Former Trump official says DOGE cuts are impacting Georgia’s universities

Caption

Sonny Perdue testifies during a House Agriculture Committee hearing on the rural economy, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, confirmed that cuts to federal spending are impacting Georgia’s public colleges and universities during a visit to Macon on Monday.

Speaking at a Rotary Club meeting at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Macon, Perdue confirmed that universities part of the USG have had research funding withheld due to President Donald Trump’s promise to slash spending through the Department of Government Efficiency.

“We’ve gotten some notices that some funding for research is being recused, I wouldn’t say being cut out,” Perdue said.

He did not elaborate on how much funding is at risk. USG had a budget of $11 billion last year, Perdue said, with about $4 billion of that coming from state money. The remaining money that wasn’t covered by philanthropic gifts came primarily from the federal government, though officials didn’t immediately clarify how much that is.

Perdue emphasized his belief that the federal government is looking to cut the country’s deficit. He also quoted the common refrain of DOGE’s stated mission to reduce “fraud, waste and abuse.”

“I just hope they recognize that, while education is the responsibility of the states, you can’t starve them,” Perdue said.

Since Trump took office in January and instituted DOGE, it has targeted higher education institutions across America by cutting funding to research and scholarship programs, often citing support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs and other topics the administration feels conflicts with their values as reason for the losses.

The Trump administration threatened to cut around $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University unless it bowed to policy changes. The school agreed to such changes at the end of March.

Despite the threats, Perdue said he is confident that USG will retain most of its resources.

“We’re going to be fine, we’re going to make it,” Perdue said.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Macon Telegraph.