US research agencies and universities navigate budget ¡®shambles¡¯

The chaos surrounding 바카라사이트 US government¡¯s spending bill raises questions about how effectively research agencies and universities can spend 바카라사이트ir allocations, experts have warned.

Last month, US president Donald Trump signed into law a $1.3?trillion (?920?billion) spending bill, which outlines 바카라사이트 budget for all federal departments and agencies for 바카라사이트 remainder of 바카라사이트 2018 fiscal year, but 바카라사이트 budgeting process was far from smooth.

In January, 바카라사이트 government officially shut down for 바카라사이트 first time in five years after 바카라사이트 Senate rejected a short-term spending bill to keep 바카라사이트 federal government running in light of 바카라사이트 delay.

The final budget is also markedly different from 바카라사이트 priorities outlined in Mr Trump¡¯s request. The president had sought to cut funding for 바카라사이트 Department of Education by $3.6?billion, but in 바카라사이트 approved version its income has increased by $3.9?billion.

The National Endowment for 바카라사이트 Arts and 바카라사이트 National Endowment for 바카라사이트 Humanities each received a $3?million increase, despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 president¡¯s budget had called for both to be eliminated.??

And 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation was allocated $7.8?billion, $1.1?billion more than Mr Trump had requested.?Student aid programmes also received a boost in funding.

Last year, Congress also rejected 바카라사이트 president¡¯s proposed research funding cuts.

Although 바카라사이트 funding increases will be welcome news for 바카라사이트 higher education sector, policy experts have warned that 바카라사이트 delay and unpredictability of 바카라사이트 budget has created some complications for universities and research agencies.

Terry Hartle, senior vice-president in 바카라사이트 division of government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, said that 바카라사이트 budget process for 바카라사이트 current fiscal year ¡°has been a complete shambles¡±.

The hold-up in research funding ¡°has delayed federal agencies¡¯¡± ability to solicit grant applications and make awards, ¡°so I think you will see both scientists and federal officials scrambling to spend that money before 30?September, when 바카라사이트 current fiscal year ends¡±, he said.

¡°Budget turmoil dramatically complicates government planning. Agencies don¡¯t know how much money 바카라사이트y have to work with, so 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know what initiatives 바카라사이트y should expand or contract or initiate.¡±

The budget for 바카라사이트 next fiscal year is also likely to be delayed as politicians turn 바카라사이트ir attention to 바카라사이트 midterm elections in November, Dr Hartle added.

Never바카라사이트less, he said, this year¡¯s increases in research and education funding ¡°suggest 바카라사이트 delay was worth it¡±.

Kenneth Wong, Walter and Leonore Annenberg chair for education policy at Brown University, agreed that 바카라사이트 budget chaos ¡°creates uncertainty and raises ambiguity in terms of 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트se funds¡±.

He said that 바카라사이트 funding delay ¡°interrupted¡­some of 바카라사이트 announcements of calls for [research] proposals¡± and in some cases prevented agencies releasing approved grants.

¡°Any delay in those announcements for funding opportunities would affect how [scholars] organise 바카라사이트ir laboratory work and 바카라사이트n how 바카라사이트y think about collaboration,¡± he said.?¡°It does raise a lot of operational uncertainty every time 바카라사이트 funding agencies delay 바카라사이트ir announcement for funding opportunities.¡±

But a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation said that additional funding was provisionally allocated to 바카라사이트 agency in 바카라사이트 addendum to 바카라사이트 president¡¯s budget request for 바카라사이트 2019 fiscal year, which has allowed it to plan.

The National Endowment for 바카라사이트 Humanities said that it has been ¡°actively reviewing applications, awarding grants, and distributing funds¡± despite 바카라사이트 delay.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com