An end-of-semester update from President Kornbluth

Hello, everyone. As I know you know, MIT, America's research universities, and the nation's entire scientific enterprise are facing a set of intense challenges that have only grown since I last communicated with all of you. Next week, we'll send our newest graduates out into the world, having prepared them to succeed in a range of demanding careers. But this year, the future of American science and innovation is itself in question. 

I've shared my concerns with you before, but in recent weeks, some matters of speculation have become pretty concrete. For instance, we have seen a tax bill in the House of Representatives that would impose a devastating level of taxation on the investment income of MIT and a few other schools. If it becomes law, MIT would be stripped of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, funds we depend on to pay for research and support financial aid. 

We've also seen a proposed federal budget that would slash science funding across multiple agencies by as much as 56%. And we've seen sharp cuts in the reimbursement of research costs across a growing list of science agencies. On this last point, MIT is now part of three separate lawsuits against NIH, the Department of Energy, and most recently, the NSF. For the time being, court action has delayed the implementation of most of these cuts. 

I want to talk for a moment now about what's happening on campus right now. You'll remember that a few months back we could see that federal cuts were coming. So we took some steps to prepare. We asked units to cut their local budgets for the fiscal year by 5% to 10%. 

Recently, units began to implement those budget reductions, and I know that this directly affects many members of our community. Reductions in staff have real consequences for the people involved, for their families, and for all of us as colleagues and friends. I truly wish there were another way to do this. 

Along with the drop in the number of graduate students we were able to admit for the next year, these staff reductions speak to the seriousness of the times we are in. We continue to use every avenue possible to engage in Washington and to make the case for the extraordinary value of American science and innovation to all Americans. I was in DC last week, and I'll be back there several times in the weeks ahead. 

Recently, I also engaged our alumni, asking them to let their representatives in Congress know that this is no time to abandon the nation's leadership in science and innovation. Quite a few of you have also asked me if there's anything you can do to help. So the answer is yes. We need the whole country to appreciate that by investing in university research and educating the next generation of explorers and innovators, the country has reaped, and will continue to reap, tremendous rewards in new cures, treatments, and inventions, and in new industries, companies, and jobs. 

All of us have friends and family who are alive today because of that kind of scientific progress. So if you feel moved to fight for our mission, I urge you to make that case wherever you can to your elected officials and with people across the country. And you can find lots of great supporting evidence at a website we've created, understanding.mit.edu. 

We have a long way to go over the next couple of months, when we expect significant decisions to be made in Washington. There could be more damage to MIT and to universities all across America, and to the entire American research ecosystem. While we do everything in our power to prevent that, we'll also be working to prepare the Institute and our community for a range of outcomes. 

As the situation develops, I will keep you updated on what we are doing, what we may have to do, and what you can do to help. MIT is an extraordinary asset for the nation and for the world. And I'm incredibly grateful for all you do, in spite of everything, to keep it that way.