A regular digest for UW faculty with updates on federal and national issues of relevance to their teaching, research and service; actions the University is taking; and ways for faculty to be involved.
NOTE: Beginning this week, Federal Policy Updates will send every other Wednesday. Check your in box March 11 for the next scheduled update. The provost will send additional messages with urgent news as needed.
Federal Landscape
U.S. Senate committee to vote Thursday on key bills
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will vote on several significant bills regarding access to quality education and health care. UW Federal Relations has details.
More on the federal landscape
Check UW Federal Relations for news and updates on federal issues. The Office of Research continues to post federal administration updates, as well as guidance and possible impacts to researchers and research award administrators who are directly affected by federal policies and processes. UW Finance, Planning and Budgeting, as well as the UW Federal Relations team, are keeping leadership apprised of developments.
Leadership
Learn how the UW budget works
A new fact sheet from UW Finance, Planning and Budgeting outlines how the University’s budget supports its teaching, research, public service, and clinical care missions, detailing the UW’s funding sources, how those funds may be used, and the processes that ensure transparency and accountability. Finance, Planning and Budgeting also has posted a brief summarizing the House and Senate proposed 2026 supplemental operating and capital budgets, which were released earlier this week.
Provost’s Academy accepting applications until March 9
To provide a pathway for integrating those perspectives into institution-wide projects, the Provost’s Academy is an immersive program designed to recognize and engage emerging faculty leaders throughout the University. Applications are open to full-time faculty members – all tracks and all three campuses – who have been appointed at the UW for at least three years and is beyond the first promotion review.
Key links
- Office of the Provost’s Federal Policy Updates
- UW Medicine’s Federal Policy Updates (UW NetID required)
- Office of Research’s Federal Policy Guidance
- UW Research Makes America
Tell us what you think
Resources for Researchers & Instructors
Survey on UW researcher perceptions of public engagement, deadline extended to March 4
UW researchers are invited to fill out a 10-minute surveyaimed at understanding UW researchers’ attitudes and experiences related to public engagement about research. Findings will inform the Office of Research’s efforts to support public engagement training and initiatives as well as contribute to academic research on science communication and public engagement. A UW NetID is required, but no personally identifying information will be collected. The survey will be open until March 4. Questions? Contact Annie Zhang, annielz@uw.edu.
REMINDER: Open private funding opportunities for faculty, researchers
Faculty and researchers may search current open funding opportunities from private sources for their research and programs through a dashboard developed by the UW Corporate & Foundation Relations team.
Community
New Big Ten ad highlights student success, economic impact
Following the success of the first ad in the Big Ten Academic Alliance’s “We Are Here” series – which received more than 250 million impressions nationwide over the course of the football season – the second ad in the series has been released. This one features the students and alumni of Big Ten universities and the leading role our institutions play in educating students and driving economic prosperity. Like the first ad, the development of this spot was led by staff from University Marketing & Communications here at the UW.