MTU president identifies federal funding cuts during Michigan House subcommittee hearing

LANSING, Mich. (WLUC) - Michigan Tech University President Richard Koubek revealed how the university has been impacted by cuts to federal research grants during a House subcommittee hearing Wednesday.

President Koubek was among four university presidents to testify Thursday in the latest of multiple sessions in which all 15 public university presidents will testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Higher Education and Community Colleges. The purpose of these sessions is for each university to attest to its economic impact for consideration as the subcommittee develops the FY 2026 Higher Education budget.

Koubek attested to MTU’s education and research, highlighting its impact on the economy, work force, and innovation at not only the local level, but the state and federal as well.

Following each president’s presentation Thursday, Michigan 41st District Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D) of Kalamazoo asked how much federal grant funding has been impacted or frozen at their respective institution. It’s a question TV6 has been working to find out for both MTU and NMU in the months since the Trump administration announced research funding cuts for public universities in an effort to reduce federal spending.

In response to Rogers’s question, Kuobek said the federal government has frozen about 3% of the $120 million in federal funding the university gets. That’s despite Michigan Tech’s designation as an R1 university, the highest designation recognizing a university’s commitment to research.

Koubek asked lawmakers to remember their duty to the next generation.

“I do emphasize that we are public universities,” said Koubek. “As you develop the FY26 higher ed budget, we hope you’ll see the appropriations as we do: an investment in the next generation of amazing Michiganders.”

Other public universities testified in previous sessions over the past two months. NMU President Brock Tessman was accompanied by NMU students and Kall Morris Incorporated Co-Founder Troy Morris on April 23 to present. Those students spoke to the opportunities afforded them through NMU, while Morris testified to the university’s support of KMI’s work in producing talent.

Tessman highlighted the impact of state funding to the university. He did not discuss federal funding and the subcommittee did not ask Tessman how much federal funding has been reduced of frozen.

TV6 emailed NMU Thursday morning requesting that number. NMU said it only experienced “minor hits” to some relatively small federal grants and that it would continue to watch what develops at the federal level.

Editor’s note: While a shorter version of this story was reported Wed., May 21 highlighting the federal budget cuts, it was updated with additional context Thurs., May 22.