By Josephine Andoh
The federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 continues, and UMD faculty and students are beginning to feel its effects—if they haven’t already.

The shutdown began after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution — a measure that continues funding federal agencies until an appropriations bill is passed — on Sept. 30. If passed, the resolution would have funded federal agencies until Nov. 21 or until Congress approved appropriations for the 2026 federal fiscal year, whichever event came sooner. 

Democratic senators prevented the resolution from passing due to proposed cuts to programs such as SNAP, Grad PLUS Loans and Pell Grants, as well as health care, veterans affairs, homeland security, and agriculture programs.

Most Democrats instead supported an opposing resolution that would have funded federal agencies until Oct. 31, extended the premium tax credit for health insurance and increased funding for programs such as Medicaid. However, that resolution also failed to pass in the Senate on Sept. 30.

Some students feel that the shutdown was necessary in this situation. 

“The plan put forward [by Republicans] wasn’t reasonable enough,” Leo Shems, a sophomore public health practice major, said. “Taking away people’s access to healthcare is akin to just pulling the trigger.”

The shutdown could lead to around 4,000 federal employees being laid off, according to a court filing from the Department of Justice.

“I feel a lot of empathy for people who are affected by this,” Michelle Wang, a junior environmental science and policy and social data science double major, said. “I’m not directly impacted [by this], but I know so many people who rely on federal services are.”

“It really sucks that the impacts do fall more on low-income and marginalized communities,” Wang said.

The effects of the shutdown could also hit close to home for UMD. According to Maryland Today, during a government shutdown, federal agencies are prohibited from issuing new grants or contracts. This could hinder professors and researchers at UMD from starting new projects at a time when the university is facing steep state and federal funding cuts. 

Senior environmental science and policy major Sophie Bose works at a research lab where previous cuts have already been affecting her internship. 

“I’m working on the EJ [environmental justice] side of things, which is definitely not being supported by this current administration,” Bose said. She expects the shutdown to start affecting her project soon.

Many UMD professors and students also work for the federal government as employees and interns. 

“It’s very devastating,” Wang said. “I just feel like it shouldn’t have happened.”

As of Oct. 16, the Senate has not passed any continuing resolutions that would end the shutdown.

Featured Image: Thomas V. Miller, Jr. Administration Building at the University of Maryland. Photo by Josephine Andoh