A protester holds a sign outside of the University Memorial Center on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Ainsley Coogan/ CU Independent)
On Friday, students and community members at the University of Colorado Boulder gathered outside the University Memorial Center at noon to protest in support of scientific programs. The protest was one of many held across the country on Friday as part of a “Stand Up for Science 2025” walkout.
Student organizers led the protest to Broadway street, where they stood on the side of the road and in the median with handmade signs.
Organizers led the crowd in chanting “Elon Musk has got to go,” “don’t defund the EPA” and “Science is a human right, not just for the rich and white.”
Protesters gather outside of the University Memorial Center on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Ainsley Coogan/CU Independent)
The chants pertain to newly issued guidance for the Environmental Protection Agency spending.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin “is committed to eliminating 65% of the EPA’s wasteful spending,” according to White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
The EPA must seek approval to pursue spending items larger than $50,000. The Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, will manage the requests.
Protestors line up on Broadway street on March 7, 2025. (Ainsley Coogan/CU Independent)
Ella Madden, a 19-year-old history major at CU Boulder, attended the protest. She said science is important when addressing larger societal issues.
“STEM is not my thing at all,” she said. “But I recognize that science is really important in terms of climate change and global health.”
Some science, technology, engineering and math programs have seen federal funding cuts due to recent executive orders. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders banning “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” programs and research funded by the federal government. Across the country, federal funds for scientific research has decreased.
Boulder is one of the many cities that participated in the “Stand Up for Science 2025” protests. The main rally was hosted at the U.S. Capitol.
“On March 7, 2025, we rally to defend science as a public good and pillar of social, political and economic progress,” the Stand Up for Science 2025 website said.
The organization outlines three major policy goals. The protests serve as a call to leaders to end political censorship of science and secure scientific funding. Additionally, the protests aim to defend DEI programs to ensure equitable access to science and education.
Protesters also passed along a QR code that brings users to the Advancing Earth and Space Sciences website, which provides a template to contact legislators to support federal funding for science.
Rachel Peters, 25, is a first-year graduate student in education at CU Boulder with a background in biology and environmental studies. She expressed concerns about changes to the Department of Education.
“Colorado would probably be fine, but I’m from Oklahoma, and they would not do well,” she said. “The schools there are already pretty bad, so I just don’t want to see students fall through the cracks.”
She highlighted the goal of the protest, which to her, is getting the attention of those in power.
“Hopefully we can empower people in power to take a stand and not just cave to whatever Trump wants to do,” she said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Avery Clifton at Avery.clifton@colorado.edu
