Executive Orders; Personnel; Foreign Influences
BU IN DC
President Emeritus Robert A. Brown spoke at the “Equitable and Effective Teaching in Undergraduate STEM Education: A UERU Call to Action Convening” on January 24th.
WHITE HOUSE WITHDRAWS FUNDING FREEZE MEMO, ISSUES CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM ORDER
On Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump withdrew Memorandum 25-13, which directed federal agencies to freeze federal spending temporarily. A federal judge halted implementation of the memorandum before it went into effect, following a lawsuit from 23 state attorneys general, including Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. Following the rescission of the memo, the White House press secretary stated that the administration will continue to review federal spending to assess compliance with the President’s previously issued executive orders which ask federal agencies not to fund activities related to diversity, environmental justice, and “gender ideology.”
The President also issued an executive order on Wednesday that directs federal agencies to report back within 60 days on the legal tools they can utilize to combat antisemitism on college campuses. A fact sheet on the order references international students who participated in campus protests related to the Middle East and the order asks federal agencies to identify strategies for ensuring that colleges understand the rules governing when students holding non-immigrant visas may be removed from the country.
Stay up to date on the federal funding review
TRANSITION UPDATES: ACTING DIRECTORS FOR NIH AND CDC
- Last week, Dr. Matthew J. Memoli was named the acting director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya awaits a hearing on his nomination to serve as NIH Director. Memoli previously served as the chief of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Clinical Studies Unit at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease within the NIH.
- Dr. Susan Monarez was named the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as Dr. Dave Weldon awaits a hearing on his nomination to serve as CDC Director. Monarez previously served as the inaugural Deputy Director of ARPA-H.
- The U.S. Senate recently confirmed several Trump Administration Cabinet officials, including Secretaries of State Marco Rubio, Defense Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Treasury Scott Bessent, and Transportation Sean Duffy, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
BUZZ BITS…
- Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing entitled “Malign Influence of the People’s Republic of China at Home and Abroad.” In his opening statement, Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) said he organized the hearing in part to “encourage our national security community to play a larger role to counter the Chinese influence in American universities.” A witness from the Center for Research Security & Integrity described “research collaborations of concern” and expressed concerns about talent recruitment programs.
- Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., faced sharp questioning from Senators during two confirmation hearings this week on vaccines, abortion, and other matters. The Senate is expected to vote on his nomination next week.
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