FRIDAY, MARCH 28
WHAT’S INSIDE:
SPRING 2025 | ISSUE 5
A&C
SPORTS
OPINION
Exhibitions arts gallery opens on campus.
Women’s hockey knocked out of postseason.
Column: Burghy robbed in Mascot Madness.
TIA DUFOUR via Creative Commons
President Donald Trump waves to the press after a flight in 2019.
Trump begins process dissolving DOE SUNY Plattsburgh braces for unpredictable changes. BY JOHN CHURCH Contributor
After an eventful start to his second stint as President, Donald Trump and his administration now aim to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE). While nothing can be set in stone without Congressional approval, if the move passes, many high school and college students nationwide could take the brunt of the impact. What does this mean for SUNY Plattsburgh? The executive order to plan the DOE’s dismantling was announced on March 21. Ultimately, the signed order wants to shift student loan management to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Trump’s blueprint is to diminish federal bureaucracy in public education, yet uncertainty remains about whether the move will reduce the availability of financial aid, accessibility programs, and funding for public universities and schools. In cities like Chicago, New York and Boston, civil servants for the DOE are being terminated from their work. The initial plan was to lay off over 1,300 employees. So far, many of those cuts have come to fruition. President Trump has labeled the department as “overrun by radicals, zealots, and Marxists,” framing its elimination as a step toward increased state control over education. Linda MacMahon, United States Secretary of Education, assured that Pell Grants, student financial aid, and loan
management will continue under different federal agencies. Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for Ethics in Public Life Dr. Daniel Lake expressed concerns about the long-term implications of dismantling the Education Department, particularly for marginalized student populations. “Efforts to support students from disadvantaged populations,” “Both racial and ethnic minorities, as well as poor students in general, are being destroyed as part of the war on DEI,” ’Dr. Lake wrote in an email. “The result will be less access to higher education for Black, Latino/-a, and Indigenous students.” There are some palpable concerns for public schools, but the sentiment
is that as long as education decisions are made at the local and state levels, Cardinals will be safe. Todd Moravec, Director of Student Financial Services at SUNY Plattsburgh, emphasized that no disruptions to financial aid disbursement will occur anytime soon, but it’s important to stay vigilant. “If something were to change — and this is sort of a worst-case scenario — and Pell Grants were cut, that would have a huge impact,” Moravec said. “But that’s not been discussed.”
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‘Trade war’ disrupts Plattsburgh, Canadians BY CHRISTIAN TUFINO Staff Writer
JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points
Plattsburgh State’s current Center for the Study of Canada. The department has been a staple of the school, as Plattsburgh’s proximity to the Canadian border makes it an appealing university for students interested in the field.
The trade war between Canada and the United States, set off by President Donald Trump’s tariffs of up to 25% on Canadian goods, leaves Canadian citizens living in Plattsburgh in an awkward situation. Whether it be for a weekend trip or immigration to the United States, Canadian citizens often go to Plattsburgh as it is located
directly next to the Canadian border. This makes the relationship between both countries very important to Plattsburgh’s population. Many residents of Plattsburgh and students attending SUNY Plattsburgh often visit Canada Montreal. SUNY Plattsburgh is also attended by many Canadian students wanting to study in America. Isaiah Collins, a Canadian cultural exchange student funded by the United
States, has experienced the effects of these tariffs in his day-to-day interactions. “I was talking to someone and the topic of where I’m from came up, I said ‘Canada,’ then he patted me on my shoulder and said ‘I want you to know there are a lot of Americans supporting Canada,’ but that wouldn’t even have be a conversation a few months ago,” Collins said. CAN > 3