The Trump administration’s decision to cut $400 million in financial aid for Columbia University as well as cuts to other institutions, have left many other colleges wondering who might be next. Additionally, his administration’s decision to dismantle the Department of Education will affect both current high school students and prospective college students at Art and Design.
President Donald Trump’s administration has established a pattern of federal funding cuts, specifically targeting Ivy League schools. Funding cuts have been announced at Brown University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
President Trump has already made efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. On March 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” directing the Secretary of Education to take necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department and return authority over education to the states and local communities.
Accusing the department of “breathtaking failures,” Trump announced that he plans to shut down the department as quickly as possible.
In an interview with The A&D Observer, Principal Maximillian Re-Sugiura shared his thoughts on the effects this may have on students within specific programs.
“There are major concerns for students with IEPs, special education programs, and programs historically designed to support people whose first language is not English, as well as immigrant programs that are going to evaporate,” Re-Sugiura said. “But the reality is that New York State and New York City have to find funding within their own coffers to support those initiatives, which would have historically been provided by the federal government.”
Special education programs are a set of federal and state laws and regulations designed to support and educate children with disabilities. An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is a legal document developed to help students who need special education by outlining specific goals and resources that will be made accessible to these students.
These specific programs have been initially funded by the government, but with President Trump’s declaration of cutting funding, schools will now have to find ways to fund these programs independently.
Trump’s recent decisions have raised many questions and concerns among high school students and faculty. What actions will be taken next? And how will these orders continue to affect us and our future education?
Principal Re-Sugiura voiced specific concerns for the Art and Design community and faculty.
“We have a responsibility to teach young people about what is happening. My goal is to make sure that our community is safe and that our teachers feel and understand that they are protected,” said Re-Sugiura. “New York State has the strongest protections for all protected classes of people in the entire country, which is something that not a lot of people realize.”
