UMass Amherst prepares for possible budget reductions in wake of changes in federal funding and policies
'Cuts of the magnitude outlined in the President's budget proposal and the federal tax legislation advancing through Congress will impact every academic and administrative department—including those not directly supported by federal grants,' said Chancellor Javier Reyes and Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Fouad Abd-El-Khalick in the letter.
UMass Amherst's preparation for financial instability under the Trump administration reflects a shifting economic landscape for higher education institutions, both private and public, grappling with widespread federal funding cuts and other policy changes.
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With $150-plus million in annual federal funding now uncertain at UMass, 'We reduced (not rescinded) our doctoral admission offers across the board in anticipation of continued reductions or interruptions in federal funding' from the
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While the budget scenarios UMass Amherst administrators are requesting are only an exercise in financial planning at this point, professors are already thinking about what they may have to lose, following a faculty senate meeting on the subject last month.
'I am preparing to offer fewer courses, defer classroom technology and equipment upgrades, bring in fewer guest speakers, limit support for some student-led activities, and further restrict our research capacity,' said associate professor of journalism Rodrigo Zamith who chairs that department.
Associate professor of history Kevin Young said he worries departments in humanities and fine arts 'will be especially harmed,' considering what he sees as the university administration's focus on STEM and business fields.
Given the scale of the federal government's cuts, said Jennifer Lundquist, professor of sociology and a co-founder of
'Faculty and staff have been talking about this for a long time. How can we be our most resilient? How can we ensure that our public land grant university mission continues despite these threats?' she said.
Reyes and Abd-El-Khalick said the university's
They also said federal policies could also affect student enrollment since proposed cuts to Pell Grants 'could lead to across-the-board disruptions to every aspect of instruction,' noting the grants have helped nearly a quarter of the university's students.
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Meanwhile, recent student visa woes could lead to a smaller cohort of international students and fewer tuition dollars.
'Research, international students, and changes in the Pell Grant — that is a triple hit for us,' Reyes said in a phone interview Thursday. 'That would be something we have to be ready for, if that's where things go, which is why we said, 'Let's plan.''
'What we don't want is to be in a situation where we have to make a decision quickly,' he added.
The Trump administration in May announced its
Reyes said UMass Amherst relies on its reputation as 'a research university' to attract faculty and students.
But now, he said, 'what we're seeing is international students second guessing whether they would like to come because they simply don't know what will happen' over the next few years.
Kalpen Trivedi, vice provost for global affairs, said the US halting of visa interviews worldwide created further worry. Although
The chancellor said he understands why students are nervous and can relate as a former international PhD student, himself, from Mexico.
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'You make a lifetime decision to leave your country and go study somewhere else,' he said Thursday. 'If that's derailed, it derails your future.'
'We're being careful,' he said. 'We want to have international students. They contribute to our university. We want to have the right support for them.'
Brooke Hauser can be reached at
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