GOING, GOING… but not yet gone

October, 2025

It will come as no surprise to the readers of this essay that, at this writing, the institutions of government and civil society have been undergoing rapid and perhaps irremediable changes since, at least, the beginning of the second Trump Administration on January 20, 2025. Academe has been transformed by the post-election changes that, as well, where in part launched as parts of the responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. These changes created hybrid – virtual and in-person – course offerings and faculty and staff work schedules and, as well, raised questions across the nation about whether the cost of degrees from academic institutions was justified if they only led to jobs that would be as compensated and fulfilling as employment opportunities that did not require either undergraduate or graduate education.

Universities that hold the status of Research 1 institutions, a designation that Tufts University proudly and deservedly holds, have seen the scholarship of faculty either significantly eroded or, in a growing number of instances, halted because of the withdrawal of already-awarded funds, delays and decreases in awarded funding, greater competition for fewer grant opportunities, and threats of termination of visas and deportation of students and scholars from other counties. Scholarly productivity that has been epitomized by its quality, innovation, and contributions in all sectors of biological-, physiological-, physical-, chemical-, behavioral-, social-, and cultural-sciences, engineering and technology, the arts, and the humanities, and has been acclaimed throughout the word, has been greatly jeopardized or in some cases eliminated. 

Tufts University has of course not been immune to these changes. However, I am proud to say that the University has astute and agile administrative leaders, from the offices of the President and Provost, to the deans and department chairs, and the skilled and dedicated staff. These leaders have risen to the challenges facing academe in general and Tufts more specifically and, at the same time, not been deterred from pursuing its signature commitment to positive community engagement and its ongoing pursuit of social justice through the enhancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In the midst of this deeply appreciated institutional leadership, IARYD has continued to keep its head above water, if only marginally so across the 2024-2025 period covered by this Annual Report. Changes in the funding climate for research seeking to enhance the lives of diverse youth, families, and communities around the world has become hard to acquire – harder that I have ever experienced in in my now 54 years of post-doctoral research (and the possession of continuous funding since the late 1970s through this writing). The shrinking size of our grant portfolio has halted some research projects and the availability of funds to keep all doctoral-level colleagues, staff, and students funded though the period of this report. Some colleagues and staff have therefore had to leave the Institute but, thankfully, they were able to readily find other, fully funded positions.

As well, the Bergstrom Family – Gary and Maggie Bergstrom and Craig and Victoria Bergstrom – once again generously provided a gift to IARYD which was matched by funds from my Department. The Bergstrom Family gift enabled us to continue to provide funds to fund our students. I am so pleased to repeat a statement that I have made in every Annual Report I have written since joining Tufts University (at the end of the last century!):  My students, colleagues, and staff have been blessed by the indefatigable generosity and support of the Bergstrom Family and, as well, by the generosity of the colleagues I am so fortunate to have in the Department of Child Study and Human Development.

The usually optimistic conclusions that I make at the end of the Annual Reports I write to discuss the accomplishments of the past academic year seem necessary to temper this year. Yogi Berra once observed that it is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future. I feel such difficulty at this moment in the history of our nation and of academe. Nevertheless, because of the character, values, and resilience of the people I am fortunate to have in my personal and professional life, such as the Bergstrom Family, my own family, and my colleagues at Tufts and throughout our nation and world, I believe that goals of individual thriving and the flourishing of and social justice for all of humanity will continue to be a major part of the future of all segments of society. I hope IARYD may find a way to continue to be part of this effort.