Trump-era attacks on higher ed hit Pittsburgh

State of play: The Pittsburgh region was a top target for the Trump campaign in 2024, with more than a dozen visits — the highest concentration of appearances in any U.S. region, per Axios' reporting. But that visibility hasn't shielded local universities from the heat.

• "Trump ostensibly is not running for reelection, so he is unburdened," said Alison Dagnes, a political science professor at Shippensburg University. "The slashing also is not being driven by Trump himself, but by people around him who are not thinking of national politics, and instead focused on broad cuts. There is no scalpel. There is a reason Elon Musk is using a chainsaw."

Driving the news: In a letter to the campus community Wednesday, Carnegie Mellon University president Farnam Jahanian addressed sweeping national policy shifts impacting higher education, breaking his silence on proposed funding cuts that CMU is suing to block.

Between the lines: CMU is one of six universities asked by a federal committee to provide detailed information on international students with ties to China-based institutions. The letters say Chinese researchers may be embedded in U.S. institutions to access sensitive technology. Jahanian acknowledged the request and said many international students are "understandably anxious."

• Allegheny County's Chinese population has added about 4,500 residents since 2010 and grown by over 50%, according to census figures. That makes it one of the fastest-growing demographics in the region, and public officials have lauded the growth.
• Immigration to the region is the only reason its population hasn't shrunk.

Catch up quick: Western Pennsylvania institutions stand to lose $163 million under proposed National Institutes of Health cuts, now tied up in court. Some Pitt researchers have already reported losing federal research grants. The university implemented a hiring freeze and temporarily paused doctoral admissions as it weighed funding implications.

Zoom in: CMU will continue Ph.D. admissions, Jahanian said, but all academic and administrative units are "proactively reviewing budgets to adapt to a range of potential scenarios."

• "We are being vigilant about our spending and hiring decisions," he said, pressing lawmakers to preserve critical research funding.
• The university is also reviewing its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) approach amid a Trump administration crackdown. CMU is among 45 institutions under federal investigation for potential race-based discrimination tied to their involvement with The PhD Project, a nonprofit supporting underrepresented doctoral business students.

What they're saying: "Federal research funding — responsible for breakthroughs from the internet to life-saving medical treatments — is facing serious cuts that could undermine progress at a time when our societal well-being and global competitiveness depend on it more than ever," Jahanian said.

• "Even as external forces continue to evolve and legal changes require us to adapt, I want to be clear: Our commitment to fostering an inclusive, engaged and supportive community remains unshakable."

The bottom line: University leaders warn the Trump administration's actions could derail scientific progress, restrict equity in education and threaten academic freedom.