Devastating’ Trump Funding Cuts To Disrupt Diabetes, Cancer And HIV Research, UIC Faculty Say
Faculty Concerned About Potential Restructuring
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) professors and researchers are raising concerns about the “devastating” consequences of federal policies freezing or cutting federal funding for scientific and education research announced this month.
More than a dozen UIC professors, researchers, and students protested President Donald Trump’s funding freeze efforts at a Tuesday rally organized by the University of Illinois Chicago United Faculty union. They warned that funding cuts for scientific research in health and education could set the country back decades, halt ongoing research projects for chronic and life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and HIV, and undermine all levels of education.
“These are life and death matters,” said Aaron Krall, president of the union representing tenured and non-tenured professors at UIC. “We have researchers on this campus right now and across the city who are working to save people’s lives.”
Trump’s Funding Cuts
Earlier this month, Trump announced a new policy that would limit National Institutes of Health research funding for “indirect costs” to 15 percent of grants, which would not be enough to cover the costs of facilities, equipment, and support staff, according to NPR. The policy was temporarily blocked by a Massachusetts federal judge in response to one of two lawsuits contesting the policy. A hearing for the other court case is scheduled for February 21, NPR reported.
In a February 10 public statement, UIC officials said a 15 percent cap on grants would have “significant impacts across the entire campus” as it would cut roughly $47 million to the university system based on its current grant portfolio. These funds support campus infrastructure, including lab operations, security, information technology, and research equipment.
Impact on Research
Timothy Koh, a professor of kinesiology and nutrition at UIC, is researching treatment for healing wounds in diabetic patients with a grant from the National Institutes of Health, which will end on February 28, he said. After the institute canceled a grant renewal review scheduled for February 6 without a reason, Koh said he may “end up with very difficult decisions to make.” Without funding, two doctoral and post-doctoral students could not be paid and the research project could be paused.
“It’s going to potentially put an end to my research career and we won’t be able to develop these new therapies for diabetic patients,” Koh said.
Concerns About Restructuring
The Trump administration also gutted the Department of Education’s research agency after billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency cut about $900 million from the Institute of Education Sciences, the Associated Press reported.
The cuts could have devastating effects on the health of Americans and the future of education and research in the country and around the world, UIC researchers said.
“As the DOE goes dark, so do decades of publicly available data and research gathered by IES-funded scholars and academic researchers like us,” said Katherine Zinsser, researcher and professor of psychology at UIC.
Faculty Concerned About Potential Restructuring
The University of Illinois Chicago, designated a Hispanic-serving institution, announced at a town hall with tenured faculty on February 7 that it is reviewing plans for restructuring the school, which is home to six independent departments.
The university’s potential plans to restructure the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics amid a financial deficit for the school and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have left professors concerned about the consequences for non-tenured faculty and students’ education.
Rumors have circulated among the school’s 77 faculty members about what the restructuring could mean – including that the school will be fully dissolved and the language requirement for students will be eliminated, professors said.
Yet concrete plans remain unclear, several faculty told Block Club.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is “in the early stages of discussing potential restructuring” of the school and no final decisions have been made, said Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, associate vice chancellor of university communications, in an emailed statement.
Professors are asking university administrators to hear them and be transparent about the university’s finances, several professors told Block Club.
“What we hope is our faculty is going to be more involved with making decisions on those changes,” said Margarita Saona, professor of Hispanic and Italian Studies.
Conclusion
The University of Illinois Chicago is facing significant challenges in the face of federal funding cuts and potential restructuring of its School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics. As a result, UIC faculty are speaking out against the devastating consequences of these policies on research, education, and the future of the university.
FAQs
* What is the purpose of the Trump administration’s funding cuts?
The Trump administration’s funding cuts aim to limit National Institutes of Health research funding for “indirect costs” to 15 percent of grants, which would not be enough to cover the costs of facilities, equipment, and support staff.
* What are the potential consequences of these funding cuts?
The funding cuts could halt ongoing research projects for chronic and life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and HIV, and undermine all levels of education.
* What is the current situation with the University of Illinois Chicago’s School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics?
The university is reviewing plans for restructuring the school amid a financial deficit for the school and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which has left professors concerned about the consequences for non-tenured faculty and students’ education.
