The effects of the nation’s sequestration that is an impending $85 billion in federal spending cuts is expected to trickle down to UH, cutting funds for research and financial aid.
At midnight Friday, the government began to reduce the gap between the nation’s deficit and gross domestic product by decreasing government agencies’ budgets.
Although spending cuts are occurring on the national level, its effects will hit research universities close to home.
“Sequestration, if allowed to happen, will reduce 5.1 percent of funding, across the board, from all federal research contracts and grants,” said President and Chancellor Renu Khator. “Principal investigators have been notified by their funding agencies. Regardless, it will be devastating to many research programs and will certainly impact our researchers and graduate students.”
Aside from research funding, the sequestration will also take away funding from federal work-study programs and other scholarship programs.
According to The Huffington Post, 4,720 low-income students in Texas will lose federal financial aid.
Though the spending cuts will begin this month, the repercussions of sequestration will be felt most in the fall semester as it continues through Oct. 1.
“We may be able to mitigate some negative effect,” Khator said, “but the burden will be felt by all for many years to come.”
