This is an open letter in response to an email regarding the restructuring and limiting of academic grant funding by the Trump Administration that was sent to Mississippi State University faculty by MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw on Feb. 17.

My name is Darren Shoemaker. I am a Ph.D. candidate in the College of Forest Resources Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. I am deeply concerned by the impact the proposed restructuring will have on both current faculty and students and the long-term research productivity of Mississippi State University. I am also alarmed by the lack of transparency and support offered to students during this frightening time.

First, I want to inquire about what resources are being provided for career support for recent and soon-to-be graduates. This issue affects not only me but many of my colleagues.

During my three years at Mississippi State, two of my colleagues in the College of Forest Resources have taken positions at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, two have taken positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one has taken a position at the U.S. Geological Survey, dozens have taken positions at smaller federal agencies and still, more have taken positions at state agencies with federal support. As I am sure you are aware, the hiring freeze has eliminated many of these positions, and the recent firings have increased the number of applicants seeking what fewer positions have remained.

Many students are looking to Mississippi State for guidance as they begin their careers. Mississippi State students in the natural sciences are highly skilled professionals who deserve the same career opportunities that were afforded to their former colleagues.

It is imperative that the university provides resources to help our students and graduates compete in this new, highly uncertain job market. While Mississippi State may not be responsible for the actions of the Trump administration, the inability of a massive cohort holding advanced degrees from Mississippi State to find a job reflects extremely poorly on the university and will damage our reputation as a premier Research One institution.

As a scientist in the natural resources field, I maintain a robust network of colleagues, collaborators and technicians, ranging from undergraduate technicians to tenured faculty. I have spent my time here praising the robust research program, collaborating on many research projects and encouraging students to consider Mississippi State for graduate education.

At this time, I cannot in good conscience recommend Mississippi State to prospective students. Given the current instability surrounding the natural resources field, I am skeptical of the value of obtaining advanced education at Mississippi State and would encourage students to seek out an institution with more resources, transparency and security for researchers. Providing support for students and recent graduates will not eliminate these concerns but could mitigate them.

Second, the concerns I outlined above are primarily relevant to current and prospective students in the short term, but reductions in research funding overall will irreparably damage Mississippi State. This institution has taken great steps to offer equitable and quality graduate education. In the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, the majority of graduate students maintain grant-funded assistantships.

These help to ensure graduate education is accessible to the most qualified candidates, especially those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. Eliminating or reducing these assistantships would leave advanced degrees accessible only to the most privileged students, who, to be frank, are unlikely to choose to study at Mississippi State. Over time, this will reduce the research output of the university and further damage our status as a premier research institution.

Finally, the fact that the message from the Office of Public Affairs was only distributed to faculty and staff is shocking. While the Trump administration’s actions have dire implications for all levels of an academic institution, students represent a far more economically precarious demographic who will be most imminently impacted by funding cuts. Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are the lifeblood of the university’s research programs and are entitled to open and fair communication. I am grateful to the faculty who shared this statement, and I hope the Office of Public Affairs will take steps to ensure students are aware of how the university is working to protect them, their research and their academic freedoms.

Mississippi State is my home, and I hope to resume recommending the university in the future. The natural resources education I received is one of the best I could have obtained anywhere, but that means little if the university is unable to provide career support and I am unable to apply those skills. I am grateful for the efforts being made by the university to combat the devastating actions of the Trump administration, and I call for additional transparency and communication to students and faculty on what exactly is being done to protect and support them.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing how Mississippi State proceeds to protect our priceless research program in the coming weeks.

In solidarity with United Campus Workers,

Darren Shoemaker