Queens University of Charlotte is entering a year of major transition as federal funding cuts, enrollment struggles and the looming merger with Elon University converge to reshape the future of the century-old institution.
While the university maintains that its core mission will remain intact, administrators and faculty acknowledge that the financial pressures facing private colleges, particularly those tied to federal support, are now being felt close to home.
One of the sharpest impacts comes from a significant loss of anticipated federal and state funding tied to the university’s Center for Digital Equity (CDE). The program, nationally recognized for its work in expanding internet access, distributing devices and training digital navigators across Charlotte, expected roughly $7 million to support its programming. Those funds now remain uncertain, leaving the organization to navigate a path forward with fewer resources and rising community needs.
The CDE operates as a partnership between Queens, Mecklenburg County and local nonprofits, aiming to close digital gaps that disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods. Without federal dollars, expanding those services, or even maintaining them at current levels, becomes a challenge.
“The loss of that money has held us back from being able to provide resources to residents in Charlotte,” says CDE executive director Bruce Clark. “That money would have helped residents gain access to technology in order to access telehealth, contact government officials, or gain access to jobs.”
The funding disruption comes at a moment when Charlotte’s population continues to grow, and the demand for digital-access support is climbing.
Many residents depend on CDE for help securing devices, accessing low-cost internet programs, and receiving one-on-one digital training. Community partners say Queens’ work plays a vital role in bridging racial and economic divides across Mecklenburg County.
Federal Student Aid Changes
Beyond the digital equity setback, Queens University is also managing its own internal financial strain.
In the past year, the school announced that it had missed its enrollment target, resulting in budget shortfalls that required spending reductions, staff restructuring, and broader cost-cutting measures.
Although Queens is a private institution, federal student aid funds, including Pell Grants, federal loans, and FAFSA-dependent awards, make up a significant share of the aid packages students rely on to attend. Delays and complications in federal aid processing have made it harder for private institutions nationwide to project tuition revenue and match incoming classes with available resources.
At Queens, those patterns are beginning to show. Administrators have not indicated immediate threats to academic programs or faculty positions, but they have acknowledged the need to operate “more efficiently” and “reallocate resources strategically” as the institution balances short- and long-term pressures.
Students say they are feeling the effects in more subtle ways: fewer campus events, slower staffing in some offices, and a sense of uncertainty about how the upcoming merger with Elon University will reshape their experience.
“I think a lot of us are just waiting to see what this means for our degree and our day-to-day life,” said one Queens student, who asked not to be identified. “We hear about cuts and funding changes, but no one knows what it will look like for us.”
The merger with Elon University, announced to take effect in phases over the next few years, adds another layer to the story. Queens’ leadership said the decision was driven in part by financial realities facing small private colleges across the country. Many institutions are responding to declining enrollment, rising operational costs and shrinking external funding by seeking strategic partnerships, consolidating programs or merging with better-resourced peers.
The Queens-Elon partnership will place Elon in operational control of Queens, though Queens will continue to operate under its name and maintain its Charlotte campus. University leaders describe the move as a stabilization strategy that will expand academic offerings, strengthen financial foundations and ensure long-term sustainability.
But behind that optimism lies the broader context: colleges are navigating an era where federal funding, especially for research support, community programs, diversity and equity grants, and student financial aid, faces increased uncertainty. For some institutions, especially those without large endowments, unexpected federal cuts can have immediate and visible consequences.
“Our work being housed at Queens is at the center of providing digital equity to the community, and highlights the role that institutions of higher ed play in solving bigger community challenges,” Clark says.
In Charlotte specifically, the landscape is shifting. UNC Charlotte recently lost more than a dozen research grants after federal cutbacks, and Johnson C. Smith University has publicly said it is preparing for reduced federal support that could affect student access and programming.
The financial pressures are affecting private and public institutions alike, especially in regions where universities play key roles in research, community partnerships and workforce development.
Queens University’s challenges fit into that pattern. While the school has long been known for its community engagement and personalized academic experience, sustaining those strengths may require greater reliance on private donors, philanthropic partners and strategic collaborations, all while adjusting to a new institutional identity under Elon.
Still, campus leaders say they remain committed to the university’s mission and to Charlotte’s evolving needs, especially around digital inclusion, community engagement and preparing students for a changing economy.
“I like the quote, ‘never let a good crisis go to waste’ by Winston Churchill. Although the cuts have helped us back in some ways, they have allowed us to restructure and rethink some of the ways that we provide to the community. This allows us to come up with new and better ways to provide for residents and continue the work that we have always done,” Clark says.
For now, the university is navigating a delicate balance: addressing immediate financial pressures, supporting community programs at risk from federal cuts, earning student trust during a merger, and preparing for a future where colleges must adapt quickly to survive.
The coming year will reveal how effectively Queens can manage those competing demands, and how deeply the loss of federal funding will shape its next chapter.
Queens University News Service stories are prepared by students in the James L. Knight School of Communication with supervision and editing from faculty and staff. The James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte provides the news service in support of local community news.
Shifting Ground is a reporting project from the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative. The series explores how federal policy and funding changes are impacting Charlotte residents, neighborhoods, and organizations — and how communities are responding.
Follow more stories at charlottejournalism.org/shiftingground and join the conversation at upcoming community events.
