Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Universities press for fairness, capital investment and support as federal research cuts loom
Summary
UMass and system representatives urged the Ways and Means committee to protect higher education gains — from MassGrantPlus and free community college to the Bridal Act capital plan — and warned that proposed federal cuts to research and indirect cost reimbursements would jeopardize jobs, NIH‑funded trials and campus research portfolios.
Leaders from the University of Massachusetts and representatives of state and community colleges told the Joint Ways and Means Committee that recent gains in college affordability and campus capital planning must be protected as federal research funding faces uncertainty.
UMass President Marty Meehan asked lawmakers to sustain a $44 million increase sought in the university’s FY26 request and backed the administration’s Bridal Act proposal, which would dedicate fair‑share surtax revenues to a long‑term capital program for public higher education.
“Our campuses launched initiatives covering tuition and fees for in‑state undergraduates from households earning $75,000 a year or less,” Meehan said, describing the system’s financial‑aid expansions. “We are grateful to…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
