Given the last three months of chaos in the scientific world, USC needs to act or its best scientific minds will choose to bring their talents elsewhere. USC scientists — both students and faculty — continue to persist in an institution that claims to advocate for its personnel but has not taken an explicit position to stand with them. This year, the University administration’s potential choices could worsen problems that have long disenfranchised students and faculty pursuing research at USC.

Launching a scientific career at USC as a student is already formidable, despite the University being one of the largest research universities in California. 

For example, USC advertises merit fellowships to undergraduates as a means to pursue research while paying tuition. But in practice, many top students do not receive fair compensation for their labor.

For students receiving their maximum-allotted federal financial aid, the Financial Aid Office reduces students’ aid packages if the awarded scholarship or fellowship exceeds USC’s calculated financial need for the student, resulting in a net-zero gain. This was my situation upon being awarded the Provost’s Undergrad Research Fellowship, Continuing Student Scholarship and Astronaut Scholarship  — worth $20,000 altogether — as my financial aid status prevented me from receiving any amount of my awards. This contradicts the very purpose of the merit scholarships: to give promising students without financial means a chance to become professional scientists.

Moreover, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund and Summer Humanities Undergraduate Research Experience programs — which allow only a maximum of $3,000 to be awarded to students — are simply not competitive with other major universities, which offer student-researchers fully-funded housing and higher stipends over the summer term. 

On top of these issues, the administration decided to cut the amount of Presidential and Trustee merit scholarships in Fall 2025 to “a more modest level.”

USC undergraduates continue to conduct world-class research without fair compensation to compete with students at other universities for positions in graduate school, leading many students to look elsewhere for more equitable summer research opportunities.

Without choosing to take a position to stand up for students amid this year’s science funding crisis, USC may see the loss of many of our University’s aspiring top researchers. 

While some may point out that the University reported spending on research to have increased in the last several years, it is important to understand that the majority of revenue that USC processes for research comes from federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, which award funding through proposals submitted by excellent USC scientists. 

Contrary to what many believe, it is Congress — not the executive branch — that sets the budget for these agencies through a formal appropriations process. However, instead of taking a position of strength in our country’s battle for science, USC has signaled complacency to the president’s unconstitutional executive orders through its decision to pursue permanent budget cuts. 

A pre-emptive cut to research activities demonstrates weakness and signals to bad government actors that elite universities in the United States will bend over easily for them during a period when universities must be strong. USC has restricted discretionary spending, which helps support undergraduate participation in research conferences and activities for professional organizations. Faculty have received emails saying that their raises following a successful merit review are no longer guaranteed. 

While they don’t admit it, members of University leadership have clearly compromised their values through their decision to change one of their Unifying Values of diversity, equity and inclusion into “community” — a term designed to be even more intentionally vague. It is hypocritical of a university that asserts itself as a defender of free speech to bow so easily because of political disagreements. By attempting to satisfy everybody, the University administration stands for nobody.

Some may cite USC’s budget deficit of $158 million as a justification for its cuts to science. But further investigation into USC’s financial planning statement reveals questionable decision-making from the administration, which cites the “rising cost of college athletics,” “softening of graduate student enrollment” and “legal expenses.” The statement also did not acknowledge costs for maintaining perimeter security. 

Such large expenses in USC’s budget should be criticized. For example, USC cites “softening of graduate student enrollment,” while it continues to boast its historic number of applicants. “Legal expenses” — including repayments ranging above $1 billion due to the various scandals the administration has faced over the years — are a slap in the face to students who continually struggle to keep up with skyrocketing tuition costs.

In the thick of the funding crisis, research labs across USC schools have become fearful of taking on new members, leaving many excellent students without opportunities. Both USC students and faculty deserve a public plan from the University outlining its approach to strengthening USC’s defenses against federal funding cuts. 

Despite being home to one of the largest communities of international student-researchers, USC has not taken a stance on whether or not it will protect them. With the illegal detainments of students at universities across the U.S. like Tufts University and the University of Minnesota, USC may be the next target. 

It is illogical that despite the U.S.’ mission to compete with other countries, our government continues to turn away world-class talent, many of whom are currently working to become U.S. citizens. We will continue to see a brain drain within the coming years, and without action, universities like USC will be among the first places it occurs.

Presently, students and faculty researchers are completely left in the dark, their careers effectively held hostage by the federal government. Many aspiring future scientists are left with no career prospects to continue in research after graduation. Graduate programs across the country have retracted offers, cut their incoming classes or have stopped admissions entirely. This will have ripple effects in the scientific community that will continue past this year’s graduating cohort.

U.S. scientists are under attack, and USC must choose to be a role model in our country’s defense of science. While many scientists brand themselves as agnostic to politics, history has shown that authoritarian regimes target the educated first — a process already happening at universities like Columbia, Alabama and Tufts. Since our administrators are currently choosing complacency, it is up to the heart of the University — students and faculty — to organize and protect the future of science. 

Sincerely, 

Miguel Mercado

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Department of Physics and Astronomy