A regular digest for UW faculty with updates on federal, national and local issues of relevance to their teaching, research and service; actions the University is taking; and ways for faculty to be involved.
Federal Landscape
Congressional compromise restarts America’s Seed Fund
The U.S. Congress has reached a compromise after a five-month lapse in operations for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Known as “America’s Seed Fund,” these programs provide federal funding to for-profit start-ups and small businesses. The compromise legislation addresses concerns about companies receiving multiple awards, and issues related to foreign ownership or influence and cybersecurity risks. It also creates a strategic breakthrough award program allowing up to $30 million per company over 48 months.
UW asks Department of Education to expand definition of professional degrees
The UW has responded to proposed regulations that would allow students in professional graduate programs to borrow more in federal loans than students in other graduate programs. The UW requested that the U.S. Department of Education expand its definition of “professional programs” and “professional degrees” beyond those proposed in the Jan. 30 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Federal legislation passed last summer listed professional degrees as: Medicine (M.D.), Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S., D.M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Law (J.D., L.L.B.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatry (D.P.M., Pod.D.), Chiropractic (D.C.), and Theology (M.Div., M.H.L.). After the bill passed, Clinical Psychology (Psy.D., Ph.D.) was added to that list through the negotiated rules process, which is standard after the passage of any legislation. The UW offers five of the degrees considered professional: M.D., Pharm.D., D.D.S., J.D. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Students in programs deemed “professional” may borrow no more than $50,000 a year, for a lifetime maximum of $200,000 for graduate school and a lifetime limit of $257,500 in federal loans. Graduate students in other programs not considered “professional” may borrow no more than $20,500 a year, up to a lifetime maximum of $100,000 for graduate school. Currently, graduate and professional students are permitted to borrow up to $138,500 in subsidized and non-subsidized federal loans over a lifetime, which includes loans they received for undergraduate study.
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.
State Landscape
Briefs outline state supplemental budget proposals
UW Finance, Planning and Budgeting has posted briefs on the House and Senate Democratic leadership proposals for the 2026 state supplemental budget. A compromise budget is expected when the state legislative session ends this week, after which time another brief will outline legislative outcomes.
Enrollment Management
Newly UW admitted students receive financial aid offers
Admission decisions were released to undergraduate applicants to the Seattle campus last week, while UW Bothell and UW Tacoma releasetheir admission decisions on an ongoing basis. Financial aid offers were made to newly admitted students across all three campuses on March 6, nearly three weeks earlier than in past years. Aid applications from incoming undergraduates are up nearly 38% compared with this time last year, including an almost 24% increase among Washington resident first-year students. Graduate and professional aid applications are also upabout 11%, and aid applications from continuing undergraduate students are up nearly 3%. Students admitted to multiple UW campuses can now see their financial aid offers for each campus at the same time in MyUW, giving families clearer information as they consider options across the University.
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
Check Google content for accessibility using an online tool
Faculty, staff and students now have access to tools that check the accessibility of their Google documents, slides and sheets. Grackle, a suite of accessibility checker add-ons, helps find and fix accessibility issues, making it easier to create digital content that is usable by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. Accessibility at the UW offers extensive resources and information on making course content accessible.
Register now for March 26 info session on working with industry partners
Attend the online information session “Working with Industry” 10-11:30 a.m., March 26, to learn about the support and resources available to help UW researchers and staff engage with industry partners. Sponsored by the UW Office of Research, CoMotion, and Corporate & Foundation Relations, the session is open to faculty and staff. Learn more and register by March 24.
In case you missed it: AI@UW launch, video posted
More than 200 faculty and staff gathered Feb. 17 for the launch of AI@UW, which included workshops, discussions and a keynote that examined the role of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. Learn more and watch a video of the day’s events.
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.