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The University has addressed concerns with recent executive orders and federal policies from President Donald Trump.

January 28, 2025

Admin Responds to Trump’s Executive Orders, Policies on Federal Grants, Deportation 

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In a statement sent to the Cornell community on Tuesday night by Interim President Michael Kotlikoff, Provost Kavita Bala and Provost of Medical Affairs Robert Harrington, M.D., the administrators responded to concerns surrounding how new executive orders and policy announcements from President Donald Trump might impact University affairs.

The White House budget office on Monday sent a memo to government agencies officially ordering a pause in “grants, loans, and other federal financial assistance” authorized by Congress across the U.S. Cornell, which receives federal and state funding for research and federal grants for students, would immediately be affected by the order. 

The executive action was temporarily blocked by Federal Judge Loren AliKhan of the District of Columbia on Tuesday. 

In the University statement, the administrators highlighted that senior leadership on all of Cornell’s campuses, the Office of General Council and federal relations staff located in Washington D.C. are “actively working to analyze and assess new guidance coming from the federal government.”

The administrators also advised that ongoing programs or research that rely on federal funding should not be halted.

“It is vital that we continue this important work in partnership with our federal sponsors, unless otherwise directed,” the administrators wrote. 

The statement also addressed concerns about President Trump’s recent executive order on immigration, which calls for the “expedited removal” of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. 

According to the administrators, the University remains committed to supporting “all members of the university community,” while noting that Cornell “will comply with university policy and federal law regarding the protection of sensitive personal information.” 

The statement also announced the creation of a new email address — [email protected] — that community members can use to ask questions and “share examples of impacts” of the new federal policies.

Administrators also announced the creation of a new website that will provide key updates and guidance to Cornellians on President Trump’s executive orders and policies. 

While the administrators recognized that the recent “extraordinary developments are unsettling,” they hope that as Cornell has done before, it will come together to address these great challenges. 

“Thank you for continuing to work together to ensure that we maintain our efforts to ‘do the greatest good,’” the administrators wrote.