AMNA NAWAZ: The Trump administration's# battles over higher education have mostly## focused on elite and some public# universities.

But the president's## policies are also creating challenges for# some community colleges.

And they could## undermine those schools' plans to create# more economic opportunities and jobs.

Paul Solman has a report for# our series Rethinking College.

PAUL SOLMAN: We have been following this story# for years.

Where will more skilled workers in## the trades come from, the plumbers, electricians,# construction workers?

More than ever, it seems,## from community colleges, like# North Carolina's Durham Tech.

So the students built this?

J.B.

BUXTON, President, Durham Technical# Community College: Yes.

Our instructors## probably built a frame and then our .. PAUL SOLMAN: College President J.B.# Buxton says, like all community colleges,## his goes all out to get anyone# and everyone through the door.

J.B.

BUXTON: What we're working# to do is expand the population## of people who are coming in# to the construction trades.

PAUL SOLMAN: And the class is here, a full# teaching economic essentials for the region.

GEOFF DURHAM, President, Greater Durham# Chamber of Commerce: When you start## talking about what growing a successful.. exists between work force development and job# recruitment and expansion is a critical one.

PAUL SOLMAN: Chamber of Commerce President# Geoff Durham, no relation to the 19th century## physician for whom the city was named, says the# companies here are desperate for skilled workers.

GEOFF DURHAM: Question one from any company# looking to expand or relocate or start up here is,## where is the talent coming from?

What# does that pipeline look like?

Durham## Tech is a key entity to help prepare our# broader community for those opportunities.

PAUL SOLMAN: By training construction# workers, for example.

Now, happily,## this jibes with the administration's# populist agenda.

Here's the problem,## though.

The push against the Harvards# and Columbias is to target DEI programs,## defunding diversity, equity and inclusion# to punish the hoity-toity elitists.

But that directly threatens the blue-collar# community colleges and their mission of## expanding the work force.

For instance, Durham# Tech needed permission from the National Science## Foundation to extend unspent funds for a# program to get more women into the trades.

J.B.

BUXTON: What we got back was,# that's fine, submit the paperwork,## just don't put women or diversity in the# request to extend the funds.

The program## is for women, expanding the pool of# potential workers and the talent.

PAUL SOLMAN: They had to comply.

And# one of the school's nonprofit partners## focused on getting more women and nonbinary# individuals into the trades had its federal## funding completely killed, despite# the fact that, says President Buxton: J.B.

BUXTON: Women make up about 4# percent of the construction trades## and about that of the skilled trades.# So you have got half of the population## not really participating in# this sector of the economy.

PAUL SOLMAN: The trigger phrase I heard was# women and nonbinary or gender-expansive.

J.B.

BUXTON: It could be.

I mean, I don't want# to speak for the administration on that.

It's## still the same issue.

You're trying to# expand the pool of eligible workers.

If## we have a not-for-profit organization# that is trying to figure out how to## get more people into the skilled# trades, we want to work with them.

If the Baptist men came to me, who do great# disaster recovery and construction work,## and said, we need you to train# men in the skilled trades so## we can be better responsive in# disaster, we'd work with them.

PAUL SOLMAN: The administration didn't respond to# a request for comment.

However, the Department of## Education has previously said that it's -- quote# -- "taken action to eliminate harmful diversity,## equity and inclusion initiatives, reorienting# the agency toward prioritizing meaningful## learning ahead of divisive ideology in our# schools," to which Gretchen Bellamy responds: GRETCHEN BELLAMY, Student, Durham# Technical Community College: I am## eternally grateful for this program.

PAUL SOLMAN: Bellamy was a# lawyer before she became one## of the women who walked through the doors# at Durham Tech and transformed her career.

GRETCHEN BELLAMY: Not only have I learned# how to fix things and think creatively and## be a risk-taker -- lawyers aren't risk takers.

Me# actually cutting a hole into my own bathroom wall,## it was a little nerve-racking.

So it# gave me, like, the audacity to try.

PAUL SOLMAN: Try and complete.

GRETCHEN BELLAMY: I renovated my# whole bathroom, my son's bathroom,## put it in a new floor, removed the vanity,# removed the toilet.

That's just in my own house.

PAUL SOLMAN: Bellamy is one of 10.5 million# community college students in the U.S.,## some 40 percent of all higher ed students.

Of# Durham Tech's 18,000 students, the majority## are nonwhite and working class.

And the problem# isn't just funding cuts for targeted programs.

For the community college student body, it's cuts# in general, like for food stamps and Medicaid.

J.B.

BUXTON: Three-quarters of our# students are working.

Health care,## food assistance may be the things that# prevent them from enrolling or from staying.

JAKE DEUTERMAN, Coordinator, Campus Harvest Food# Pantry: Works just like a normal grocery store.

PAUL SOLMAN: Jake Deuterman runs# the food pantry at Durham Tech,## which serves 700 unique students every# month.

The number is shooting up.

JAKE DEUTERMAN: In recent months,## we have been seeing at least a few hundred# more people .. PAUL SOLMAN: Is that because of cuts# in benefits like SNAP, do you think?

JAKE DEUTERMAN: Yes, I believe so.

PAUL SOLMAN: Students like Eddith Ogola, who's# working on her third associate's degree.

.. from Kenya, she and her husband have two# boys, one a 7-year-old with special needs.

EDDITH OGOLA, Student, Durham Technical# Community College: Being a student,## a mother, and I don't have a full-time# job.

I can only work here like five hours,## the reason being I have an autistic# child.

Working for five hours,## that money's not enough for me to pay# my bills and also go grocery shopping.

PAUL SOLMAN: Does she use the pantry?

EDDITH OGOLA: Every time we get food in here,## I have to carry something home that I# think I need -- not I think I need, I need.

PAUL SOLMAN: Need, she says,# in order to attend school.

EDDITH OGOLA: You can't tell me# I will come here in the morning## without breakfast and I don't have# lunch and I don't know where my## next meal is coming from and you think I# can function in class.

I don't think so.

KATESHIA BURNS, Student, Durham Technical# Community College: Pantry has saved me## of plenty of days, especially in between# tests and finals and such from starvi.. PAUL SOLMAN: Same for Kateshia Burns.

KATESHIA BURNS: And, of course,# you feed y.. but then they want to eat your# breakfast just because you're mom.

PAUL SOLMAN: Burns intends to become a midwife.

KATESHIA BURNS: You need schooling to further# any in career that you're serious about.

PAUL SOLMAN: The administration said of# its cuts to food assistance that SNAP## had -- quote -- "become so bloated that# it's leaving fewer resources for those## who truly need help.

We are committed# to preserving SNAP for the truly needy"## and of cutting Medicaid that it --# quote -- "removes illegal aliens,## enforces work requirements and protects# Medicaid for the truly vulnerable."

But the effect, says Durham Tech President# Buxton, fewer students for trade jobs, which,## with immigrants leaving the country, are ever# more in demand from consumers and employers alike.

J.B.

BUXTON: We're trying to# be demand-responsive to them.## We need a level of certainty about how# we can plan to be demand-responsive and## what the nature of that labor market looks# like and the resources we're going to use.

We don't just dream up some courses we# can offer and see who comes and teach## them.

We're purpose-built to serve this# part of the economy in Durham and Orange## County's in the Greater Triangle region.# So the less certainty we have about what## the nature of our labor market looks like# the, less effective we are in providing## that support and the less effective pathway we# are for people trying to improve their lives.

PAUL SOLMAN: Support now being withdrawn from# community colleges and their would-be students.

For the "PBS News Hour," Paul Solman.