Call to action: defend federal funding

Dear Colleagues,

The past few days have been a whirlwind of horrific announcements from Washington, DC. One that directly impacts our work affects federal grants and loans.  Last week brought us a freeze on NIH study sessions, something which has happened before when there is a change in administration. Last night, however, confirmed our fears that this federal administration plans to make a more comprehensive and largely unprecedented attack on higher education. As of today, all federal grants and loans to organizations and individuals are frozen until such a time as they can be reviewed to make sure they align with an agenda outlined by the President, an agenda we will not dignify by repeating. You can see the full memo that was provided to one of our members who is a federal grantee here. 

Now, many of these freezes are illegal, as grants and loans are authorized by acts of Congress, not the executive branch.  It will take time, though, for someone to challenge the executive order, if indeed anyone has the courage to do so. In the meantime, people’s research will likely be interrupted, and many organizations that help Americans will have to cease their activities.  If a freeze is prolonged, the University’s budget will be strained; like most universities, we rely on a wide variety of federal monies to fund our programs.

Individual grantees are already being affected by the new announcement, and we await additional guidance from the University. In the meantime, there is something we can do. We will be joining a Higher Ed Labor United’s National Day of Action on Thursday January 30, 2025. On Thursday, we want as many members as possible to call their Congresspeople to let them know the impact of this federal assault on research and higher education. You can find your Congresspeople’s contact information here and use this script if you choose. If you are directly impacted please tell them your story. 

The landscape is changing quickly and we are continuing to monitor information as it is released. WAU is considering not only the implications for our members and our union siblings across other higher ed unions, but also how we can stay strong during this uncertain time. More information about how you can help will be shared in the roundup on Friday. 

In Solidarity,

Jennifer Sheridan Moss, President

Kess Ballentine, Vice President

Wayne Academic Union