The federal spending freeze, which could impact research grants and exchange scholarships, has been paused until a hearing on February 3.
Until then, the administration cannot suspend any state funds, but colleges are concerned about the status of research grants and scholarships supporting study abroad and international engagement.
“The broad directive… has caused widespread confusion and concern,” said NAFSA, the association of international education in the US, with institutions left scrambling about how the freeze could impact research programs, students and faculty.
“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,” Barbara Snyder, president of the Association of American Universities, said in a statement.
“Even a temporary stoppage of critical scientific research is a self-defeating, unforced error… This pause of American scientific research not only sets us back against global competitors; it is also a significant loss for people at home,” Snyder continued.
The programs that could see their funding cut include the Fulbright-Hays Program and the Foreign Language and Areas Studies Fellowships, among other initiatives supporting study abroad and international engagement.
Funding for scientific, medical and technological research programs could also be under threat, including grants from the likes of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, warned NAFSA.
Institutions were quick to react to the news, with Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber, writing on January 28 that federally funded research initiatives at the university could be forced to stop work if the order goes into effect.
This action… will hamper American innovation at a moment when it’s being fiercely challenged on a global stage
APLU
The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities said that the action would “sideline world-leading American scientists” and “hamper American innovation when it’s being fiercely challenges on a global stage.
If it goes ahead, the directive will force federal agencies to temporarily pause disbursements of grants to ensure programs align with Trump’s policies. It initially stated that departments were required to submit details about affected programs by February 10.
White House officials also instructed agencies to submit details about thousands of activities planned throughout March – including college support programs for migrant students and research scholarships – raising concerns that disruptions will far surpass the February 10 deadline.
Since Trump took office on January 20, the National Science Foundation has already cancelled dozens of review panels for research grant applications and researchers and institutions who have already been awarded a grant have seen funding held up.
Higher education leaders have said that they are expecting more guidance from the Education Department on which programs could be impacted. They are expecting a permanent decision from the courts on February 3.
