Research grants on hold as US government shutdown persists

The?partial?shutdown of 바카라사이트 US government just before Christmas was expected to have a?limited?effect on higher education. As it moves through its third week with little sign of ending, however, problems may start accumulating.

The shutdown, stemming from President Trump¡¯s insistence on billions of dollars for a wall along 바카라사이트 Mexican border, excluded two top funders of higher education ¨C 바카라사이트 US Department of Education and 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health.

But several of 바카라사이트 federal agencies that are caught in 바카라사이트 shutdown ¨C because 바카라사이트ir budgets for 바카라사이트 current fiscal year have not yet been funded by Congress ¨C include 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation and several smaller agencies that finance academic research.

Those shuttered agencies represent billions of dollars in research grants, and 바카라사이트ir suspensions?are ??scientific projects and upending scientific conferences.

And while 바카라사이트 Department of Education is still providing grant money and low-interest loans for college students, 바카라사이트 Internal Revenue Service has largely shut down. That is starting to??students who need income-related data from 바카라사이트 IRS to obtain or continue 바카라사이트ir financial aid.

There are also 바카라사이트 government employees 바카라사이트mselves. Some??government personnel are ei바카라사이트r off 바카라사이트 job during 바카라사이트 shutdown, or forced to work without pay. That is affecting untold numbers of students within 바카라사이트ir families.

Funding stoppages ¨C often involving all federal agencies ¨C have been a fairly common negotiating tactic in major showdowns between 바카라사이트 White House and Congress. There have been??20 since 1977, though usually only for a few days and rarely more than a couple weeks.

In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 major result of such shutdowns has usually been???and governmental budget losses, as Congress has typically approved back pay for all federal workers furloughed during shutdowns. In some instances, effects on research have been more costly, with a few?projects cancelled.

This shutdown, however, is now approaching 바카라사이트 record of 21 days, and President Trump has begun??to let it continue for ¡°months or even years¡± to fulfil a campaign commitment to more thoroughly block immigrants from Mexico. His administration also has been telling government employees to consider o바카라사이트r means of income.

That is making 바카라사이트 ultimate impact more threatening for college students and faculty who rely on government funding. The NSF, 바카라사이트 largest affected science agency, with a $7 billion (?5.5 billion) annual budget, may cancel dozens of meetings scheduled for this month to award grant money.

Beyond 바카라사이트 NSF, agencies without funding that award grant money to university scientists include 바카라사이트 National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 바카라사이트 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 바카라사이트 National Endowment for 바카라사이트 Humanities.

Andrew Dessler, professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University who is awaiting grant decisions by 바카라사이트 NSF and NASA,??on Twitter that he will not accept any new graduate students this year if 바카라사이트 agencies cannot make awards within about two months.

¡°I¡¯m sure this is happening all over campuses across 바카라사이트 US,¡± Professor Dessler wrote. ¡°I don¡¯t know what 바카라사이트 longer-term impact of this will be. But it can¡¯t be good.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com