President Donald Trump’s second term has begun with a whirlwind of policies that have severe implications for the function and future of higher education. In January, Trump communicated a freeze on all federal loans and grants, which he rescinded days later. Earlier this month, Trump introduced a block on National Institutes of Health grants that has since been paused by the courts. The U.S. Department of Education claims it will pause federal funding to schools that support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, although the future of the department itself is still unknown.

Though many of these policies have yet to be enacted or have been paused as courts challenge the legality of certain executive orders, these seismic political changes are send- ing ripples of uncertainty throughout academia. The threat of economic punishment against higher education institutions for their inherent functions should be sounding alarms across all college campuses.

Then why is this educational crisis felt more acutely in some of our classrooms than others?

As liberal arts students, we strive for “education in terms of a social vision.” We want context for our learning just as much as the content. However, a lack of conversation about, or even mere acknowledgement of, the intersection between politics and science in favor of “impartiality” remains a concern across Bowdoin’s campus.

One of the main values of a liberal arts education is its interdisciplinarity, fostering bridges between the humanities and sciences and teaching students how to put the things they have learned in the context of the larger society. The point of a liberal arts education, especially at an institution that emphasizes the common good, is the ability to look beyond the Bowdoin bubble and see the connections that tie the real world to academic material.

In other words, the context that students learn to place their studies in is as important as the classes themselves.

Getting a grasp of the context around us fundamentally depends on “conversation and questioning,” as written in the Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook. However, the role of such critical conversations in classrooms is sometimes glossed over, specifically in STEM classes.

Although some STEM professors at Bowdoin have briefly acknowledged the major political events of the past year, it is rare for STEM classes to make space for students to share their thoughts or concerns about policies, including the federal funding cuts. While STEM content is often framed as objective, when put into the context of the current political climate, it becomes clear that science and politics are intertwined.

As the Trump administration attempts to dismantle DEI initiatives and attack the U.S. Department of Education, underrepresented demographics in STEM fields are at risk of losing their voice in spaces historically occupied by privileged individuals. Professors and students alike have a responsibility to acknowledge the Trump administration’s decisions, as they impact STEM fields as much as they do the social sciences and humanities.

These changes have also impacted the ability of students and professors to engage in research tackling issues like climate change or finding treatments for diseases. For example, the termination of DEI programs has stalled environmental justice efforts that focused on studying the effect that climate change and pollution have on low-income communities. While scientific advancement is considered a staple of modern society, the U.S. government now regards scientific research as an unnecessary expense.

Trump’s agenda has made the ties between science and politics more apparent than ever. Acknowledging this impact on campus is essential. Science and justice should go hand-in-hand, and we can only create a more equitable society by using policy to advance the scope and impact of scientific findings.

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is composed of Julia Dickinson, Catalina Escobedo, Claire Shim, Lily Wheadon, Kristen Kinzler and Vaughn Vial.