One month has passed since the inauguration day of President Donald Trump and he has already created waves by rapidly introducing numerous Executive orders, which have sparked discussions among SUNY Brockport students. These Executive Orders cover a stream of topics, undoing U.S. policies on economics, education, gender, healthcare, race, sexuality and more.
One of Trump’s key promises during his campaign was to reduce food prices from day one. However, the reality has been quite different, with the cost of many essential goods, such as eggs, rising instead.
On Brockport’s campus, some community members have turned to The Pantry, an on-campus resource that provides free groceries to alleviate financial strain, to help keep them afloat during this period of financial strain.
The Pantry student employee Brenda Martin has witnessed firsthand how these rising costs affect students.
“I feel like Trump’s first month has been pretty crazy,” Martin said. “This is my first semester working here, but there have definitely been a decent amount of students coming in.”
Martin has particularly noticed that eggs are an item students are frequently seeking out.
“Eggs have been going really fast,” Martin said. “We just had a couple of cartons brought in a bit ago and there’s two left now.”
Last September, Vice President JD Vance was seen in a grocery store holding a carton of eggs, in an attempt to show Democrats’ “inflationary policies” and yet, a few months later, Americans are still facing the same problem.
Despite the frustration from many individuals including Martin, this economic issue stretches beyond just the cost of a dozen eggs. One policy Trump is attempting to implement is tariffs, a tax on imported goods and services. This would create a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% tariff on overseas imports from China.
“I don’t think prices are going to go down, especially with the tariffs and everything,” Martin said. “Prices are just going to keep going higher and higher.”
With Trump’s plans in motion for tariffs to begin soon, students are left unsure on what to expect.
In addition to raising the price of goods through tariffs, Trump has also proposed cuts to the budget for the Department of Education. The Department of Education plays a crucial role in providing financial aid and resources to students to elevate the cost of higher education.
The proposed cuts would reduce funding for various educational programs, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). For students who may rely on this funding to attend college, this decision is detrimental.
“His policies are going to hurt a lot of people, especially us being on a college campus,” Martin said. “It’s going to limit the amount of people that have access to going to college. FAFSA and everything is at risk and it’s crazy to think about.”
These budget cuts are part of his broader effort to reduce federal spending, which Trump argues will help stimulate economic growth.
According to a 2021 study by the National Center for Education Statistics, 82% of students receive some form of financial aid to help with the cost of college. At Brockport, 83% of students receive financial aid and over five million dollars in scholarships are awarded annually.
However, many students have raised concerns about the potential repercussions these cuts could have on colleges and universities nationwide. SUNY Brockport student Chase Johnson is among those who share these worries.
“It’s already very hard to pay for school,” Johnson said. “Taking away government money would not help students. Out-of-state tuition is already expensive and in-state tuition is still expensive. If he takes away FAFSA then people are going to have to take out even more loans.”
For 2024 in-state tuition at Brockport, a New York State resident’s tuition is $7,070. Meanwhile, it is $14,140 for out-of-state tuition, excluding any additional costs such as fees, housing or food.
Another aspect Trump and his cabinet have been focusing on is DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), a policy that promotes equality and fairness for people of all backgrounds.
Many colleges and organizations have adopted DEI policies to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunity for all students, faculty and staff. However, certain DEI policies have been facing revaluation under the Trump administration, arguing that they push an “anti-American” agenda by prioritizing race.
SUNY Brockport student Alyce Frisa believes these decisions will cause an increase in both discrimination and unequal opportunities.
“Personally, I don’t think Trump’s first month has been the best,” Frisa said. “A lot of people argue everyone already has an equal chance, but I don’t believe that it’s totally equal, especially considering minorities. I’m not a fan of getting rid of DEI and passing harmful laws.”
In addition to scaling back DEI programs, the Trump administration has also taken steps to roll back protections for transgender individuals.
This includes policies that mandate gender-based restrictions, such as individuals being required to identify with their sex assigned at birth. Many students feel it will ripple to the rest of the LGBTQ+ community and reset the progress they have made over the past decade.
“I’m part of the LGBTQ community, so seeing him wanting to diminish how much progress we made, it’s… not nice,” Frisa said.
The ongoing national conversation around transgender rights has been a key point of contention. Many Republicans, including Trump, have made the issue of transgender individuals using restrooms corresponding to their gender identity a focal point.
At SUNY Brockport, the Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity, the Brockport Pride Association and other campus organizations are dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ students.
“We do have a community on campus,” Frisa said. “Hopefully, it won’t affect us, but if he gets to a point where he’s enforcing these new laws and ideals, it could become a problem.”
Alongside rolling back DEI programs and transgender protections, Trump’s administration has also focused on immigration. Within the past month, Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern U.S. border, expediting deportations and increasing border enforcement measures.
Trump’s stance on immigration has been a central part of his political platform, focusing heavily on restricting illegal immigration. Taking the stance to “protect each of [the States] against Invasion.”
Public opinion on immigration varies widely. Some align with Trump’s policies and others don’t. Many also hold a middle-ground view, favoring balanced enforcement with compassionate reforms.
“I mean, to an extent it’s okay,” Frisa said. “Throwing out people who have committed crimes and stuff, that’s one thing. But going after families and other peaceful people, that’s completely different and I’m not a fan of it.”
One of the most controversial aspects of Trump’s immigration policy was the “zero tolerance” policy enacted in 2018, which led to the separation of families at the border. This policy mandated the criminal prosecution of all adults crossing the border illegally, resulting in thousands of children being separated from their parents.
“I don’t like his immigration policy,” Johnson said. “I have a lot of friends whose families are immigrants. Obviously, he’s breaking people away from their families and it hurts me because I couldn’t imagine if my family was taken away from me.”
According to the United Nations, the U.S. is home to one-fifth of the world’s international migrants, making up 14.3% of the country’s population. While Trump’s supporters argue that stricter immigration enforcement is necessary to maintain national security, others view his stance on immigration as unnecessary.
While some view these changes as necessary reforms, many students at SUNY Brockport express concerns over the administration’s impact on their daily lives and future opportunities.
“I feel like he’s definitely taking us back in history,” Martin said. “All of the progress that we’ve made so far is just being undone.
Many students feel that the administration’s priorities are misaligned with the needs of the people. Instead of addressing pressing issues, the focus has drifted to performative actions that seem more symbolic than substantive. As these policies take effect, students at SUNY Brockport and across the nation worry about their future under an administration that is still gaining or losing their trust.
