Nassau Community College in Garden City.

Nassau Community College in Garden City. Credit: Howard Schnapp

Officials at Long Island colleges and universities were left scrambling this week, as they struggled to determine what a White House-ordered pause on federal funding for grants and loans could mean for educational programs ranging from scientific research to tutoring.

The original order came in a memo Monday evening from the White House Office of Management and Budget. It announced a temporary freeze of federal dollars to align spending with President Donald Trump’s priorities.

A federal judge on Tuesday delayed the freeze from going into effect until Feb. 3. Then on Wednesday, the Office of Management and Budget rescinded its memo "in an effort to alleviate confusion," the White House said in an email.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that while the memo was rescinded, the president’s executive orders on federal funding “remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.” Those executive orders included ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The scope of these orders, however, are much narrower than the sweeping order issued Monday.

Another federal judge said Wednesday that he is inclined to grant a restraining order to block the funding freeze, citing the White House’s contradictory statements, Politico reported. 

The back-and-forth caused widespread confusion around the nation and here on Long Island. 

The two-page memo from the Office of Management and Budget said financial assistance from the federal government should advance the president’s priorities and end “wokeness.”

“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” the memo stated.

Federal agencies were directed to review their financial assistance programs and identify projects or activities it funds for racial or gender equity, transgender issues and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Kara D. Freeman, president of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, called the initial order misguided. Freeman said in a statement Tuesday, before the memo was rescinded, that it would cause “unnecessary disruption” to students at colleges and universities across the country and jeopardize potentially lifesaving scientific and health care research in labs and facilities. 

The memo said the order did not apply to assistance provided directly to individuals, including Pell grants and student loans. Head Start, a federally funded program that serves low-income children, was also exempt.

While many of the details of the freeze were unclear, officials at Nassau Community College in Garden City had voiced concerns about its Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant awarded last fall, totaling $2.4 million over five years.

The discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Education helps colleges “expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students,” according to the program website.

The grant serves not just Hispanic students but others who need extra help, such as tutoring, mentoring and mental health services, said Jerry Kornbluth, vice president of the college’s Office of Community & Governmental Relations.

“Nassau Community College is confident that the Trump administration is extremely sensitive to community colleges and wants to see these students be successful and be provided all the opportunities so they, too, can join the middle class,” he said.

Kornbluth said the grant is all-inclusive and will be used to offer services to all students.

"It doesn’t discriminate against anybody," he said. "Anybody who wants the service can get it." 

Local higher education officials said they were monitoring the situation, both with the rescinded funding freeze and the executive orders.

“We are working directly with students who have concerns,” Taylor Damian, a spokesperson for Adelphi University, wrote in an email Wednesday. Damian declined to specify which programs could be impacted, saying the university does not "want to speculate on hypothetical scenarios." 

She said the university is also “investigating the potential impact of recent executive orders about federal grants on all Adelphi programs and services.” 

Robert S. Prezant, president of Farmingdale State College, said in an emailed statement that the college is “closely monitoring the statements coming out of Washington.” A spokesperson declined to elaborate on what programs could be affected.  

“At Farmingdale State College, we support and are proud of the many activities, academic programs, scholarly works and diverse voices that emanate from our student population and throughout our campus community,” Prezant's statement read in part. 

Officials at Long Island colleges and universities were left scrambling this week, as they struggled to determine what a White House-ordered pause on federal funding for grants and loans could mean for educational programs ranging from scientific research to tutoring.

The original order came in a memo Monday evening from the White House Office of Management and Budget. It announced a temporary freeze of federal dollars to align spending with President Donald Trump’s priorities.

A federal judge on Tuesday delayed the freeze from going into effect until Feb. 3. Then on Wednesday, the Office of Management and Budget rescinded its memo "in an effort to alleviate confusion," the White House said in an email.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that while the memo was rescinded, the president’s executive orders on federal funding “remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.” Those executive orders included ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The scope of these orders, however, are much narrower than the sweeping order issued Monday.

Another federal judge said Wednesday that he is inclined to grant a restraining order to block the funding freeze, citing the White House’s contradictory statements, Politico reported. 

The back-and-forth caused widespread confusion around the nation and here on Long Island. 

What did the original memo say?

The two-page memo from the Office of Management and Budget said financial assistance from the federal government should advance the president’s priorities and end “wokeness.”

“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” the memo stated.

Federal agencies were directed to review their financial assistance programs and identify projects or activities it funds for racial or gender equity, transgender issues and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Kara D. Freeman, president of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, called the initial order misguided. Freeman said in a statement Tuesday, before the memo was rescinded, that it would cause “unnecessary disruption” to students at colleges and universities across the country and jeopardize potentially lifesaving scientific and health care research in labs and facilities. 

What about Pell grants and Head Start?

The memo said the order did not apply to assistance provided directly to individuals, including Pell grants and student loans. Head Start, a federally funded program that serves low-income children, was also exempt.

What could the freeze have affected?

While many of the details of the freeze were unclear, officials at Nassau Community College in Garden City had voiced concerns about its Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant awarded last fall, totaling $2.4 million over five years.

The discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Education helps colleges “expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students,” according to the program website.

The grant serves not just Hispanic students but others who need extra help, such as tutoring, mentoring and mental health services, said Jerry Kornbluth, vice president of the college’s Office of Community & Governmental Relations.

“Nassau Community College is confident that the Trump administration is extremely sensitive to community colleges and wants to see these students be successful and be provided all the opportunities so they, too, can join the middle class,” he said.

Kornbluth said the grant is all-inclusive and will be used to offer services to all students.

"It doesn’t discriminate against anybody," he said. "Anybody who wants the service can get it." 

So what happens now?

Local higher education officials said they were monitoring the situation, both with the rescinded funding freeze and the executive orders.

“We are working directly with students who have concerns,” Taylor Damian, a spokesperson for Adelphi University, wrote in an email Wednesday. Damian declined to specify which programs could be impacted, saying the university does not "want to speculate on hypothetical scenarios." 

She said the university is also “investigating the potential impact of recent executive orders about federal grants on all Adelphi programs and services.” 

Robert S. Prezant, president of Farmingdale State College, said in an emailed statement that the college is “closely monitoring the statements coming out of Washington.” A spokesperson declined to elaborate on what programs could be affected.  

“At Farmingdale State College, we support and are proud of the many activities, academic programs, scholarly works and diverse voices that emanate from our student population and throughout our campus community,” Prezant's statement read in part. 

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