The Trump Administration’s cost-cutting plans could pose serious challenges for Duke and other U.S. universities. With these changes looming, Duke leaders need to consider the potential impacts on their research programs and overall mission. It’s important for them to voice their concerns about how these policies could negatively affect initiatives that benefit the nation.
A few months ago, Duke Faculty for Institutional Neutrality and Free Speech started a petition. It asked the University to take a neutral stance on political matters that don’t directly affect its operations. We are among the 140 who signed this petition. Many universities choose to stay neutral, meaning they don’t take sides on political, social, or economic issues unless they relate to their core functions. This allows students, faculty, and staff to express their opinions as individuals.
However, neutrality doesn’t mean Duke should stay silent about government policies that directly impact its mission. The policies being rolled out by President Trump and the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) could severely damage Duke and other universities that rely on federal research funding. The administration has a responsibility to highlight the negative effects of these policies, even if it aims to maintain institutional neutrality.
For example, the proposed decrease in the allowable indirect cost rate on NIH grants—from a potential 65% to 15%—could cost higher education billions of dollars and devastate important research programs. Additionally, the rollback of funding at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) would cut crucial programs focused on economic development and global public health. There are also plans to increase the tax rate on university endowments, which could impact institutions like Duke with its $12 billion endowment.
Every day, social media platforms are flooded with posts criticizing wasteful spending on questionable projects funded by federal grants. While these instances are rare, they shape public perception. Trust in universities has already dropped to historic lows, and if universities don’t act, public opinion could decline even further. There’s a strong need for universities to clarify the importance of federal research funding and defend the rationale for the indirect costs associated with it.
In the past decade, Duke has occasionally taken public stances on issues that didn’t impact its mission directly. We believe this approach has hurt the University’s reputation and hindered its ability to teach and conduct research effectively. Now, Duke, along with other universities, faces a crucial moment that requires clear positions on matters central to their missions. We urge Duke’s administration and other university leaders to publicly defend their vital interests.
John Aldrich is a professor emeritus of political science. Timur Kuran is a professor of economics and political science. Michael Munger is a professor of economics and public policy.
