USC students said they were concerned after a Monday night executive order from the Trump White House that froze all federally funded grants and loans.
The internal memo paused “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance,” sparking mass confusion around the nation.
According to the memo, “The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.” The memo specifically targeted funding for programs relating to DEI and what the administration called “woke gender ideology.”
In the wake of the order, USC students questioned what effect it could have on their financial aid.
“A lot of my friends and I rely on financial aid, and it’s how we’re surviving right now,” said Kaycee Moran, a freshman majoring in engineering.
“This is an expensive school,” Moran said. She said the order is worrying, and added that “it seems really unexpected right now.”
Devan Mehrish, a freshman majoring in psychology, does not receive financial aid, but said, “I don’t really have a personal vested interest in it, but, I mean, it still sucks.”
Mehrish agreed that “So many kids are gonna be negatively affected” by the order, adding that “it’s just not fair.”
By Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Education clarified that direct student assistance would not be affected by the presidential order. Not long after that clarification, a federal judge put a temporary pause on the freeze nationwide until Monday afternoon.
The cost of attendance for one year at USC is estimated to be over $95,000. The university disbursed $902 million in financial aid for the 2023-24. It gave out another $814 million in financial aid the year before.
The school reports that more than two-thirds of undergraduates receive some sort of financial aid, including need-based grants, merit scholarships, federal work-study and loans. Without federal funding, many of the university’s students would be unable to afford tuition.
Owen Galster, a freshman studying communications, said he is “worried for people who really rely on financial aid.”
However, Galster wasn’t surprised. “I know that Trump doesn’t have an affinity for these communities that need this funding and this help,” he said. He expressed that he was still sad to see the news.
Galster added he’s hopeful that “Congress passes some legislation or this gets overturned by the courts.”
Sandra Barcenas, a student in the political science graduate program, is hopeful that the government will change Trump’s order.
She said that she “has faith in our checks and balances and federalism,” adding that “hopefully some state powers can come and override a unilateral executive order.”
Barcenas was on financial aid while studying undergrad at UC Berkeley, where she said most of the university’s programs were funded by state loans.
However, if the administration goes through with the order, she said that “a majority of my community will be impacted.”
A previous version of this article included that tuition at USC is estimated to cost over $95,000. The cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, meal plans, and other fees is estimated to cost over $95,000. Annenberg Media regrets this error.