Administrators at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs initially believed their commuter campus would be spared from the Trump administration's sweeping changes to higher education. Despite its apolitical reputation and distance from the elite universities often targeted by federal scrutiny, the school quickly found itself facing investigations, grant losses, and pressure to adapt to new government directives.

The university lost three major federal grants and underwent investigations into its diversity programs, forcing administrators to rename departments and websites in hopes of avoiding further attention. Faculty and students described a climate of uncertainty and stress, as they navigated shifting policies and concerns about funding cuts and student loan management.

Efforts to comply with federal orders included reviewing athletic programs for transgender participation and rewording scholarship criteria. Meanwhile, some on campus pushed for more vocal resistance to federal actions, but administrators opted for caution, seeking to avoid controversy and protect the institution's resources.

The experience at Colorado Springs reflects the broader challenges faced by regional public universities under the Trump administration, as federal leverage over research funding and student aid reshapes the landscape of higher education across the country.