Americans recently celebrated our dramatic reentry into manned space exploration with the successful launch, journey, and recovery of Artemis II and its crew. Behind the scenes, our colleges and universities provided the critical support that made this accomplishment possible through research, workforce development, and technological innovation. While we applaud this milestone achievement, it is important to remember that the contributions of America’s diverse higher education institutions go well beyond the space program to touch the lives of everyday people.
If a pacemaker has extended your life, if you take prescription medications like Ozempic, Lyrica, or Keytruda, if you have undergone a CAT scan or MRI to diagnose a medical issue, if you have had cataract surgery, or if you have been able to plan pregnancies using the birth control pill, you can thank science researchers at America’s colleges and universities. Americans no longer worry about contracting deadly diseases like malaria and polio because of the development of vaccines by college and university researchers. Your dog may be protected against canine parvovirus by a vaccine developed through college and university research.
If you enjoy social media or use your computer to look up information using a search engine like Google, you can thank scientific research done at America’s colleges and universities. If you enjoy your plasma or LCD flat screen monitor on your television or computer, read books on an electronic reader, or listen to digital music, you should realize that these technological advances were made possible by research and innovation at America’s colleges and universities.
Continued academic research promises to make significant advances that can extend our lives and enable us to lead healthier, more productive, and more enjoyable lives. Research is underway to engineer bacteria to treat cancer and to develop treatments for many other debilitating and painful diseases. Agricultural innovations continue to improve food safety and lower costs. Research into alternative energy sources can lower costs and protect our environment. Much of this research relies on funding from the federal government through grants provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture.
America’s colleges and universities also play important roles in developing the job skills needed for our highest-paying jobs that drive the nation’s economy. One of the most important programs is led by America’s community colleges with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program supports the education of technicians for current and emerging high-technology fields. The program involves partnerships between community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, economic development agencies, and business and industry. ATE-funded programs prepare technicians in strategic areas, including agriculture, environmental technology, energy, transportation, geospatial technology, biotechnology, engineering technology, chemical technology, manufacturing, information technology, telecommunications, cybersecurity, space technology, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and process technology.
Given the exemplary track record of success and the obvious importance of the partnership between the federal government and America’s colleges and universities, it is shocking to see the government cutting funding and abandoning programs, often in the middle of development. After the 2025 inauguration, the Administration acted quickly to cancel federal research and job-training grants, including the funding for cancer research. In addition to halting current projects, the review of new proposals is proceeding slowly, with applicants waiting an unreasonably long time to hear whether proposed projects will be supported. NSF has been without a confirmed director for over a year, and staff levels are down 35%. The remaining staff have been evicted from their building and now work from home. On April 24, the Administration continued its attack on science by firing all the members of the nonpartisan National Science Board, the group that governs NSF.
While the actions to curtail scientific research and the preparation of the nation’s technological workforce have been taken by the Administration, Congress has been unusually silent, allowing the damage to continue. Decisions to fund scientific research and job training have traditionally been supported by members of both major political parties, and they should remain nonpartisan. Everyone who has benefited from the work of our colleges and universities to improve the lives of everyday Americans needs to speak out now by contacting our elected representatives to stop the dismantling of programs that are important to our economy, our safety, and our well-being.
George R. Boggs is President Emeritus of the American Association of Community Colleges and of Palomar College in San Marcos, California. He teaches doctoral classes in emerging issues in higher education for San Diego State University and Kansas State University. He is Chair of the Board of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.
