The Trump administration has axed more than $2.5 million in federal funds for the University of the Virgin Islands meant to bolster climate-change agriculture training and increase the number of students pursuing competitive doctoral degrees, UVI officials said Wednesday.
The $375,841 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for the program “Enabling Climate Smart Decisions for Agriculture and Forestry in the U.S. Caribbean” was deemed too focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, a major point of emphasis for President Donald Trump, said Tamika Williams, public relations director for the university.
“The USDA justified the grant termination by shifting focus to traditional agriculture, rural prosperity, and resource conservation, deprioritizing climate change and environmental justice programs. Similarly, the NIH determined that diversity, equity, and inclusion-centered programs no longer align with their funding objectives, deeming them nonscientific and lacking sufficient return on investment, Williams said.
Another $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health was slashed from a five-year program called “Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement,” Williams said.
“These policy changes have ended funding for two key programs supporting research and biomedical research training at UVI,” said UVI President Safiya George. “We remain committed to offering quality education and support to ensure our students’ success and preparation for the workforce. We will adjust to these challenges without compromising our mission, our programs and the benefits to our community,” George said.
The U-RISE Program aims to increase the number of students pursuing competitive doctoral degrees, leading to careers in biomedical research. It funds students studying biology, chemistry, psychology, computer science, mathematics, nursing, physics, social science, or marine biology. The remaining U-RISE grant award balance is $1.4 million. The USDA grant, with a remaining balance of $148,317, has been instrumental in promoting climate-smart decision-making in agriculture, George said.
The USDA justified the grant termination by shifting focus to traditional agriculture, rural prosperity, and resource conservation, deprioritizing climate change and environmental justice programs. Similarly, the NIH determined that diversity, equity, and inclusion-centered programs no longer align with their funding objectives, deeming them “nonscientific” and lacking sufficient return on investment, Williams said.
