Ed Castillo/Houston Public Media
Multiple research grants at the University of Houston have been halted because of billions of dollars’ worth of spending cuts being made at the federal level, according to a letter this week by UH Chancellor Renu Khator.
Khator addressed faculty and staff in a Wednesday email, explaining how changes at the federal, state and local level have affected campus operations — including research grants.
“These changes will no doubt impact our ability to conduct business as usual, but we will work together to respond to these challenges within the confines of these new rules,” Khator wrote.
The administration of President Donald Trump has made moves to freeze long-standing funding streams to both K-12 school districts and higher education. It also has reduced the National Institute of Health’s spending cap on indirect grant costs to 15%. Khator added that grants from the National Science Foundation are expected to be impacted.
According to the university’s website, UH’s research programs span a wide range of issues, such as energy security and sustainability; education, civic engagement and workforce development; and health and well-being.
“By embracing research across the spectrum – from basic to applied – we aim to drive societal progress, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience,” says a statement on the website.
Khator said research grants have been “paused or stopped,” and it’s unclear which specific research grants and how many of them are impacted. UH did not immediately respond to a request for additional information.
One of the most recent achievements of the university’s research department is the conclusion of its Public History and Digital Humanities internship and the Pharis Fellowship Program, in which 30 students explored the intersection of “digital methods and human experience.”
The university may also be losing state funding, based on preliminary budgets in the Texas House and Senate. Khator explained that all Texas universities could lose funding originally given out as an “institution enhancement” — for UH, that was bringing in $50 million every two years.
“These funds have helped us in making critical investments that directly support our students, including hiring academic counselors, providing financial aid and developing new high-need academic programs,” Khator wrote.
She added that the state legislative session is still in its early stages “and we have ample opportunity to work with our leaders in Austin.”
Khator acknowledged that her message was grim, but said she’s going to be giving updates.
“I wish I could bring more clarity to you with this update, but it is difficult since federal directives are changing daily,” Khator wrote.
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