Antisemitism, NSF AI Adviser, LinkedIn
BU IN DC
Kevin Gallagher of the Global Development Policy Center joined the Task Force on Climate, Development and the International Monetary Fund for strategy meetings and policy dialogue between January 29th and 31st.
Ibram X. Kendi of the Center for Antiracist Research delivered a book talk at the DC Public Library on January 24th.
David Carballo, Wendy Colby, Amie Grills, Laura Johnson, Sarah Hokanson, and Lynn O’Brien Hallstein of the Office of the Provost and Sarah Lipson of the School of Public Health spoke at the American Association of Colleges & Universities Annual Meeting on January 18th and 19th.
HOUSE COMMITTEE RAMPS UP WORK ON COLLEGE COSTS, ANTISEMITISM
The House Education and the Workforce Committee continued its focus on higher education in January, launching new investigations into campus antisemitism and advancing a bill that would restructure the federal student aid system.
- Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has requested that Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania share documents and answer questions regarding disciplinary proceedings, internal deliberations, and policies related to the schools’ approach to addressing antisemitism.
- On Wednesday, the committee passed the College Cost Reduction Act on a party-line vote following a contentious debate. The bill would cap the amount students can borrow based on the median cost of college, require colleges to repay a portion of their graduates’ unpaid student loan balances, and repeal several consumer protections enacted by the Biden Administration. Committee Democrats said the bill would reduce access to higher education; the Senate has no plans to consider the bill.
BUZZ BITS…
- Last month, Congress further delayed consideration of the annual spending bills that determine the federal budget. The body gave itself new March deadlines to complete the spending bills, five months past the statutory deadline. Absent final bills, federal science agencies must continue to delay new programs and reduce grant awards.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that Tess deBlanc-Knowles is special assistant to the NSF director for artificial intelligence (AI), effective December 12th. She is facilitating NSF’s AI initiatives and its participation in the Biden Administration’s executive order on AI. deBlanc-Knowles previously served in senior roles with the White House National AI Initiative office and the National Security Commission on AI.
- In December, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group on re-envisioning NIH-supported postdoctoral training recommended that the salary minimum for NIH-supported post-docs increase to $70,000, a $14,000 increase that the group noted would likely result in fewer post-docs. The group also recommended improved benefits and a five-year limit on support to encourage faster transition to the next career stage. NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli will decide how the agency will respond to the recommendations.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Strategic Communications series cohosted by BU Public Relations | Social Media and the Office of Research continues on February 15th at 3 p.m. with “Rock Your Profile: Strategies to Enhance Your LinkedIn Presence and Maximize Research Impact.” The 60-minute online workshop will equip researchers with tools and insights to navigate LinkedIn professionally, with a focus on research excellence and impactful thought-leadership. LinkedIn’s Client Solutions team will share practical tips to enhance key profile elements and highlight academic achievements, publications, and other research initiatives.