FAMU faces a major setback after the Trump Administration through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) abruptly terminated a $16.3 million multi-year grant on March 21, jeopardizing research and graduate programs central to its pharmacy school and minority-focused initiatives. The grant, renewed last year through March 2029, supported FAMU’s Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program—a congressionally mandated initiative established in 1985 to bolster underrepresented institutions in biomedical research.
Interim President Timothy Beard confirmed the university is appealing the decision, calling the RCMI program “a critical contributor” to FAMU’s role in producing 60% of the nation’s African American Ph.D. graduates in pharmaceutical sciences. The program funds research on pressing health disparities, including triple-negative breast cancer treatments and colorectal cancer outcomes in Black communities.
The termination coincides with broader federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, though the NIH has not publicly detailed its rationale.
A deliberate effort to silence Black academic power'
Critics, however, see a targeted pattern. A FAMU pharmacy student, who requested anonymity, condemned the move: “The cancellation is not an isolated incident. It reflects a deliberate effort to silence Black academic power… [The administration] fears those with the knowledge and a platform to challenge its narratives.”
University leaders stress the grant’s loss threatens Florida’s healthcare pipeline. “RCMI ensures we train professionals who address systemic inequities,” Beard said. “Its impact extends beyond our campus—it’s vital for the state and nation’s future.”
smart Black people are this administrations worse nightmare! especially, highly educated Black women!
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