06-05-2025
Brown, MIT sue NSF over massive research fund cuts
The suit was also filed alongside the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.
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In their filing, the plaintiffs said the cuts were unlawful and, if they were to occur, would 'badly undermine scientific research at America's universities and erode our nation's enviable status as a global leader in scientific research and innovation.'
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Mike England, a spokesman for the NSF, declined to comment for this story
On Friday, the NSF announced it would cap reimbursement for indirect research costs at 15 percent for all new grants awarded to colleges — a move that mirrors new policies at the
NSF provides funding to higher education institutions, and allocated $7.2 billion in 2024 for research and other related activities. During that fiscal year, the agency funded projects at 1,850 colleges and universities.
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Since the Trump administration announced it would make a third attempt to cap the reimbursement rate at another major scientific agency, higher education groups have called the direction 'misguided,' and said these cuts would harm the nation's research enterprise.
'The third time is not a charm; rather, it is disaster in the making for American science [and] technology and our nation's continuing competitiveness,' said Matt Owens, president of COGR, an organization for research universities and medical centers, in
Owens said NSF-sponsored research has 'propelled' scientific discoveries that are 'vital to American innovation [and] competitiveness,' including semiconductors, the internet, and 3-D printing.
Kara D. Freeman, the president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, said the cuts were 'short-sighted and ultimately against the nation's interests.'
'This retrenchment is not a good deal for taxpayers,' Freeman said in a
In Providence, Brown is already facing a
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Brown has had about three dozen grants for scientific research cut by the Trump administration in the last couple of months, many of them related to gender, race, or diversity, equity and inclusion, said Clark.
'There are a significant number of uncertainties,' Clark told the Globe. He said the university is planning for all possible scenarios, and asking researchers to pause discretionary funding temporarily. Widespread cuts could mean layoffs and the end of high-impact research, Clark noted.
Clark and a spokesperson for MIT did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the impact of the NSF cuts.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
