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Much concern has been raised about the administration’s attempts to control policies and operations at major universities, including, of course, the University of Arizona, by withholding grants and other funding. What you may not know is that Pima Community College, an institution that serves a population most in need of affordable higher education and workforce training opportunities, has already been deprived of critical federal and state funding for programs that directly impact those students and is on the verge of losing more.

On May 29, Pima Community College received letters from the U.S. Department of Education notifying the College that the fourth and fifth years of its TRIO Upward Bound federal grants for two of the College’s five campuses were being canceled. TRIO grants support low-income and first-generation individuals in the following ways; preparing high school students to be more successful in applying for, being admitted to, and persisting successfully in college, providing support to already-enrolled PCC students to increase the likelihood of their success, such as tutoring, counseling, and enrichment courses, and preparing U.S. military veterans for starting or returning to college as somewhat older adults with the unique life challenges veterans sometimes encounter. Since May, three additional TRIO grants have been discontinued mid-grant by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional federal budget cuts to the college announced this year include $1.1 million in a program called “Child Care Access Means Parents in School�, which, exactly as it sounds, allows parents (many of whom are single moms) to achieve credentials to obtain well-paying jobs that support themselves and their families.

Also on the chopping block are over $3 million in adult basic education funds, one of PCC’s most important, longest-running, and effective programs. ABE provides GED preparation, basic English and literacy skills, pathways to higher education and workforce training to turn those members of our community who may have been reliant on taxpayer-funded social services into wage earners and consumers, boosting our economy. In its proposal for the Fiscal Year 2026 Federal budget, the Trump Administration would completely abolish federal funding for Adult Basic Education.

The largest potential financial blow to the college could be the loss of the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) grants, cumulatively valued at over $7.7 million. PCC’s decades-long status as an HSI has qualified the college for a number of grants to support students of all ethnicities and races, not only students who identify as Hispanic. Programs that are partially funded by HSI grants (again, available to all students) include Hospitality Leadership, providing much-needed, well-trained employees for our local tourist industry, Dental Studies, Dental Hygiene, Dental Lab programs, and several STEM programs, all of which lead to good-paying careers.

What is the result of these kinds of cuts to programs that serve those who need the skills to pull themselves up out of poverty, unemployment, or under-employment? Does it really save the government and, in turn, taxpayers’ money? Of course not. They are short-sighted budget cuts that end up costing students higher tuition, home and business owners additional property taxes, and all of us quality of life issues without a properly trained workforce of healthcare and other professionals.

The next time you are having your blood drawn, being treated by an ER nurse, getting an X-ray, having your teeth cleaned, or having your car repaired, ask the technician/professional where they were trained. Chances are, it will be PCC.

We, former members of the PCC Governing Board, know firsthand the difference our college makes in our community, and most importantly, for our students and their families’ lives. We urge you to contact Representatives Ciscomani, Grijalva (both former PCC students), and Senators Kelly and Gallego to support the most important institution of higher education in our community in terms of local impact, Pima Community College.