The University of Maryland, Baltimore announced it is laying off 30 full-time staff and eliminating 30 vacant positions after federal cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other research funding.

According to The Baltimore Banner , University President Bruce Jarrell delivered the update to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Monday night.

"Modest salary reductions" will impact about 1,000 university employees and save the school about $3 million.

The salary cuts are expected to impact employees at UMD's medical school and will include Jarell and other university leadership.

The Trump administration has made cuts to federal funding in an effort to reduce government spending. The cuts to federal funding have impacted public schools, universities and research institutes across the nation.

In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore's 2026 budget also includes $111 million in cuts from the University System of Maryland. The budget aims to address the state's $3 million deficit.

Institutions face federal funding cuts

In February, the Trump administration ordered U.S. colleges and universities to end diversity programs or risk losing federal funding.

Just last month , the University of Maryland, College Park said more than 40 research grants and contracts were canceled due to cuts by the Trump administration. The grants totaled about $12 million.

The funds were canceled due to the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from organizations and institutions nationwide.

The crackdown kicked off with President Trump's executive order on Jan. 21, which ended DEI programs at the federal level.

Johns Hopkins University in March said it was laying off 2,200 workers , because of a loss of funding from USAID. JHU also said it was impacted by new caps placed on indirect research costs by the NIH.

The Department of Education warned state education commissioners in April that federal financial assistance for K-12 schools may be at risk unless they confirm compliance with "antidiscrimination obligations," including eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Why is the Trump administration working to dismantle DEI?

DEI, which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, describes practices aimed at increasing diversity across professional spaces.

Critics claim DEI programs undermine merit-based systems , while supporters argue they foster fairness and prevent discrimination in professional settings.

Though President Trump has the authority to eliminate federal DEI initiatives, states, organizations, and private institutions still have control over their programs.

However, institutions like UMD and other schools nationwide that depend on federal funding have to choose between eliminating so-called DEI programs and dealing with major funding losses.

University of Maryland Eastern Shore implements hiring freeze

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) said Tuesday it would be taking several steps to address state budget cuts outlined in the governor's 2026 budget.

University leaders said they will be eliminating any positions that have been vacant for three or more years and implementing a hiring freeze with a few rare exceptions.

UMES will also launch telework Fridays for some employees between May 23 and August 8.

All employees will receive a "modest cost of living adjustment," university leaders said.

UMES leaders said they also expect to save some funds through reduction in the temporary workforce, furloughs and personnel realignment.

"We are enacting these measures to minimize the impact on our faculty, staff and their families," said UMES President Dr. Heidi Anderson. "This will be a difficult period for everyone, but these efforts will make our university, our region and our state all the stronger moving forward."

Christian Olaniran is a digital producer for CBS Baltimore, where he writes stories on diverse topics including politics, arts and culture. With a passion for storytelling and content creation, he produces engaging visual content for social media, and other platforms.