By SUSAN JONES
The first three weeks of the new Trump administration have been a roller coaster for colleges and universities (and others) throughout the country.
In case you’re having a hard time keeping up, the University Times will continue to track some of the actions that are impacting higher education and how Pitt is responding (See previous reporting).
A Pitt spokesman reiterated what Chancellor Joan Gabel has said that, “The University is tracking and reviewing all of the new administration’s executive orders and guidance carefully and will take appropriate and necessary actions based on that review.”
Federal funding
A plan by the Trump administration to temporarily freeze federal grants and loans was set to start Jan. 28 and last until at least Feb. 10. But on Jan. 28, a D.C. federal judge issued a temporary halt to the order and then this week extended the restraining order, saying it was still necessary because funding problems remained and because there was nothing stopping the Office of Management and Budget from reissuing the policy.
Another federal judge on Jan. 31 issued a separate restraining order at the urging of 22 Democratic state attorneys general.
Both judges said the Trump administration memo appeared to usurp Congress's constitutional authority over government spending.
So where does this leave researchers and others? Confused, most likely. Many also are impacted by a pause in new grant and proposal reviews by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, although the NIH did resume some reviews this week.
Pitt Research has set up a webpage — research.pitt.edu/news/executive-orders-and-federal-funding — that tracks the executive orders affecting federal funding. It also has links to other sites that could be helpful, such as the APLU overview of executive orders, and to the federal agencies that supply funding to many Pitt projects.
The National Science Foundation also has set up a website tracking the executive orders and updating researchers. The most recent message on Feb. 2 said that access to the Award Cash Management Service had been restored and the system is available to accept payment requests.
Pitt Research said people with specific, urgent questions can contact research@pitt.edu.
There haven’t been many reports of direct impacts at Pitt yet, although the Post-Gazette reported on work by Sharon Hillier, professor of reproductive infectious disease and vice chair for faculty affairs in the Pitt School of Medicine, and the Microbicide Trials Network at the Magee-Womens Research Institute on new HIV prevention products that might be put in jeopardy if USAID is dismantled.
International populations at Pitt
The Pitt Office of International Services (OIS) also is tracking news and orders coming out of Washington, and is posting updates on its U.S. Immigration News & Information website.
One specific area the Trump administration is targeting is participation by non-U.S. citizens in what it called “pro-jihadist protests.” In the executive order “Additional measures to combat antisemitism” and its accompanying fact sheet, the administration says institutions of higher education should “monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff” that violate the order, and that the administration will “deport Hamas sympathizers and revoke student visas” if needed.
OIS said in a statement that, “We know that this proclamation and media reports regarding this order may cause some confusion and anxiety for some in our community. Please know we are closely monitoring all messages from the government and will alert you when there is anything that we believe may have an impact on our community.”
Another executive order — “Protecting the U.S. from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats” — requires enhanced security screening and vetting of foreign nationals applying for U.S. visas, entry into the U.S. or U.S. benefits, according to Pitt’s OIS.
The office urged incoming students and scholars to apply as early as possible for visa appointments, since wait times for visas are likely to get longer at some consulates.
This executive order also directs federal officials to consider and recommend in the coming weeks whether to impose any additional country-specific travel restrictions, which OIS is monitoring and will report on as soon as guidance is available.
OIS urged anyone with concerns to reach out to their immigration specialist with any specific questions or concerns.
Other actions
Transgender athletes: On Feb. 5, President Trump issued an executive order that said the administration would withdraw federal funding from educational institutions that let transgender girls and women compete in women’s sports The next day the NCAA said that transgender women will be barred from competing in NCAA women’s college sports.
Education Department: News reports say that Trump is preparing an executive order to dismantle or diminish the federal Department of Education. Read more about it in Inside Higher Education.
Diversity programs: The implications of the executive order on “Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs” are still unclear for universities, although the National Science Foundation said in a memo that it was closing it DEI office and taking steps to terminate all DEI-related contracts.
Some schools also have already taken action. West Virginia University on Feb. 3 announced it was closing its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and replacing it with the Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance. The Wall Street Journal reported that Arizona State University told researchers to immediately stop work on federally funded DEI-related projects and avoid using unspent funds, and that North Carolina State University directed faculty to stop working on any projects that “included the terms diversity, equity and inclusion” in the program’s proposal.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education reported this week that a coalition of education and civil rights organizations, led by the American Association of University Professors , has filed a lawsuit challenging the executive orders targeting DEI programs in higher education. The lawsuit contends that the executive orders exceed presidential authority and contain problematically vague directives.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.