WASHINGTON (7News) — The National Science Foundation (NSF) marked its 75th anniversary on Saturday after a significant announcement affecting its workforce. According to an internal memo obtained by 7News, the NSF is reducing its temporary workforce from 368 employees to approximately 70, demanding all full-time employees return to in-person work, and eliminating the Division of Equity for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

The memo indicated that some NSF positions will be reassigned within 30 days. The agency, which supports research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering, will spend the next month determining which 70 positions are deemed essential.

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) leaders shared their response with NSF employees. They accuse the Chief Management Officer, Micah Cheatham, of a “duplicitous cruelty and callous disregard” for NSF employees and accuse him of violating federal law.

The statement read in part:

The Administration, and CMO Cheatham, have no legal authority to arbitrarily cancel programs that Congress authorized and funded.CMO Cheatham already has a record of illegal action at the behest of the Administration. In February, the court ruled that the firing of probationary employees, done under CMO Cheatham’s leadership, was illegal.Beyond his willingness to break the law, CMO Cheatham’s duplicitous cruelty and callous disregard for the people whose livelihoods are being jeopardized reveal a fundamental unfitness for any role overseeing the lives and work of others.

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) signed a letter on behalf of more than 100 representatives to the President expressing their concern about the funding freeze:

Members of the House Science Committee, Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Representative Brian Babin (R-TX), said NSF’s core mission is free from political agendas on Friday ahead of the agency’s 75th anniversary, saying:

While political debates have often focused on NSF’s support for social sciences and the geographic distribution of funding, we must refocus on its core mission: advancing discovery and education free from political agendas.

7News has contacted members of Congress and NSF for comment and is awaiting a response.