University of Iowa emails show reaction to federal funding cuts
Hunter
06/20/25
Emails obtained by the Cedar Rapids Gazette from the University of Iowa detail reactions to federal funding cuts announced earlier this year.
Lois Geist is the Interim Vice President for Research and learned of the cuts to National Institutes of Health research funding in February. An email from acclaimed UI microbiology and immunology professor Stanley Perlman asked Geist if there was anything individual faculty could do to help. Geist suggested that they act as private citizens, call or email their legislators from their own phones and email accounts and tell them what a bad idea this is. Geist said as a faculty or institution, the University of Iowa has limited ability to fight the action.
Geist told the faculty that the university would lose roughly $50 million in support for infrastructure and compliance programs. That would lead to loss of grants and the ability to hire people.
A link to the Gazette article can be found below.