The U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen funding to the University of Maine System, according to school officials.
Officials say that in an email received Monday, the USDA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer indicated that the department is evaluating further action against the university for possible violations of Title VI and Title IX.
As a land-grant institution, the University of Maine received almost $30 million last year in USDA funding, primarily used for research.
School officials say the email directs the department’s awarding agencies to temporarily stop issuing payments to both Columbia University and the University of Maine System.
Last month, the USDA announced a Title IX compliance review of UMaine for failing to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in girls and women's sports. The announcement followed a highly publicized confrontation between Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills at the White House last month.
School officials say they have since confirmed to the USDA that Maine's athletic programs are in compliance with relevant state and federal laws and clarified that the UMaine System is a quasi-independent state agency.
In a statement, Maine Senator Angus King said the funding pause will impact Maine's economy.
"The abrupt, unprecedented decision to cancel millions of dollars in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding for the University of Maine will have dramatic impacts on Maine’s current and future workforce, agricultural research, supply chain resiliency, and small businesses across the state," he said.
Zachary Heiden, chief counsel at the ACLU of Maine, said the government's withholding of funds violates the University of Maine's right to academic freedom.
"Now what we're seeing is the federal government trying to coerce schools to teach a certain way or to not teach certain topics. That's inconsistent not only with freedom of expression but also with this broader idea of academic freedom," Heiden said.
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine's 1st District called the decision to pause funding "vindictive."
"Not only did UMS receive this notification through email, rather than a more formal notification; it shared no findings and offered no opportunity for a hearing," she said.
The Trump administration announced last week that it has canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University in New York, the site of a high-profile pro-Palestine encampment last year, citing what it describes as the school's failure to protect Jewish students from harassment.
