Universities Oppose Republican Tax Plan
BU IN DC
Graduate student Ning Mao of the College of Engineering competed in the Collegiate Inventors Competition sponsored by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 2 and 3.
Anthony Janetos of the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future and Daniel Segré of the College of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences attended the U.S. Department of Energy’s Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee meeting on November 2 and 3; they are members of the committee. Janetos also participated in the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Research and Education, of which he is a member, on October 30 and 31.
Cornelius Hurley of the School of Law met with officials at the U.S. Treasury Department to discuss fintech issues on October 24.
Andrew Wilson, David Felson, Matthew Jones, and Helia Morris of the School of Medicine attended a meeting of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program on October 26.
UNIVERSITIES OPPOSE REPUBLICAN TAX PLAN
Universities expressed deep concern with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) introduced by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, asserting that the bill would harm students and university employees alike. The bill proposes to eliminate tax-free tuition benefits for university employees, impose an excise tax on the investment income of university endowments, and prohibit private universities from utilizing tax-exempt bonds to finance campus infrastructure. The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to begin consideration of the measure next week, and leaders of the Senate Finance Committee will introduce their own version of a comprehensive tax bill in the weeks ahead.
BUZZ BITS…
- House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) announced Thursday he will retire at the end of 2018. Smith has been an antagonist to climate scientists and a critic of the National Science Foundation.
- President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Dr. Michael Griffin as principal deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics. If confirmed, he will oversee the Department of Defense’s research enterprise. Griffin previously served as NASA Administrator under President George W. Bush.
- The National Science Foundation announced that Dr. Anne Kinney will lead the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate beginning in 2018. Kinney is currently the chief scientist at the W.M. Keck Observatory.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
BU Research will host its next Research on Tap installment on November 9 with a focus on “The Many Facets of Cybersecurity Research,” hosted by Ran Canetti of the College of Arts & Sciences. BU faculty will give mini-presentations on their cybersecurity research, with topics ranging from engineering and algorithm design to personal privacy and economic incentives. The event is an excellent opportunity for investigators to network with potential collaborators across campus.