On campus: Federal funding freeze upends University research
The Trump administration issued an order on Jan. 26, freezing trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans and disrupting research institutions, including the University. Though a federal judge temporarily froze the order, which was subsequently rescinded on Jan. 29, confusion and frustration among recipients of federal funding persisted.
The freeze halted National Science Foundation grants, affecting funding for scientific equipment, salaries and experiments. It also cut the United States Agency for International Development funding, forcing the University’s Soybean Innovation Lab, a research initiative supporting soybean development in Africa, to close on April 15.
The shutdown of the Soybean Innovation Lab will leave 30 staff members unemployed. Peter Goldsmith, the lab’s director and professor in ACES, called it “totally unexpected” and “a big loss for people in Illinois and around the world.”
In response to the Trump administration’s actions, UI System President Tim Killeen and Chancellor Robert Jones announced efforts to navigate potential funding changes. Jones introduced a Federal Updates Steering Group to assess the impact, while a new website provides updates and resources.
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Critics, including Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), argued the funding freeze violated congressional authority, asserting the White House doesn’t control the purse.
“Federal grant funding isn’t wasteful spending — it’s essential assistance that millions of Americans depend on,” Budzinski said in a press release.
On campus: Students and faculty discuss BNAACC, cultural funding
Student Affairs leaders met Monday to address concerns over the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center’s budget, refuting rumors that it would be defunded. Danita Brown, vice chancellor for student affairs, assured students that “not one (cultural center) is being defunded.”
At the meeting, students voiced frustration over transparency, particularly regarding cuts to The Circuit, a pre-orientation program for Black freshmen, after COVID-19 grant funding expired. Officials cited inflation and rising costs as limiting factors, including weekend hours and refreshments at BNAACC.
The meeting, originally scheduled for an hour, stretched to nearly two as students pressed for budget details and criticized the University’s spending priorities. Domonic Cobb, acting associate vice chancellor for student success, inclusion and belonging, acknowledged concerns and promised more transparency in the future.
In the US: Trump policies, DOGE
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday establishing the National Energy Dominance Council to boost U.S. oil and gas production. The administration granted conditional approval for a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana and reversed a ban on offshore oil drilling, affecting over 625 million acres, according to the Associated Press.
Leading the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk initiated significant reductions in the federal workforce. Per Reuters, Musk and Trump fired over 9,500 employees, primarily those in probationary periods at the Departments of Interior, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and Health and Human Services.
Federal judges are reviewing cases to determine whether DOGE should be barred from accessing critical government systems, including sensitive Treasury Department payment infrastructures and sensitive data at U.S. health, consumer protection and labor agencies.
Worldwide: Israel, Hamas exchange
The New York Times reported Israel and Hamas exchanged detainees on Saturday as part of their ongoing truce agreement reached in January. The ceasefire will expire in early March, and negotiations on extending it have not moved forward.
Earlier, Hamas threatened to suspend the exchange, accusing Israel of failing to provide agreed-upon humanitarian aid. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to resume “intense fighting” if hostages were not released.
Trump also declared that “all hell” would break loose if all remaining hostages were not freed by Saturday, contradicting the phased nature of the agreement. Hamas and Israel released the agreed-upon detainees, but the Gaza government media office says some aid provisions had yet to be delivered as of Friday.
Worldwide: Trump aims to end Ukraine-Russia war
Trump said Ukraine would be included in negotiations to end the war with Russia after earlier remarks raised concerns that Kyiv, Ukraine, and its European allies might be sidelined.
European leaders, including Germany and the United Kingdom, demanded participation in any talks, saying a deal without them could reshape European security; however, on Saturday, Trump’s lead Ukraine envoy said Europe won’t have a seat at the table.
Following Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the administration suggested Ukraine may need to forgo NATO membership and territorial claims to occupied regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any agreement to end the war must include Ukraine’s input and insisted on Ukraine joining NATO. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders an “unrealistic objective,” signaling a possible shift in U.S. policy.
