Forbes: On Capitol Hill, Community Colleges Raise NSF, Science Policy Concerns

The Trump administration’s proposal to cut the U.S. National Science Foundation budget by 56% has invoked concerns from universities - but they are hardly the only constituency bucking the move. Over the past few months, push back from national security experts, Republican lawmakers, industry groups, and economists alike have urged the administration to shift course on its science policy direction. Increasingly, community colleges are speaking out, too.

Last month, New America’s Future of Work and Innovation Economy initiative and the American Association for Community Colleges held a joint briefing on Capitol Hill titled, “Not Just Universities: How NSF Funding Opens Community College Pathways to the Future of Work and the American Dream.” The briefing was sponsored by the bipartisan Congressional R&D Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Bill Foster, a Democrat from Illinois, and Rep. Jim Baird, a Republican from Indiana.

The briefing featured research from New America around the role of the NSF in supporting capacity-building of community colleges around advanced and emerging technology fields that the administration has proclaimed as a White House priority.

Community college graduates, presidents and administrators, and employer partners shared front-line experiences accounting for the NSF’s support for workforce development and education in emerging industries.

Judy Marouf, a graduate of Northern Virginia Community College, shared about her experiences in an NSF-funded product design incubator while a student which gave her tools to design and pitch a mobile app from mentorship to public speaking skills.

David Shahoulian, Director of Workforce and Governmental Policy at Intel, vouched for the NSF from a business lens. Speaking on the panel, Shahoulian called the NSF a “great taxpayer investment” because of the funding that the private sector matches to create programs that meet their needs, but also have a public benefit. In addition to its direct investments in community college AI education, Intel has co-invested with NSF in workforce training, alongside other industry partners such as Micron and GlobalFoundries.

Push-back from Community Colleges to NSF Budget Cuts

It was the second Congressional briefing held on the topic this year alone, following a February briefing hosted by New America, the Association of Community College Trustees hosted in partnership with the bipartisan Congressional Community College Caucus, co-chaired by Reps. Gus Bilirakis, a Republican from Florida, and Joe Courtney, a Democrat from Connecticut. 

Increasingly, community colleges are key to President Trump’s science and technology policy vision which emphasizes global leadership in emerging technologies, including in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. While technological leadership will require a strong PhD-level workforce comprised of scientists and top-flight engineers, speakers were united in warning lawmakers of the ramifications of NSF budget cuts on skilled technical workforce development, or job preparation for STEM and emerging technology workers requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree.

Community colleges are best known as affordable and accessible training destinations for healthcare, manufacturing, and skilled trades, as research from New America has pointed out, they are increasingly expanding education relating to advanced and emerging industries, often bolstered by NSF funding. Gutting the NSF would hamstring that training for students and hurt employers on the cutting-edge of the innovation economy, panelists warned.

On the heels of the NSF’s FY 2026 Budget Request to Congress which detailed a 75% cut to the NSF’s STEM education directorate in addition to an overall halving of the agency budget, speakers emphasized the differentiated role of NSF funding compared to other workforce funding programs.

Daniel Phelan, President of Jackson College in Michigan, described how NSF funding allowed his college to strengthen its internal infrastructure for advanced industries, including blockchain technologies.

“This kind of funding is unique,” Phelan said, “unlike general operational dollars or categorical state aid, NSF-ATE grants are strategic and catalytic. They drive us to collaborate closely with industry, adapt our curriculum in real time, and deliver tangible outcomes for students, for employers, and for the broader economy.”

Phelan urged appropriators in both the Senate and the House to support no less than $9.9 billion in NSF funding for the coming fiscal year, closer to the NSF’s current funding levels.

Tony Wohlers, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at SUNY Corning Community College, added that “NSF is facilitating that mission we are seeking in terms of helping our students be successful, giving them the knowledge and skills to be successful in the workforce and ultimately contribute to a better place to live for all of us.” At SUNY Corning, a successful optics program made possible by NSF resources is helping the community thrive economically and promoting national security at the same time.

Congressional leaders will make difficult decisions in response to the administration’s proposed science policy direction and funding requests. As the briefing made clear: community colleges and workforce pathways to STEM fields stand to lose much more from the anticipated NSF budget cuts than lawmakers initially suspected.