Have you ever drank a Gatorade on a hot day? Read a book on a Kindle? Taken Allegra for spring allergies?
If so, you have university researchers to thank — at the University of Florida, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University, respectively.
You almost certainly use a computer to complete thousands of daily tasks — likely to even read this article — again, thanks to research universities in the U.S.
Most of us take for granted the constant flow of research and invention that comes from research institutions — hotbeds of creativity at the forefront of innovation.
But the actions of the current presidential administration have disrupted this status quo.
April 30 marked the end of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, an important benchmark used to measure how successfully a presidential administration has accomplished its stated goals and campaign promises.
Trump has certainly kept his word on education.
In March, he signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, which subsequently saw its workforce cut almost in half to improve “efficiency” and “accountability,” in the words of Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
In fiscal year 2023, almost $60 billion in federal research funding was distributed to American universities, according to The New York Times. The Trump administration has already cancelled $11 billion of this funding, and has threatened further cuts.
Trump recently approved another executive order targeting university accreditation — a major step that institutions must complete before receiving federal aid funds for students. The order accuses accreditors of furthering leftist ideology, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion efforts instead of focusing on academic excellence.
The Trump administration’s attacks on prestigious institutions like Harvard University have received criticism from students, faculty and journalists.
Although Ivy League schools have massive endowments — Harvard’s is more than $53 billion, with Yale University second at more than $42 billion — they are still heavily reliant on federal funding.
Universities have felt the impacts of this massive and unprecedented defunding immediately, with many struggling to grapple with a new reality of budget cuts.
In late March, Boston University’s administration announced a pause on merit raises for employees. Several other public and private institutions, including the University of Washington, the University of Pittsburgh and Stanford University, have also announced hiring freezes.
But the long-term ripple effects of this overhaul are unknown, and may be felt for generations.
CBS 60 Minutes Overtime released a segment April 27 highlighting the possibility of a “brain drain” among American scientists.
“Brain drain” is a more colloquial term for what sociologists call “human capital flight.” It describes the phenomenon of highly skilled and educated individuals emigrating to other countries to live and work.
According to research from fDi Intelligence, half of the 10 countries most impacted by “brain drain” in 2022 were developing island nations. Samoa ranked number one, followed by Jamaica, Micronesia, Haiti and Guyana.
For most of us, it may seem unthinkable for the U.S. to become the victim of such a trend. In the U.S. News & World Report 2024–2025 Best Global Universities ranking, American universities represented 297 out of 2,250 total institutions, and made up 14 of the top 20.
After all, don’t we live in the “land of opportunity?”
Don’t we have the highly-touted institutions, the historic pedigrees and the extensive resources?
For now, but maybe not for long.
A record number of international students attended American universities during the 2023–2024 academic year — over 1.1 million, according to the Institute of International Education’s annual OpenDoors Report.
But as funding cuts continue, international students may be less likely to pursue degrees at American universities. This will be a major loss of diversity and collaboration, as well as the boost to the economy that comes with their enrollment.
In addition, more American students may begin to consider attending universities abroad, which will likely perpetuate existing socioeconomic inequalities that are already pervasive in higher education.
Funding cuts will impact financial aid and programs, such as the Pell Grant, for first-generation or low-income students. At the same time, wealthier students with the resources to get a degree abroad may be more likely to leave the country to attend highly-ranked international universities.
In 2024, colleges and universities in the U.S. employed more than 3 million individuals, according to data from IBISWorld. As funding cuts force departments to shrink, there will be fewer positions open for professors and researchers — and that’s not even taking into account research, administrative and student support staff.
At their best, colleges and universities should serve as a safe haven for freedom of expression, liberty of thought and diversity of ideas. Research is a key component of this lofty, but worthwhile, goal.
The idea of losing the innovation and progress provided by federally-funded university research is a scary one. The Trump administration has suggested that this responsibility should be taken on by the private sector, but it is the primary responsibility of the government — not corporations — to serve its citizens by fostering innovation that benefits all of us.
If the next generation of students and thinkers isn’t given the opportunity to ask “what if?” through research, our future as a country may be at risk.
This Editorial was written by Opinion Co-Editor Ruby Voge.