In January 2025, the new executive administration in Washington D.C. began issuing executive orders, memos and agency guidance, including some with the potential to impact our work and community at Roosevelt. Roosevelt University is committed to keeping you informed of these developments and will post information and resources to this page, and we ask that students, faculty and staff check back often for updates.
Have federal student financial assistance programs been impacted by the executive orders?
No federal student financial aid assistance programs have been reduced or eliminated as a result of the executive orders.
Will the information students provide on the FAFSA be shared with other agencies, particularly DOGE?
At Roosevelt University, we take the privacy and security of our students’ personal and financial data seriously. We adhere to protocols outlined by federal regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and have measures to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or misuse.
Information supplied on the FAFSA form has always been shared with federal agencies who have a legitimate business purpose to authenticate the data. As of February 17, 2025, DOGE does have the ability to access Department of Education records while the challenge to such access is being litigated. At this time, we have not received any information suggesting that student financial data has been mishandled or misused by anyone associated with the federal government.
There is talk of shutting down the federal Department of Education. What does the Department of Education do for colleges & universities and their students?
The US Department of Education issues about $100 billion in student loans and awards more than $30 billion in Pell Grants to more than six million low-income students. More than 5,000 colleges and universities are eligible for federal financial aid. The department also manages a $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio and holds college institutions of higher education accountable for upholding various laws and regulations.
The Department also enforces students’ civil rights through the Office for Civil Rights to ensure students are protected from discrimination on campus.
The Department issues millions of dollars appropriated by Congress to colleges and universities that help support student success and other priorities for lawmakers. In fiscal year 2024, Congress allocated $3.3 billion toward higher education programs including $400 million to support historically Black colleges and universities as well as $229 million for Hispanic-serving institutions. It also spent about $2.14 billion on Federal Work-Study and supplemental grants to directly supporting students with unmet financial need.
The Department also conducts annual surveys to gather data offering insights into student enrollment, graduation rates, earnings, student borrowing habits, and more.
Finally, the Department works with states and accreditors to oversee colleges and universities to protect students from fraudulent educational programs.
[Source: “5 Ways the Education Department Affects Higher Ed”]
Are federal immigration enforcement officials allowed on campus?
ICE officers are allowed to access public spaces on campus, for example the lobby in the Wabash building. ICE officers cannot enter limited access areas without a valid judicial warrant. For example, ICE officers would not be allowed to enter areas that are restricted by University issued ID cards, residence halls, classrooms in use, or faculty offices.
What should I do if I see immigration enforcement authorities on campus?
What should I do if I am presented with any documentation by law enforcement?
What should I do if federal immigration enforcement officials proceed with an enforcement action without listening to requests to wait?
What should I do if federal immigration enforcement officials attempt to take me into custody?
Will Campus Safety assist ICE officers attempting to apprehend and remove individuals from campus?
Roosevelt’s Office of Campus Safety does not ask anyone about their immigration status and does not create or maintain any records relating to the immigration status of members of the Roosevelt community. Roosevelt's Campus Safety Office would allow law enforcement, including ICE, to enforce a validly issued warrant only after review by the appropriate University authorities.
I am a student, faculty or staff member and I have questions. Where can I go for help?
Will there be any impact to federally sponsored grant programs and/or research on campus?
At this time, there are no immediate impacts or reductions to grant sponsored programs on campus. Roosevelt will continue monitoring this issue and provide updates to those affected by an changes to federally sponsored grants or research.
If there is a freeze in funding for federal sponsored grant programs and/or research, will the University fund these programs using institutional funds?
The task force is actively monitoring the federal grant landscape to address potential freezes and implementing practices to mitigate any change to federal sponsored grant programs or research. The task force is also evaluating alternative funding sources, including institutional funds, in the event a funding freeze is announced.
The task forces, along with university leadership, are also sharing Roosevelt’s story with state & local lawmakers, highlighting the impact of potential cuts or freezes in federal grant funding.
What should I do if I receive a stop-work order for activities funded by federal grants?
A principal investigator (PI) or project director (PD) who receives a stop-work order directly should immediately contact in the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSPRS).
What if a federal agency is currently considering applications for federal funding (i.e., the university has already submitted a proposal and is awaiting a response; is it likely to still be considered)?
We will continue to pursue federal sponsored programming as Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs) are available. Please continue to plan and prepare your sponsored research proposals based on the most recent solicitations and posted funding mechanisms available. Be sure to sign up for any sponsor’s listservs, so you can remain aware of any changes in real time.
Should my work under executed awards continue?
Where possible, work under executed awards should continue as usual. Any formal changes to awards will be issued as an amendment from the agency and reviewed for execution through the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services.
Changes to research compliance requirements for existing awards are anticipated. These changes may be implemented at the sponsor level or on a project-by-project basis via an amendment. Swift compliance is critical, as failure to comply may put funding at risk a PI or PD should immediately contact the OSPRS.
Award reporting requirements may also change. These updates could be sponsor-wide or applied to individual projects through amendments. Timely adherence to any new reporting requirements is essential to maintaining funding.
What if federal funding agencies reduce or limit the amount of indirect cost rates?
As of February 10, 2025, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the NIH effort to institute an indirect cost rate cap of 15% for new and existing grants, leaving a great deal of uncertainty about the impact the NIH action will have on research. That said, federal agency program officers have the authority to clarify whether a new federal directive applies to a grant. If a principal investigator (PI) has not heard directly from either the agency that sponsors their work or the officer who oversees the funding program, and there is a question about what directives apply, they should reach out to their program officer.
Roosevelt has the following resources available on campus:
Additional resources available to the public:
A Dear Colleague Letter from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights interprets Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down race-based affirmative action in college admissions, to apply to other university policies and programs beyond admissions decisions. The letter, which does not have the force of law, states that “treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal.” The letter further expands the current interpretation of federal law to prohibit the use of race “in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.” It also states that “[a]though some programs may appear neutral on their face, a closer look reveals that they are, in fact, motivated by racial considerations.” The letter directs schools and universities to comply within 14 days and notes that those that fail to do so face potential loss of federal funding.
The DEI Task Force and General Counsel are working to assess the potential impact of the letter and will communicate updates to the community as necessary.
The administration has issued executive orders regarding DEI that include a number of elements. “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” attempts to classify institutions receiving federal student aid (Title IV funding) as federal subcontractors and directs the Justice and Education departments to issue guidance that identifies “the measures and practices required to comply” with the Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard University case. This guidance expands the application of the Supreme Court ruling that struck down affirmative action to areas beyond admissions.
The DEI and Curriculum Task Force is monitoring this situation closely and working to identify any university offices or contracts that could be subject to “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing"