The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced plans to close multiple area-studies centers in 2026 as part of a campuswide budget-reduction effort intended to save millions and streamline operations. University officials framed the moves as fiduciary steps to strengthen core functions; faculty within the centers warned the closures will erode research capacity and global engagement. At the same time, the University of Arkansas moved to dismiss a tenured professor, Shirin Saeidi, amid scrutiny from state lawmakers over Middle East studies and public statements. The case highlights mounting political pressure on area studies and faculty speech, and underscores how state-level politics are reshaping campus governance. Together the developments illustrate a national pattern: financial strain and partisan scrutiny are prompting institutions to re-evaluate centers, academic units and faculty appointments — with potential long-term effects on scholarly capacity and curricular breadth.