Changes in Federal Policies

Over the last few weeks, the new administration in Washington has taken steps to change federal policies in many areas directly relevant to higher education, including research funding, sex and gender identity definition, immigration enforcement, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, international programs and more. The White House has published multiple executive orders in the Federal Register and I encourage you to read them.

Changes are coming quickly, in a manner inconsistent with established processes and with many details unspecified, resulting in confusion. Pending litigation heightens uncertainty. In this rapidly-changing environment, the University’s senior leadership team is monitoring all developments, receiving information from national higher education associations, staying in touch with federal and state officials, and communicating regularly with our peers in New Jersey and beyond. We are not sending messages or making significant changes based on conjecture. Rather we are responding to concrete actions and preparing for different outcomes.

I do want to reassure you that the fundamental mission and purpose of Montclair State University, which dates back to our founding in 1908, will not change. We will remain dedicated to creating opportunities for our students – who represent the full diversity of New Jersey – and partnering with the communities we serve to advance the public good. This mission has made us strong and valued for more than a century, and it will endure.

As a public serving university, we believe that everyone deserves access to the high-quality opportunities for which Montclair is known. Each member of our community – staff, faculty and students – should find here a welcoming and encouraging environment where they receive the support needed to achieve their full potential. We will continue to prepare our students to be successful in their careers and to be the engaged citizens required by a thriving democracy. We will continue to partner with our communities to advance the wellbeing of all members of society.

I understand that many of you are concerned about what is to come. Here is a summary of what has actually happened so far.

Research
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo on January 29 pausing many types of federal spending, including research grants and contracts to universities. The memo’s stated purpose was to allow federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of programs that may be affected by executive orders. OMB rescinded the memo on January 29 and communicated that direct aid, including Pell Grants, will not be paused. Some federal agencies that award research grants communicated that they are pausing grant review processes or not accepting new applications. On February 7, the government declared that the indirect cost recovery rate for all National Institutes of Health grants will change to 15%, which would represent a substantial decrease for many institutions, including ours. To date, two of Montclair’s federally funded projects have been affected by executive orders with one grant canceled outright.

If you receive any communication from the government or a partner institution about a federal grant or contract in which you participate, please share that information immediately with Dr. Stefanie Brachfeld, Vice Provost for Research. Please continue submitting proposals to active competitions unless you hear directly from the Office of Research that a specific competition is canceled. The Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) website on 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources is a helpful resource for you to follow research-related developments.

Immigration and International Students and Employees
Numerous executive orders and federal policy changes have been issued related to immigration that could have an impact on universities, including rescinding a long-standing policy that identified schools, hospitals, and churches as “sensitive locations” and limited the kinds of immigration enforcement actions permitted in them. The government has also instructed federal prosecutors to pursue charges against state or local officials who attempt to thwart federal immigration enforcement efforts.

If federal immigration enforcement officers show up on campus, we ask that you immediately call the University Police Department at 973-655-5222. Our police officers will serve as the point of contact with federal officers, verify their credentials, and ensure that they have a valid warrant or court order. If there is a valid warrant or court order then the University is obligated by law to allow them to proceed. However, our police officers will continue to follow the State of New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive, a statewide policy which says that “New Jersey police officers cannot participate in federal immigration raids. They cannot stop, question, arrest, search, or detain an individual based solely on actual or suspected immigration status. And they cannot ask an individual’s immigration status except in rare cases when it is relevant to a specific criminal investigation.”

Diversity Equity and Inclusion
President Trump has issued an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts across the federal government and placing new requirements and restrictions on federal contractors and subcontractors. Federal agencies have been directed to eliminate race and gender focused programs, to report attempts to disguise DEI programs, and to stop all DEI work related to federal grants and contracts. The direct impact of this order on institutions of higher education is still to be determined.

Sex/Gender Identity
The new administration has directed the Attorney General to issue guidance stating that Title IX does not require gender identity-based access to single-sex spaces and instructed the Department of Education to rescind its 2021 guidance that extended Title IX protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

The White House published an executive order on February 5 restricting participation in women’s sports only to student-athletes assigned female at birth. Institutions receiving federal funding must comply with the order to maintain eligibility for federal funds. On February 6, the NCAA announced that it had changed its policy to mirror what the executive order mandated.

At this time, this change does not affect student athletes participating in either Montclair’s or Bloomfield’s intercollegiate athletics programs.

An Ethic of Safety and Care
While there is great uncertainty around us, we can through our own actions demonstrate our values and aspirations. Let us again commit to an ethic of safety and care for all members of our University community. Even if we disagree, we must not lose sight of our shared responsibility as members of the University community to care for each other and cultivate a universal sense of belonging. And as citizens and stewards of a pluralistic democracy, we must respect the dignity of each individual and ensure that their rights are honored and protected.