Dear Graduate Students,

It is important to me that the Graduate School continues to communicate with our students as Princeton University and higher education face unsettling times. To that end, let me highlight something Provost Jennifer Rexford and Executive Vice President Katie Callow-Wright said in a message to faculty and staff sent earlier today.

In outlining the University's budgetary approach to financial and policy uncertainty emanating from Washington, D.C., Provost Rexford and EVP Callow-Wright wrote,

“Our planning is driven by a core principle, which is that in times of financial uncertainty and stress, we must protect our core mission and ongoing commitments before making new commitments…. At Princeton, that means we are prioritizing our obligations to undergraduate and graduate students, to early-career academics who are most vulnerable to research funding shocks, and to strategic initiatives necessary to maintain Princeton’s global leadership in education, science, and society.”

American higher education has been built on a robust partnership with the U.S. federal government. This partnership has enabled graduate students to engage in cutting-edge research in the liberal arts, sciences, and engineering that contributes to the health, security, and prosperity of our nation. Universities and the federal government have, for decades, collaborated to train the next generation of scholars, scientists, and leaders.

Recent actions by the federal government, including executive orders and other agency directives, may represent a paradigm shift in the partnership between higher education and the U.S. government. Policymakers in Washington are considering potentially sharp reductions in government support for research and scholarship, and an increase in the tax on the University’s endowment. The endowment covers about two thirds of the annual costs associated with the University’s teaching and research mission.

The federal government has also increased scrutiny of diversity and inclusion activities in higher education. Princeton remains unwaveringly committed to diversity and inclusion. The University prides itself on being a global community of scholars, and the ability to recruit and welcome students from all walks of life is a strength of our school. It is important to stress that all our policies and practices around these values comply with federal and state non-discrimination laws.

This week, President Eisgruber has written in The Atlantic about the potential power of the government’s “cudgel,” as demonstrated by recent actions to cancel $400 million in funding to Columbia University. He says,

“The attack on Columbia is a radical threat to scholarly excellence and to America’s leadership in research. … Strong, independent academic institutions produce new technologies and insights that catalyze economic growth, save lives, improve well-being, and overcome injustices. Every citizen and officeholder who cares about the strength of our country must also care about free speech, self-governing thought, and the untrammeled quest for knowledge. They, too, should demand a stop to the government’s unwarranted intrusion on academic freedom at Columbia.”

I know that the uncertainty caused by policy shifts in Washington has created considerable concern and worry for many in our graduate school community. University leadership has been deeply focused on developing strategies and plans to serve Princeton’s core research and teaching mission at this challenging moment.

The University, the Graduate School, and I will continue to communicate, providing guidance and information. I remind you of the one-stop resource for Princeton information related to federal government executive orders and policy announcements. As you'll see, the page includes contact information for University offices that are monitoring specific issues. Please reach out to those contacts with questions. I encourage you, as always, to reach out to our Graduate School teams for support and guidance. You can also contact us with your questions and concerns through [email protected].

The magnitude of potential changes we face is undoubtedly unsettling and may present significant challenges. Our priority at the Graduate School is to continue to support your academic goals and to enable you to contribute as emerging scholars and leaders. I have abiding faith in the importance of higher education to people’s lives, American society, and, indeed, the world. I appreciate that you and I share that belief. Together, we will meet this moment.

Warmly,

Rodney D. Priestley