By Aidan Bearden / Staff Writer

On Oct. 1, the U.S. federal government shut down after lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill. When the government shuts down, workers deemed nonessential are temporarily suspended from their jobs. The Department of Education is among the agencies affected, impacting both its operations and the colleges and students who rely on its work. This shutdown follows significant funding cuts to the department in March issued by the Trump administration.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, during the 2023–24 academic year, about 6.3 million college students received federal loans. Fortunately, federal loans and Pell Grants will continue to be issued, and student loan payments are still required.

“Financial aid is not affected at all,” said Jessica Clevenger, MVC’s assistant director of financial aid. She explained that the shutdown mostly affects the Department of Education itself.

However, the department’s reduced capacity has halted current pending civil rights investigations. Since the funding cuts and mass layoffs earlier this year, the Office for Civil Rights has lost about half of its staff, leading to a decline in resolved cases. With the addition of the shutdown, these cases will continue to pile up and go unresolved.

MVC student Alexis Kettell said she doesn’t feel an immediate personal impact but worries about the larger implications of reduced oversight.

“As a woman on a college campus, the idea of the branch stopping its work does seem uncomfortable,” Kettell said. “When such protections are weakened, it can understandably lead to increased anxiety and a sense of vulnerability among women.”