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2025 Federal Grant Funding Freeze (and other issues concerning higher education)

  • Ryan House
  • Mar 26
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 19

A Meeting of the Minds
A Meeting of the Minds

I began this project as a way to keep students informed about issues concerning higher education following the Trump Admin's EO pausing all federal grants. I'm duplicating here for my own records, and may expand beyond the focus of that original task.


May 18, 2025

  • "Republicans advance Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ in unusual late-night vote," The Hill, May 18, 2025

    • "After gaveling in after 10 p.m. EDT Sunday, the [House Budget Committee] voted 17-16 to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would extend Trump’s tax cuts and boost his border funding priorities while reforming Medicaid and food assistance programs."

May 2, 2025

  • "Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request," Office of Management and Budget, May 2, 2025

    • "TRIO and GEAR UP are a relic of the past when financial incentives were needed to motivate Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to engage with low-income students and increase access. The lack of action by IHEs also meant that States and local school districts needed additional support to prepare low-income students for college.  Today, the pendulum has swung and access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means.  IHEs should be using their own resources to engage with K-12 schools in their communities to recruit students, and then once those students are on campus, aid in their success through to graduation.  A renewed focus on academics and scholastic accomplishment by IHEs, rather than engaging in woke ideology with Federal taxpayer subsidies, would be a welcome change for students and the future of the Nation."

  • "What Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Mean for Education, Research," Inside Higher Ed, May 2, 2025

    • "President Donald Trump wants to end funding for TRIO, Federal Work-Study and other grant programs that support students on campus as part of a broader plan to cut $163 billion in non-defense programs."

  • "Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs," COE, May 2, 2025

    • “TRIO is the insurance policy for the Pell Grant,” said Maureen Hoyler, COE Senior Advisor and past president. “It’s not enough to provide financial aid—students also need academic guidance, mentoring, and personalized advising to stay on track. TRIO Student Support Services, in particular, raises completion rates for Pell Grant recipients and ensures our federal investment results in degrees, not dropouts.” 

    • “TRIO works,” said Diane Shust, COE’s Vice President of Public Policy. “It supports students from all racial backgrounds who face barriers not because of ability, but because of income, opportunity, or circumstance. Eliminating TRIO isn’t just a budget decision; it’s a choice to shut the door on millions of Americans who are ready and able to succeed.” 


May 1, 2025

  • "Trump signs executive order targeting college accreditation process," The Hill, May 1, 2025

  • "Education Department announces reforms to college accreditation process," The Hill, May 1, 2025

    • "Trump has previously described college accreditation as his “secret weapon” on higher education, with universities at risk of devastating financial consequences if they lose accreditation and access to federal student aid."


April 15, 2025

  • "Harvard’s challenge to Trump administration could test limits of government power," AP News, Apr. 15, 2025

    • "On Monday, Harvard became the first university to openly defy the Trump administration as it demands sweeping changes to limit activism on campus. The university frames the government’s demands as a threat not only to the Ivy League school but to the autonomy that the Supreme Court has long granted American universities. “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” the university’s lawyers wrote Monday to the government.... Already, Harvard’s refusal appears to be emboldening other institutions."March 26, 2025

  • "Researchers in limbo as Columbia bows to Trump’s demands in bid to restore $400M federal funding," AP News, Mar. 26, 2025


March 25, 2025

  • "GOP-led states push for control of school aid as Trump promises a smaller federal role in education," AP News, Mar. 25, 2025

    • "Iowa put itself forward as a test case this month, asking the Education Department to consolidate its federal aid into a single grant — called a “block grant” — with few spending requirements. Oklahoma submitted a similar request Tuesday, asking for more flexibility to steer federal money toward areas including private school and religious education options."

  • "Faculty and teacher groups sue over Trump administration cuts at Columbia University," AP News, Mar. 25, 2025 (8:59AM)

    • "The groups allege the Trump administration violated free speech laws and federal procedures when it cut $400 million in funding for Columbia over allegations of antisemitism tied to pro-Palestinian protests. Tolerating that at Columbia risks turning other colleges into “servile arms of the government, advancing only the political preferences of the latest president in order to secure federal funding,” the lawsuit says."

March 21, 2025

  • "Trump says Education Dept. to transfer student loan, nutrition programs to other agencies," Reuters, Mar. 21, 2025

    • "Trump, who signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at dismantling the Education Department, told reporters in the Oval Office that its student loans portfolio would be handled by the Small Business Administration. Special needs and nutrition programs would be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, he said."

March 20, 2025

  • "Trump signs order aimed at dismantling US Department of Education," Reuters, Mar. 20, 2025

    • A POTUS at a desk holds up a signed document in a room with flags and gold curtains. Children are writing at school desks nearby.
      Finally, head of class!

 March 11, 2025

March 10, 2025

  • "U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Sends Letters to 60 Universities Under Investigation for Antisemitic Discrimination and Harassment," US Dept. of Education Mar. 10, 2025.

  • "Public service student-loan forgiveness 'is not changing today' while Trump works to redefine who is eligible, Education Department says," Business Insider, Mar. 10, 2025

    • "While it's unclear which specific organizations Trump is seeking to target that do not align with his administration's political views, the executive order directed the education and treasury secretaries to redefine what constitutes "public service" and ensure that participating PSLF [Public Service Loan Forgiveness] employers align with the administration."


March 7, 2025


March 6, 2025


March 4, 2025

  • "Trump threatens funding cut to colleges allowing 'illegal protests'," Reuters, Mar. 4. 2025

    • Trump via Truth Social
      Trump via Truth Social

      • [No indication has been presented of what constitutes "illegal protests."]

  • "UW responds to U.S. Department of Education letter demanding educational institutions remove DEI programming," The Badger Herald, March 4, 2025


March 3, 2025 


February 28, 2025


February 15, 2025


February 11, 2025


February 10, 2025


February 3, 2025


January 31, 2025


January 28, 2025


January 27, 2025

 
 
 

© 2019-25 Ryan House​

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