleas said the impacts could be felt long-term in Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut and through\u00adout the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adly this is going to lead to short\u00adages of doc\u00adtors, nurs\u00ades, teach\u00aders, jour\u00adnal\u00adists, engi\u00adneers, accoun\u00adtants and oth\u00ader pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adals upon which we rely for our way of life,\u201d Kat\u00adsouleas said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Sara Bedi\u00adgianUConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism High\u00ader edu\u00adca\u00adtion has been con\u00adsid\u00adered a pil\u00adlar of sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic research, drug dis\u00adcov\u00adery and tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal inno\u00adva\u00adtion that has fueled the Amer\u00adi\u00adcan knowl\u00adedge econ\u00ado\u00admy. This is one of the nation\u2019s great\u00adest strengths \u2014 but it is being under\u00admined as nev\u00ader before by the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment, said Tom Kat\u00adsouleas, an engi\u00adneer\u00ading pro\u00adfes\u00adsor and the [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":975,"featured_media":663,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[25,164,30,22,31,28],"class_list":["post-654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","tag-education","tag-funding","tag-higher-education","tag-research","tag-uconn","tag-university"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4362-2-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":524,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/federal-research-cuts-hit-uconn\/","url_meta":{"origin":654,"position":0},"title":"Federal research cuts hit UConn ","author":"Sara Bedigian","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Sara Bedigian UConn Journalism Sign on the University of Connecticut Storrs campus. UConn has lost $95 million in federal funding over the past year. Photo by Sara Bedigian University of Connecticut\u00a0Professor\u00a0Jennifer\u00a0McGarry\u00a0has spent more than 20 years running a federally\u00a0funded program that provides nutrition and physical activity support to low-income\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_4228-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1096,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/trump-second-term-spurs-dei-culture-shift\/","url_meta":{"origin":654,"position":1},"title":"Trump second term spurs DEI culture shift ","author":"Christi Thrower","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Christi Thrower\u00a0UConn Journalism Underrepresented. Diversity. LGBTQ. 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