In addition to many of President Donald Trump’s continuing changes to education, he now includes threats to revoke federal funding from Universities. I believe this change’s impact will not only be severe but will hurt students and universities across the United States. Starting with the University of Columbia, the U.S. government canceled $400 million in federal contracts and grants. The reason for this was Columbia’s support of their students’ pro-Palestinian protests.
For the U.S. government to cancel funding because of this is a personal attack on the students’ First Amendment rights, including freedom of speech and assembly. I would argue that the government is allowing its own opinions to affect the funding of the youth, which should not even be a part of the consideration to cancel University funding.
Along with cutting funding from Columbia, the U.S Government threatened $18 million from Michigan State after the U.S. Department of Education sent UMich a letter telling them to end all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. UMich listened to the government and cut these programs.
PBS News explains how federal law does allow the Department of Education to pause or end funding to Universities that violate civil rights laws, after taking the steps of finding the noncompliance, offering a hearing, notifying Congress, and then waiting 30 days before pulling the aid. However, the Trump Administration is working to make this process faster with little to no room for negotiation, which will make it more than difficult for Universities to fight back against the allegations.
These cuts will affect both incoming and current college professors, because of cuts they are reducing the funding for training. Some schools, including Harvard University, have already put a pause on hiring professors in fear of federal funding cuts. Along with this, college acceptance and admissions will be reduced, making it harder for students to be accepted into their dream schools.
We are currently living in unprecedented times. Federal funding cuts could severely impact colleges not only in Michigan but nationwide. I love the idea of pursuing special education as a future career, but with all the cuts towards education, this could result in larger classes, fewer teachers and less student support. Because of this, pursuing special education may be difficult resource-wise, as well as the recurring problem in education of making enough money to support myself and my future family.
