by Dianne Anderson

Education leaders and advocates feel like they’re walking a tight line – worried about political backlash and lawsuits – leaving some of the most outspoken champions now choosing their words carefully.

They are trying not to poke the bear at a time of big budget cuts.

Federal and state funding uncertainties, cuts to research innovation, student financial aid, and workforce instability is a snapshot of what public higher education is up against.

Earlier this year, California State University reacted to a proposed $375 million budget cut that jeopardizes Pell Grants, emergency aid, and key equity programs for students of color, immigrant students, and multilingual learners.

It could mean fewer classes, delayed graduations, and fear that grant instability will impact research and services.

Trina Greene said proposed cuts at Cal State Fullerton would deepen disparities for Black students and low-income communities, sabotaging the university’s mission of access and student success.

She said about 40% of CSUF students come from low-income backgrounds. Pulling back support services could lead to higher dropout rates and wider achievement gaps.

“Many Black students, who make up approximately 2–2.5% of the CSUF student body, rely heavily on comprehensive support systems to navigate higher education, including financial aid, mental health services, and academic advising, all of which are particularly vital given that a significant portion (~40%) of CSUF’s overall student population comes from low-income backgrounds,” said Greene, CSUF faculty with African American Studies.

Programs critical to Black student retention and well-being are jeopardized and run counter to California’s recent move to designate Black-Serving Institutions through SB 1348, she said. Funding reductions hurt student leadership and real-world learning, the core elements of equitable education.

They also undercut SB 1348 and Governor Newsom’s equity push. She said it makes it harder for Black students to access culturally relevant academic and social support needed to thrive at CSUF.

“These cuts often target programs that are essential for Black student success,” said Greene, also founder and executive director of Parenting For Liberation. “Our community is small but significant, and has historically faced systemic barriers.”

As a professor, Greene encourages students to advocate, engage, and lead. Without funding, she said students would lose the ability to apply that learning in real time, detrimental to Black students engaged in shaping their communities to address social inequities.

“Limiting the practical application of their learning not only hinders their academic development but also stifles the emergence of CSUF’s Black students as future leaders and change-makers, equipped to tackle the very issues we teach them about in the classroom,” she said.

UC leaders also warned that proposed cuts could push college out of reach for thousands of students and strip health coverage from 1.7 million Californians who depend on UC medical care.

Big cuts to federal research funding, like National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, would also leave staff and students in the cold.

UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman warned that hiring freezes and grant uncertainty threaten faculty and grad student job security.

“We will continue to pay careful attention to that issue. However, broader proposed reductions in federal research funding pose serious risks—both for overall institutional funding and for researchers and students in certain fields of study that appear to be disfavored within this political environment. Some NSF divisions, certain health‑related disciplines, and research related to understanding historically disadvantaged communities seem to be especially vulnerable,” Gillman said in a statement earlier this year.

The 2025-26 budget has campuses across the state mobilized around the proposed cuts.

In March, CSUF President Ronald S. Rochon led hundreds of CSU students and faculty to Sacramento to advocate for budget support, part of systemwide opposition to harsh cuts that would impact students and campus operations.

Nicholas Nieto attended the rally that was originally meant for an online audience and amplified through social media, which he said led to recognition from the California Assembly and Senate, showing the high level of impact of their rally.

“While it didn’t invoke any specific bills, it reinforced the already popular opinion that education in California is threatened by the budget proposal and the message was being spread to students and advocates, putting more pressure on the legislature to act in our favor,” said Nieto, a political science student in the honors program at CSULB.

With pressure from the people and lawmakers, Newsom dropped the proposed cut from 7.95% to 3%, a win for CSU, UC, and CCC systems.

Still, Nieto said the fight isn’t over. A 3.5% cut would cost jobs, limit student opportunity, and raise pressure on schools to do more with less. He added threats from the Trump administration to cut federal research funding could hit California schools even harder.

Schools could fall behind. He said CSULB’s ASI has spent the last year building new relationships with local legislators, and that he is integrating monthly meetings with our Assembly members and Senators.

“By keeping this tight connection with local politics, and having a strong influence on Long Beach policies, the laws of our city and state will properly reflect that of our students. For students outside of ASI, they have the liberty to attend the Senate meetings and Lobby Corps meetings by providing public comment, or by reaching out to the respective officers,” he said.

Mariel Matze, spokesperson for Education Trust–West, said equity takes time.

She said a single year’s budget won’t change outcomes without sustained investment, but their organization works closely with advocates and students to spotlight priorities with the Governor and lawmakers.

Leaders can’t be bold or equity-driven if they don’t understand how decisions affect students’ daily lives or feel compelled to act, Matze added.

“The past few years have brought setbacks to financial aid access, from the botched Better FAFSA rollout to fears of Trump administration surveillance using federal databases. Students of color, immigrant students, and low-income students have always faced hurdles accessing the aid they deserve, and these dynamics have only worsened the problem,” she said.

Still, she welcomed the state’s $20 million in emergency aid for community college students, who are most likely to be students of color and low-income, yet have the least access to aid.

Federal uncertainty leaves only two clear choices.

“If cuts must be made, education should be protected. Investing in Californians’ futures isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. Second, the state and colleges must prioritize funding for students who need it most – students of color, immigrants, low-income households, and multilingual learners,” she said.

Matze emphasized pushing for CalGrant reform, dual enrollment access, and more support for student-parents.

“What we need from state leaders isn’t just standing by students of color when they’re under attack – as they are now – but going further. We must double down on evidence-based practices that advance equitable opportunity, and be unafraid to invest in protecting access to opportunity,” she said.