An article from This week in 5 numbers: Court temporarily blocks NIH funding cuts

We’re rounding up recent stories, from a court ruling affecting a new National Institutes of Health policy to an increase in colleges with the coveted R1 status.

Published Feb. 14, 2025 Natalie Schwartz Senior Editor

• post
• share
• post
• print
• email
• license

A sign of the National Institutes of Health stands near an entrance to its campus on Feb. 10, 2025, in Bethesda, Maryland. Alex Wong via Getty Images

From a federal court order suspending a new Trump administration policy to the latest list of research institution designations from Carnegie Classifications, here are the top-line figures from our biggest stories of the week. 

By the numbers   22 The number of states that sued to block the National Institutes of Health from implementing cuts to funding for indirect research costs. Earlier this week, U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley issued restraining orders against the cuts in the attorneys general-led case, along with a similar one filed by the Association of American Medical Colleges and other groups.   28% The increase, since 2022, in the number of colleges designated as Research 1 institutions under the revamped Carnegie Classifications. A whopping 187 now have the coveted R1 status, which is given to institutions with the highest levels of research activity.   96 The number of Democratic lawmakers who requested a meeting with Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter to discuss the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Around 18 House Democrats also tried to enter the Education Department headquarters in Washington, D.C., last week, but were blocked from doing so.   $150 million The amount that Tennessee State University officials want state lawmakers to remove restrictions from so they can use the funding to help the institution stay afloat. The historically Black college has been struggling financially due to several factors, including missed enrollment targets, heavy tuition discounts and historical underfunding from the state.   $881 million The value of the research contracts the Education Department canceled this week under the new Trump administration. The move has sparked outcry from education groups who say it will be harder to track outcomes in both K-12 schools and colleges without those research projects. waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'mobile' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid1-mobile'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid1'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-mobile'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); }); waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'desktop' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid2-desktop'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid2'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-desktop'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); });

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• purchase licensing rights

Higher Ed Dive news delivered to your inbox

Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts

Email:

• Select user consent: By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at anytime.

Sign up A valid email address is required. Please select at least one newsletter. Editors' picks

• Courtesy of Sonoma State University ‘Sobering news’: Sonoma State University makes broad cuts to tackle $24M deficit

  The California public university plans to reduce staff, faculty and majors, as well as fold its athletics program.

  By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 23, 2025
• Christopher Furlong via Getty Images At 11th hour, judge blocks Trump’s pause on federal funding

  The higher education community faced an "enormous amount of confusion" in the wake of an OMB directive aimed at ensuring programs adhere to recent executive orders.

  By Ben Unglesbee • Updated Jan. 28, 2025