November 7, 2025
Dear UC colleagues,
The federal government has been shut down since October 1 as Congress and the Trump Administration continue to negotiate about funding. Now entering its sixth week, this is the longest federal government shutdown in history. You may be wondering what this means for UC, especially for students who rely on federal financial aid, for researchers supported by federal grants, and for our health centers that depend on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. At this stage, the short-term impacts continue to be limited, but the uncertainty is growing.
One area of particular concern is the assistance provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a program that many UC students and Californians rely on to put food on the table. A November 6 court order directed the federal government to release the full November SNAP benefits, and on November 7, SNAP recipients started to see their benefits restored. Although this ruling brings some relief, campuses continue to step up support for students through expanded food pantry hours, grocery store gift cards, emergency grants, and partnerships with on-campus dining to provide meal support. For more information about basic needs support, I encourage you to reach out to your campus’ Basic Needs Center.
Our Federal Governmental Relations (FGR) team in Washington, D.C. remains in close contact with federal partners to monitor developments and advocate for UC’s priorities, including food security for our students. We continue to urge Congress and the Administration to take the steps necessary to reopen the federal government and complete this year's funding bills.
Best,
Meredith Vivian Turner
Senior Vice President
External Relations & Communications
UC Office of the President
University Response and Communications
Washington, D.C. Advocacy: Throughout the government shutdown, UC FGR has continued meeting with congressional staff to advance UC priorities both related to federal funding and beyond. Recent discussions include telehealth policies, the impact of Medicaid cuts and the importance of Medicare funding for graduate medical education, and University’s technology transfer efforts and the role of the Bayh-Dole Act in fostering innovation, among others.
UC’s Nobel Prize Winners: Last week, the Los Angeles Times published an op-ed from President Milliken, highlighting the achievements of UC’s Nobel Laureates and the importance of federal research funding and America’s decades-long global leadership in scientific discovery. UC faculty earned four Nobel Prizes — more than any other university in the world.
Media Highlights
Los Angeles Times: Contributor: Science funding and immigration fuel America's innovation. They're at risk. (Op-ed by UC President James B. Milliken)
The Mercury News: Opinion: California universities broke the silence of ALS with federal funds — now at risk (Op-ed by UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May)
The Daily Californian: UC awarded $66M to help schools support low-income college-aspiring students by Department of Education
KCRA-TV: How UC Davis food pantry supports students through loss of CalFresh benefits
EdSource: How the federal government shutdown will impact California’s schools and students | EdSource
For ongoing updates and resources, please visit the UC Federal Updates website.