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President Cunningham warns federal funding cuts could hit university operations; reports dozens of stop-work orders on grants
Summary
President Cunningham told the Board of Regents that recent federal communications and executive orders have created uncertainty for federally funded research and programs. She said the university has received 15–20 terminations or full stop‑work orders and an additional 26 awards affected by partial stop‑work orders, and that more than 11,000
President Joan Cunningham told the Board of Regents on March 14 that recent federal communications and executive orders are creating significant uncertainty for the University of Minnesota and could produce “drastic implications” if large reductions to federal funding occur.
Cunningham said university leadership is monitoring executive orders and agency actions closely and is developing contingency plans. She told regents that the university has already received “somewhere 15 to 20 terminations or full stop work orders from federal agencies” and that an additional 26 federally funded awards have been affected by partial stop‑work orders. The university is pursuing appeals where appropriate and evaluating ways to support staff and faculty whose work is affected.
The president reminded the board that more than 11,000 people are partly or fully funded by federal funds at the university, representing more than 3,500 full‑time‑equivalent positions, and that cuts to federal funding would affect a broad cross‑section of academic units and statewide economic activity. “The University of Minnesota is the fifth largest employer in our state,” Cunningham said, and she described ongoing advocacy with higher education associations and legislative leaders.
Cunningham also announced several leadership appointments: Ryan Schmiesing as vice president for strategic initiatives and John Morris as incoming CEO and president of the University of Minnesota Foundation (starting May 1). She said a national search for the next executive vice president and provost is underway and thanked employees who have stepped into interim roles.
The president framed the federal uncertainty as requiring prudence in multiyear commitments while avoiding overreaction that would unnecessarily disrupt teaching, research and outreach. She said chancellors and deans are developing contingency plans and that the university will seek legal and association support in responding to federal directives.
No formal board action was taken on these items; the presentation was delivered as part of the president’s report.
