There are a number of executive orders, letters, memoranda and directives from the federal government and related agencies that may have significant impacts on higher education. As a University community, we are prepared to navigate these changes with professionalism and steadiness. Drexel’s academic and administrative leadership is reviewing these actions to assess their impact on our community and academic mission, to ensure continued compliance with the law, and to guide the University’s response.

Drexel’s Office of Government & Community Relations is deeply connected in Washington, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and in collaboration with leadership, is helping Drexel navigate this transition by working with members of Congress and state and local officials. Drexel leadership is also coordinating with other higher education partners who are also working through these issues. In addition, the University has organized subject matter experts to monitor, examine and address any executive order or action.

We are committed to maintaining an environment where everyone feels welcomed, included and valued. We will methodically work through whatever challenges lie ahead, while staying true to our mission and shared values.

Drexel remains committed to academic freedom, its mission of educating students of all backgrounds, and its pursuit of creating knowledge for the public good. Since its founding, the Drexel Institute placed no restrictions on religion, race, gender or socioeconomic status, a revolutionary concept in 1891. The University has always and will continue to uphold its principles of inclusion and non-discrimination, and it will do so while remaining compliant with the law.

Academic freedom dictates that faculty determine the content of their teaching and research. Guidance from the current Trump Administration has consistently stated that there is no intention to interfere with faculty curriculum or classroom instruction, so long as it is not intended to discriminate against a particular race, gender or nationality, they are protected.

Recent federal directives, including the now-rescinded OMB Memorandum M-25-13, temporarily paused financial assistance for various programs. While this order was blocked in part by a federal judge, and later rescinded by M-25-14, some agencies—such as the Department of Energy, NASA, and National Science Foundation—have issued their own guidance restricting expenditures related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Drexel’s Office of Research & Innovation (ORI) is actively assessing the situation and will provide updates as needed.

You should continue your federally funded research as usual, unless you receive an official stop-work or termination order. If you receive such an order, immediately contact ORI (ori@drexel.edu) and temporarily cease related activities. For projects involving human subjects or animal models, please review operational updates.

Salaries and stipends for researchers and graduate students are considered direct costs and are not part of the 15% cap on research facilities and administration (F&A); however, significant reductions on F&A rates may impact available research infrastructure and support services, as well as the University’s budget.

We encourage you to visit the Federal Research Updates 2025 webpage, where ORI is providing robust and timely updates. Please monitor this resource as well as your email.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College that consideration of a college applicant’s racial status in admissions decisions violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Though the SFFA decision pertained only to admissions, a Dear Colleague Letter issued on Feb. 14, 2025, from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provided a broader interpretation of the 2023 ruling. The letter is not law, but it suggests that race-related institutional policies and programs could be scrutinized by OCR. The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Association of American Medical Colleges, which Drexel is affiliated with, were signatories to an American Council on Education letter on Feb. 25, 2025, calling on the Department of Education to rescind the Dear Colleague Letter. On Feb. 28, 2025, the OCR issued an FAQ document related to the Dear Colleague Letter, which clarified and narrowed the scope of the Dear Colleague Letter a bit. Even so, any race-conscious policy or program at a university remains under scrutiny by the current Trump Administration.

In response to the Dear Colleague Letter, Drexel assembled a task force to monitor developments, discuss implications and make recommendations in this rapidly changing environment. The task force has open lines of communication with academic and administrative leadership. Drexel has a longstanding commitment to inclusion and anti-discrimination, and the University will uphold that commitment while maintaining compliance with the law.

Currently, there is no need to do so. Anyone who has questions or receives requests for changes should contact their supervisor for next steps.

At this time there is no directive to do so, but please consult your supervisor if a funding agency has directly communicated an order to halt your plans.

No. The restructuring of EIC is guided by the observations and recommendations from Drexel’s yearlong external review and the lessons learned from the voluntary resolution agreement with the Office of Civil Rights. The University’s efforts to restructure predated recent executive order mandates and directives. The University will continue to uphold our shared values as we create a more effective structure that ensures every member of our community feels welcomed, included, supported and valued, while fulfilling our legal requirements.

If an officer — federal, state or local — is not accompanied by Drexel Police, you or your supervisor or professor are advised to call Drexel Public Safety at 215.895.2222. Drexel Police officers are here to liaise with other law enforcement agencies (and relevant University partners) and ensure that any actions they take comply with lawful processes, such as the production of a warrant or court order, if necessary.

You should calmly and professionally inform the officer or agent that, due to Drexel’s protocol, you are contacting Drexel Public Safety and that you are not authorized to provide information on students, employees or patients or access to non-public areas (i.e., areas that require authorization before entry) without approval.

For more information related to responding to requests from law enforcement agencies, visit Drexel Public Safety's website.

With the potential for intensified immigration compliance efforts by the Department of Homeland Security, all non-U.S. citizens are reminded that they are required to carry evidence of their immigration status (such as Form I-94, a valid EAD card, I-20/DS-2019 form, copy of their passport/visa sticker, and/or green card) at all times, including when traveling domestically or just going about daily life. F-1 and J-1 students, J-1 scholars, H-1b employees and other individuals on Drexel’s visa sponsorship can obtain a copy of their latest I-94 record at the Department of Homeland Security website. Students and scholars should also ensure that all immigration-related documents (i.e. Passport, I-20/DS-2019) remain valid while in the U.S. and should consult with International Students and Scholars Services if any documents are lost or expiring.

Visit International Students and Scholars Services' website for information related to immigration emergencies.