Researchers and university administrators are warning of disruption after the NIH pushed for immediate open access to federally funded articles, a policy critics say is straining labs and increasing costs as publishers adjust business models. Scientists and university research offices say the policy could compound existing financial stress at a time when grant overhead reimbursements and federal research support face new limits. At the same time, sector observers point to a broader funding squeeze: declining state support, shifts in federal research overhead reimbursement, and uncertainty over international student revenue. Campus research leaders say these combined pressures risk slowing scientific productivity and prompting institutions to reconsider investment in long‑range projects. Key actors include NIH officials, university research offices, corporate publishers, and federal budget negotiators. Administrators say they will need new strategies to sustain research pipelines if policy and fiscal headwinds persist.