In January, the nation veered from the so-called fiscal cliff. But this agreement was not a solution to the looming issues. The act merely pushed the large cuts to discretionary spending a few months later, ensuring that financial issues will remain in the forefront of our political battles and cable news cycle. President Obama has been hounding Congress to avoid a self-inflicted wound by acting quickly. If there is no consensus, the cuts, known as “sequestration,” will cut $1.2 trillion from federal spending from 2013 to 2021. We believe the cuts will be detrimental to our nation’s viability, harming students in particular.
In the first year, it is estimated that agencies will cut about $85 billion, or 8 percent, of non-defense, non-exempt discretionary spending. There will be immediate cuts to the federal Women, Infants and Children program, which provides nutritional assistance to those groups. Critical security-related services, including border control and air traffic control, will be harshly affected and flights may be off schedule due to furloughs, or unpaid leave. The same tactic will be used to curtail services at our national parks as federal agencies are scrambling to make do with personnel stretched thin.
But more disconcerting is the choice of one of the sequester’s biggest targets: higher education. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has confirmed that if the sequester takes effect on March 1, his department will provide 33,000 fewer work-study awards and 71,000 fewer supplemental grants in the next year. Though Pell Grants are protected from cuts for the next year, colleges have already begun to take precautions and make conservative budget choices. The sequester would make supporting students through financial aid even more arduous, while other provisions would painfully reduce research grants.
Brown has remained committed to a need-blind admissions policy and a promise to meet 100 percent of demonstrated need. The new budget approved by the Corporation included a 5.6 percent increase in financial aid, which accompanied a 4 percent hike in tuition. Overall, the University projects a $4.4 million deficit, which will be covered by draining the reserve fund, which Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper described in a Feb. 21 Herald article as Brown’s “savings account (or) rainy day fund.” We applaud the University’s efforts, but we understand that dipping into reserves is not sustainable forever. Congress must act.
Cuts to federal research funding also raise concern. Amy Carroll, director of government relations and community affairs, told The Herald in a Feb. 21 article that federal divesting from research could harm research-based career fields. As funding from the 2008 stimulus is evaporating, the sequester poses a major threat to the quality of education and opportunities available at Brown.
Public outrage at these cuts and continued inaction will not be substantial until we suffer the consequences. A poll conducted by USA Today and Pew Research Center shows just one in four Americans closely follow the sequester debate. We applaud Brown’s commitment to maintaining financial aid, but we realize that these cuts and ongoing budget concerns may reduce the flexibility to offer award packages and allow students to conduct valuable research in the long term. After all, Brown cannot prepare for the future if it is forced to deplete its reserves. We urge our nation’s leaders to act — otherwise, the consequences to the nation and higher education in particular could be devastating.
Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editor, Dan Jeon, and its members, Mintaka Angell, Samuel Choi, Nicholas Morley and Rachel Occhiogrosso. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
