President Trump's executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in federally funded programs has cast a shadow of uncertainty over academic research. Researchers fear the order will jeopardize funding for crucial studies, especially those focusing on health disparities and social inequalities. The order has prompted a funding freeze review and sparked concerns about the future of research on vital issues like HIV/AIDS in Africa and malaria.
OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, TERRY CHEA and MAKIYA SEMINERAPresident Donald Trump 's order declaring diversity, equity and inclusion policies illegal has left academic researchers fearful of political influence over grants.President Donald Trump 's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in programs receiving federal money has thrown into doubt the future of research Kendra Dahmer has been doing on intestinal parasites in India and Benin.
"There's also this aspect of research that funds specific studies in specific populations that are now being deemed DEI," Dahmer said. "So, like HIV research in Africa may be deemed DEI, malaria research, which also happens in low and middle income countries, may be considered DEI. And these are really important diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people every year.
On Friday night, the NIH announced it was cutting payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants, a policy that could leave universities with major budget gaps. Currently, some universities receive 50% or more of the amount of a grant to put toward support staff and other needs, but that would be capped at 15%.
Even though there is no clarity on the new policies yet, some projects already have been put on hold amid uncertainty over the future of research touching on issues related to diversity, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors. "I think the people who are making these decisions are very clear that they want to create a society that's based on deep-set inequities that are hard baked and don't transform whether that's around race, whether that's around class, whether that's around gender," he said.
Science Education TRUMP DEI RESEARCH FUNDING POLITICAL INFLUENCE ACADEMIC FREEDOM
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