This message is being sent to all staff, faculty and academic personnel across the University of Washington, with the exception of UW Medicine clinical locations.
Dear colleagues,
As we approach the end of the academic year, we continue to monitor developments at the federal level related to research funding and other policies affecting the University. I am writing to update you on the current federal landscape and actions UW leaders are taking to plan for contingences and make financial decisions during a continuously evolving situation.
Over the past few months, the UW, along with other universities and federal funding recipients, has experienced delays in award notices, non-competitive renewals and the issuance of funds. Across the federal enterprise, many UW grantees are having grants and contracts canceled, paused or terminated. Additionally, several federal agencies have proposed implementing facilities and administrative cost reimbursement caps of 15%, though many of these actions have been temporarily blocked by federal judges.
The UW has dedicated significant time and resources toward understanding these issues and their impacts, and we will continue to do so. Over the past few months, we have taken a range of actions in response to these federal policy changes, including collaborations with Washington’s Office of the Attorney General and national organizations. As the federal government continues to increase directives and requests to universities, we are actively and continuously working to provide information about grants awarded to the UW and how we can best steward those funds. We are working closely with peer institutions, including on a simpler format for research reimbursement that we hope can serve as a model for the federal administration and Congress. I am grateful to all who have contributed to these significant and labor-intensive efforts.
The ongoing uncertainty will undoubtedly continue through the summer months. I urge you to stay connected and informed. This request is particularly crucial for those on nine-month appointments who receive federal funding and may need to address time-sensitive questions about grant expenditures or may be impacted by actions that affect federal funding. For example, we are expecting clarity on the action to reduce the National Science Foundation’s indirect cost recovery cap to 15% after a hearing on June 13 and will communicate additional guidance to investigators once that information is available.
We will continue to advocate for and work to protect the long-standing, productive and impactful research partnership between the UW and the federal government. At the same time, we must acknowledge the real impact these actions have already had on our University. We have and will continue to develop plans to manage announced agency actions.
In keeping with the innovative culture that defines our University, we cannot simply react to external changes. The time has come for us to be proactive in promoting resilience in our research enterprise as we navigate these changes, and we must do this work together to be successful. I have instructed the Deans and Chancellors to ensure that they have mechanisms in place for faculty consultation over the summer as this planning continues. I thank you in advance for your engagement in this important work on such an immediate timescale.
Finally, I am particularly mindful of the impact the uncertainty in federal research funding may have on UW faculty working toward promotion and/or tenure in a mandatory timeframe, as outlined in the Faculty Code. For this reason, I have authorized an automatic extension of the promotion and/or tenure clock for one year for eligible meritorious faculty. The Office of Academic Personnel & Faculty is developing a process to implement this extension and will soon share the details with Deans and Chancellors. Faculty will retain the opportunity to undergo a promotion or tenure review in any year leading up to and including the mandatory review year.
Even amidst these challenges, it is important for us all to take some time during the summer to rest and reset. And before we reach the summer, we will have many opportunities to find moments of joy, including celebrating thousands of our students who will earn their degrees in the coming days. They are a source of inspiration and pride for us all, and an undeniable representation of the immense impact that our University has on people’s lives and in the life of our state, nation and world. Thank you for all the ways you have supported them on their journeys to this milestone.