On April 8, Cornell University received an announcement from the federal government that one billion dollars in grants were to be withheld from them. Along with Northwestern University, who faced similar cuts, Cornell now lacks the funds it would standardly use to pay graduate students and do research. In light of these cuts, Cornell is uncertain as to where to allocate its remaining funds.
Since Donald Trump’s re-election in November, Cornell has been anticipating cuts to their funding, as evidenced by their hiring freeze in late February. Likewise, decisions were made in mid-February to lower the number of admitted graduate students in anticipation of the inability to pay all of them. However prepared the university was, though, it wasn’t enough to simply swallow the one-billion-dollar loss they now face.
One of the primary reactions to the cuts has been confusion. The hefty sum frozen was proclaimed with little justification or ultimatum for Cornell to follow up on, so administration is unsure how to proceed. The alleged ultimatum from the Department of Defense culminates in seventy-five “stop-work” orders from the government, telling Cornell to halt research in fields like rocket science and energy. However, the Cornell administration finds these orders to be ungrounded and is currently seeking clarification as to the basis of them.
On April 14, the university joined a lawsuit against the Department of Education to retrieve their funds. Cornell administrators explain that this suit aims to supply them with the funds to continue vitalizing energy research in particular, meeting national need for innovation in that area. The declaration of lawsuit by Cornell states that “cutting indirect costs will cause irreparable harm to Cornell’s research enterprise, paralyze progress on projects of national importance, and threaten the training of the next generation of energy scientists.”
In the meantime, Cornell must decide where remaining funds will go. Some departments have not seen much change recently, perhaps the only visible change being a loss of amenities like catering. Others, like the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Engineering, have been hit heavily and may need to pause more equipment-intensive research. Staff pay cuts are possible but unwise following the UAW 2300 strike earlier this year.
Though reparative actions are being taken, Cornell is in a difficult position. The loss of one billion dollars is not to be taken lightly, although the extent of its effects are still unclear.
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