WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — We’re following up on the potential effects DOGE cuts could have on higher education in our area.
Just this week, Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced millions of dollars in cuts as federal funding shrinks.
WPTV’s Michael Hoffman went searching for answers as the university works to build a graduate campus in West Palm Beach.
Hoffman spoke with a representative from Vanderbilt University. He says the cuts made by Vanderbilt University Medical Center do not affect the project in West Palm Beach as the two are separate entities.
Vanderbilt University continues its plans to build a graduate campus in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach.
The school will bring in a business, artificial intelligence, data science and innovation graduate campus between Fern and Datura streets.
Vanderbilt says about 1,000 students are expected to attend the school. The university expects the total economic impact to be $7 billion over 25 years.
But when it comes to economic impacts by DOGE, it’s unclear if the project could feel the effects of potential cuts.
West Palm Beach
How will proposed university impact West Palm Beach financially?
I went to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and asked CEO Kelly Smallridge if the project could see roadblocks by way of federal or state DOGE cuts.
“The Business Development Board is not concerned about the DOGE cuts and any relationship to the Vanderbilt University project,” said Smallridge.
A representative with the university tells WPTV, in a statement:
Vanderbilt University is making steady progress in securing philanthropic support for a graduate campus in West Palm Beach and is actively engaged in ongoing discussions with supporters in the Palm Beach community. Fundraising is off to a strong start, and we are optimistic about our progress, having already secured $77 million toward the initial fundraising target of $300 million set by the Vanderbilt Board of Trust. The community has welcomed us from the outset, and we continue to receive enthusiastic support from alumni in the area, city and county officials, and business leaders who recognize the transformative potential of a Vanderbilt presence for the future of the region.
The funds are coming via donations, like the $50 million from Stephen Ross of Related Ross.
Both state and federal DOGE offices look to cut government spending deemed “unnecessary," Smallridge said, which is why the project won’t feel those effects.
“This particular university was really never slated to get any state or federal funding, the model originally did not depend on that,” said Smallridge. “All along, we have known that the model is dependent largely on philanthropic dollars that would be generated from this particular region, so we don't see any reason to be concerned about DOGE cuts.”
But Smallridge says the project isn’t immune from all setbacks.
“We are more concerned about any tariffs that would impact the cost of construction,” said Smallridge. “While many of the local projects have already bought their jobs, if construction slows down at all and impacts development from an economic development standpoint, we can only market the inventory that is available."
A representative with the university tells Hoffman, that it "aims to gain the necessary approvals to start offering coursework as early as 2026."
