There are so many reasons university endowments can't make up for the dramatic cuts the Trump administration has planned for science. Here are a few. Thanks to @donmoyn.bsky.social for the platform. - ThreadSky

epopppp.bsky.social • 4 hours ago

There are so many reasons university endowments can't make up for the dramatic cuts the Trump administration has planned for science.

Here are a few. Thanks to @donmoyn.bsky.social for the platform.

Comments

jbenmenachem.com•4 hours ago

Our union has been doing some research into this bc admin said PhD raises necessitated cohort cuts—CU is really conservative in endowment management. They only spend about half of the yearly legal limit from the endowment and around 1/3 of funds are “no strings attached.”

jbenmenachem.com•4 hours ago

https://www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025/02/05/against-austerity-why-we-must-fight-against-columbia-cutting-phd-cohorts-based-on-lies/

jerseyflight.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Finally, someone calling it austerity!

epopppp.bsky.social•3 hours ago

There can definitely be room for redirecting some spending and I think the amount varies a lot place to place. Budgets are always political (as I know you know)

cantb.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Thanks for doing this. I’ve been surprised to see how many people in higher ed had no idea how endowments work.

epopppp.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I'm sure there are people who understand their ins and outs much better than I do. But yes, even the basics help.

justmesee.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I think the larger point is—this system doesn’t work.

tbapple.bsky.social•4 hours ago

So this idiot running our Country doesn't know what "Fixed Costs" are on an Income Statement?
He is right though, Food and Healthcare also would be a lot cheeper if grocery stores and hospitals didn't have to pay overhead like rent and buying equipment.

greatscottusa.bsky.social•4 hours ago

How easy or difficult is it for researchers to obtain jobs outside of the United States?

rmcneely.bsky.social•2 hours ago

Great explanation. I'm definitely one of those who's been wondering why endowments can't make up a part of the funding gap.

marcellograz.bsky.social•3 hours ago

Notice how every single time HigherEd is mentioned we all turn to the few, Vance-making privates. While publics are f**** sideways by dems and goppers. 🤣🤦‍♂️

wtf-means-wtf.bsky.social•4 hours ago

It saddens me to see NIH's twitter account being used as a source of Nazi propaganda.

aninsggirb.bsky.social•3 hours ago

📌

colinaut.bsky.social•3 hours ago

Not to mention that part of their plan is to next come after and steal the endowments

estarianne.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Elon Musk does not know how universities work, but he has reached a point where he doesn't believe there's anything he doesn't know.

naggy.bsky.social•2 hours ago

I love how they're completely mad about China, and while at the same time planning on gutting our research enough that it would be handing China the top spot in science research for decades.

upstatedem.bsky.social•1 hour ago

Even Robert Oppenheimer could not have mastered the atom working in his garage with tools from a local hardware store.

He needed labs and equipment and support staff.

upstatedem.bsky.social•1 hour ago

Curious whether Musk is going after NASA grants.

jsargentr.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I might use the Musk Precedent to demolish the "policy" funds. Why should anyone be held to such obligations if not the G?

jsargentr.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I'm not saying it would work, but it would force an important conversation.

jenebbeler.bsky.social•4 hours ago

I guess one upside of this catastrophe is people (including academics) finally learning how overhead and endowments work? And learning a bit about how $$ flows on campuses.

themodsisyphus.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I was thinking this as well. I only learned this in the past few years.

epopppp.bsky.social•3 hours ago

It's useful information to have!

liannewildlife.bsky.social•3 hours ago

📌

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