DOGE cancels major grants for Kansas universities

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has canceled several grants to Kansas universities under President Donald Trump’s administration, which is now led by businessman Elon Musk. These cancellations include a grant to Wichita State University (WSU) and another to Kansas State University (K-State). WSU was set to receive a $5 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but DOGE claimed canceling it saved $3.9 million. This differs from WSU’s earlier announcement, which stated the university would receive at least $10 million over five years. WSU President Rick Muma had called the grant a significant opportunity for improving environmental conditions in underserved areas. The cancellation has led to the Heartland Environmental Justice Center at WSU pausing all its activities. The center aimed to assist communities in accessing federal grants and promoting environmental justice. Despite the setback, the center's associate director, Jeff Severin, expressed gratitude for past collaboration and continued commitment to sustainability. Meanwhile, K-State had its own grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) canceled, which was worth $12 million. DOGE reported that this decision saved $2 million. This grant was part of a consortium aimed at addressing agricultural challenges in Haiti. K-State also faced the cancellation of agricultural innovation labs that received substantial funding aimed at improving crop research. DOGE publicly details these cancellations on its website, which emphasizes the financial savings but leaves many specifics about the impact and future funding for these universities unclear. K-State officials confirmed that the grants for their innovation labs were also terminated, adding to the uncertainty for research projects critical to both local and international communities.