Chiang on federal cuts anxiety: Purdue’s ‘serene, sturdy, strategic’

Plus, Purdue meets deadline for House Select Committee’s demands about ‘Trojan horse’ of students from China on campus. And plans back on for Ascension St. Vincent urgent care near Purdue

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PURDUE PRESIDENT MUNG CHIANG: AT TIME OF ANXIETY OVER FEDERAL CUTS, UNIVERSITY ‘REMAINS SERENE, STURDY, STRATEGIC’

Susan South, the outgoing chair of the faculty-led University Senate, spent her final minutes with the Purdue trustees Friday sharing some of the anxiety built up on campus since the start of a year that has brought threats of federal cuts to university research and directives aimed at assorted programs and even student groups on campus. Her concerns were similar to ones talked through with President Mung Chiang, Provost Patrick Wolfe and others in university administration during recent Q&A sessions with the University Senate.

“To be totally honest, I think the last three months have changed the calculus of what we're dealing with in higher ed,” South, a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, told trustees during her report to the academic affairs committee.

“There is a feeling among not just the faculty, but among the staff and the graduate students, of despondency,” South said. “I don't know if that's too strong a word, but real fear of where we're going and concern about what does higher ed look like? Universally, but especially here. … It's not just the funding. It's a general sense of, What are we doing? We're being attacked as a profession. And I'm hearing that from all of my constituents. I just wanted to bring that to you, because I feel it's my responsibility to tell you what that feeling is and hopefully get a message from this group of reassurance.”

Gary Lehman, Purdue trustees chair, said the uncertainty South raised and how to deal with it was No. 1 on everyone’s minds at Purdue, trustees included.