Four short months in office, Donald Trump has made a unique impact since becoming our nation’s president. Many young people may find themselves feeling uncertain or asking why they should involve themselves in this strange time. However, as students of a state university, there are recent executive orders that should be of concern:

The first executive order—or attempt at—was the proposal to defund Planned Parenthood. Although this has not gone through, students could be affected by its potential defunding.

“A lot of people rely on planned parenthood for things like STD checks or just daily health check-ups. It’s important to college students because a lot of people here are sexually active,” commented freshman, McKenzie Jurgens.

Dr. McDougal, a UW-L Political Science Professor, believes there are many more proposals that students should educate themselves on. “Defunding [Planned Parenthood] has been a goal of the conservative party for years and years,” McDougal explains this is not news.

It may have to do with the nature of the times or the fact that there are republicans in the house, but “the Trump administration has such grandiose hopes that lots of factions within the party have an opportunity to get their pet projects in.” McDougal points out that, “The real big problem is within the Republican party.” Whether Planned Parenthood is funded, along with other proposals, has more to do within the republicans than between republicans and democrats. “We just have to wait and see… all the old rules don’t count anymore, accept the Constitutional rules,” he stated.

Other proposals, including the travel ban and the national budget, could be of importance to students around the nation. McDougal had pointed out, in regards to the travel ban, that “If the travel bans are upheld it will have an impact on international students and scholars, also travel opportunities for students and faculty abroad.”

An international student here at UW-L, who prefers not to be named brought up a great concern regarding the travel ban. “It has a huge effect on international students,” going into detail on how it effects themself personally, the student stated that, “I find myself in a situation where I need to change my major because I might not be able to stay in the US…. Wondering about the future of this nation, I am sort of forced to find a career that I could practice anywhere in the world.” It was devastating for them to feel like there was limited option to follow any true aspirations for the future. Along with this, a feeling of being unwanted here at times is disheartening for people who call this country home. To this student, it seems as though the U.S. is “taking a hundred steps back.”

Lastly, the proposed budget is found to be concerning to Dr. McDougal due to Trump’s wants to cut funding towards scientific research, social sciences, The National Institute of Health, The Center for Disease Control, etc.

“These cuts would likely restrict the amount of federal money to this campus,” predicted McDougal. Presidents don’t get everything they want, so it is projected to be a strive on Mr. Trump’s side.

McDougal hopes that students on this campus will begin to involve themselves more in current politics because “Ignorance is not strength.” If students aren’t involved, their wants will not be considered. He suggests that students think about what is important to them and seek information. Because of the times, “an active citizenry will have an impact.”