On Wednesday, Oct. 1st, the United States of America had its first government shutdown in nearly seven years after the Senate failed to pass the annual appropriations bill. The last government shutdown lasted from December 2018 until January 2019 under President Donald Trump’s presidency and stretched for 35 days, marking it as the longest in U.S. history. As such, this latest shutdown has sparked widespread concern across the country.
Shortly prior to the news, on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Provost Jay Jayawardhana sent out an email to the University community. He stated that, while Hopkins does not usually experience significant setbacks from government shutdowns, the University may expect something different from this term.
“The university did not experience any cash flow or other working capital challenges during prior government shutdowns, and government agencies repaid Johns Hopkins for work done on grants during a shutdown once the shutdown was resolved. However, this moment may differ from past shutdowns given the current environment in Washington,” Jayawardhana wrote.
Trump has since stated that the government shutdown has presented an “unprecedented opportunity” to dismantle federal programs, primarily those serving Democratic-run states. This event will entail the closure of many agencies and the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal workers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and educational workers will be affected the most during this period with 13,432 planned furloughs for EPA employees and 2,117 planned furloughs for educational staff. Although “essential” services such as air traffic control and a portion of military personnel will continue to operate, “non-essential” services such as national parks, museums and government-funded research institutions will be closed until a funding deal is reached.
The government shutdown occurred as a result of continued disputes between party leaders over federal spending priorities. While legislators spar over funding bills in Washington, D.C., the consequences have extended into the lives of everyday students. To some in the Hopkins community, the shutdown has prompted concerns about the effect on public services as well as higher education.
In an interview with The News-Letter, an anonymous student by the alias of Xander shared his frustration with how the situation has been handled.
“I feel like it’s a political stunt [...] I have a feeling it’s like them trying to use [the shutdown] as a weapon to demonize political opponents,” he said. “We’re in this whole fiasco [...] right now, the current administration is literally defunding everyone, so if they defund Obamacare as well, then it’s like, what do we even have left?”
The student went on to suggest that Hopkins should take on a more active role in responding to the crisis. Rather than remaining isolated, the student suggests that institutions of higher education could collaborate in order to advocate for the interests of their students.
“I guess the best thing we could do is make joint statements with other universities,” he said. “Harvard’s going through the whole legal battle with the administration right now, [so] maybe joining them in their battle to seek legal compensation.”
Jayawardhana wrote that Hopkins faculty, staff and students should continue normal operations. According to the Department of Education, the disbursement of student aid, such as Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans, will continue regardless of the shutdown. However, students who receive federal financial aid will not be penalized if they are unable to submit their payments due to funding freezes.
Moreover, all sponsored research activities are instructed to proceed until specific refusals by federal funding donors. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, issuance of new National Institute of Health (NIH) grants will be terminated following the shutdown.
In an email to The News-Letter, Hopkins student Misha Newbold explained their perspective on the government shutdown and their concerns as to the broader implications the event carries for both citizens and institutions.
“[The shutdown] represents a new level of government dysfunction and extreme political polarization between the two parties. [...] Institutions ranging from national parks, water and land management, to foreign service, diplomacy, and even national security/defense, are all jeopardized right now and [leave] millions [of] Americans insecure about their paychecks and expected government services,” they wrote. “For our nation, it makes us vulnerable against foreign adversaries.”
Newbold also explained how shutdowns have become a recurring political tactic rather than a rare last resort. In their perspective, the budget process is increasingly weaponized, with partisan interests using it as leverage to advance specific agendas.
“I will say that a lot of party-aligned interests and attempts to advance certain agendas inside a budget framework [are] very blatant, and holding off passing the national budget is often employed as a strategy for these agendas,” they wrote. “It’s happened in 2018, in 2024 and earlier in history.”
College Democrats attributed the cause of the government shutdown to Senate Republicans, citing their targets to the Affordable Care Act along with Medicaid, and suggesting Democrats were put in a difficult situation. In a statement to The News-Letter, a club spokesperson emphasized the negative outcomes the shutdown can have on young voters.
“Many young people are already disillusioned with gridlock and polarization in our politics, and seeing the constant threat of shutdown only exacerbates this. We hope both parties can work together to keep the government functioning, protect federal workers, and preserve the healthcare and dignity of Americans,” the representative wrote.
Another anonymous student, going by the alias Alan, shared his thoughts on the cause of the government shutdown with The News-Letter. Alan felt that the shutdown resulted from a wider recess in mid-September, which prevented efficient productivity towards the appropriations bill. As for the University’s next steps, Alan believed that Hopkins should remain steadfast in protecting the institution and its community members.
“The best thing that Hopkins can do is [to] reaffirm their lobbying targets and interests to make sure that this academic institution remains strong, and they should reassure Hopkins students and faculty with proper information about the government shutdown,” Alan wrote.
Since Oct. 1, the University has not communicated any new updates or guidance regarding the government shutdown to The News-Letter.
College Republicans declined to provide comment to The News-Letter for this article.
