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Stephanie Aguilar-Smith, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Georgia

Both Democrats and Republicans give millions to universities in earmarks – but not in the same way

Approximately $2 billion in earmarked money went to colleges and universities from September 2025 through October 2026. Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus

U.S. politicians have perhaps never been more divided, including when it comes to their views on higher education.

Republicans are pushing for more control over the day-to-day work at colleges and universities. Some Republican politicians say that universities are elitist, woke organizations that are out of touch with the general public and lack value for most people. In step with this rhetoric, they have cut funding to higher education, including slashing grants to universities with ethnically and racially diverse student bodies.

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