By COLIN McEVERS

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Since Jan. 20, the Trump administration has been making drastic funding cuts throughout the national government, purportedly for the sake of reducing fraud and waste in the federal bureaucracy. This was the reason for the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has garnered both immense criticism and praise throughout the country. Now, a March 20 executive order is aiming to dramatically downsize the Department of Education, which will potentially impact colleges throughout the nation. 

The ongoing federal initiatives are not being missed by members of the Salisbury University community. On March 8, SU faculty members held a “Stand up for Science” rally in front of Henson Science Hall, which coincided with protests across the country. The focus of their demonstration was to criticize cuts in federal grants. 

The day before, on March 7, students organized a demonstration to protest the ongoing actions of the Trump administration. Although the focus of the protest was not necessarily to draw attention to federal aid issues, funding cuts are a topic that many students have expressed concern over. 

Prior to and following the inauguration, one of the major goals articulated by both the Trump administration and DOGE has been to largely reduce the size and, in some instances, outright eliminate particular agencies. An executive order was signed on March 20, instructing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education.

Under the executive action, pell grants, title I funding for students with special needs and “core functions” will be preserved and distributed to other agencies. The administration will work to dismantle other functions and the department itself. 

Mason White, the Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships at Salisbury University, has been working at SU for six years. His office oversees the administration of over 90 million dollars in federal, state and institutional aid each year.

White doesn’t believe that the actions of the Trump administration will have any major impacts on the way FAFSA operates or the distribution of federal aid. 

“I do understand students and family concerns, but it is title IV, which covers federal financial aid, whether it be federal pell grants or federal student loans, are under statutory obligations that have been approved by Congress,” he said. “Any changes of federal student aid would have to go through Congressional approval.

“It’s under statutory obligations, so anything under the statute cannot be changed without Congress.

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Featured image: Colin McEvers/The Bury Post