Penn Cuts Grad Admissions Amidst Federal Research Funding Cuts

The University of Pennsylvania has slashed graduate admissions across its School of Arts and Sciences due to federal research funding cuts, prompting outrage from faculty. Departments were instructed to drastically reduce admissions, even rescinding offers to students already accepted. Professors criticized the lack of transparency and warned of severe impacts on research and education. The cuts are linked to a proposed $240 million reduction from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), but speculation also includes possible connections to graduate student unionization efforts or decreased support for humanities. The situation highlights the precarious financial situation facing higher education institutions.