Gender Equity; NOAA; Webinar
BU IN DC
College of Engineering Dean ad interim Elise Morgan attended the American Society of Engineering Education’s Public Policy Colloquium on February 3rd and 4th. She also discussed the College’s federally-funded research with Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and the office of Representative Stephen Lynch (D-MA) on February 5th.
ADMINISTRATION ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER, GUIDANCE ON GENDER EQUITY
On Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order that directs federal agencies to consider rescinding federal grants to educational organizations that allow transgender women to participate in women’s athletics. In response, the National Collegiate Athletic Association changed its policy to restrict participation in women’s athletics to students assigned female at birth. The order follows updated guidance from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights last week that clarifies the agency will enforce the 2020 version of the Title IX rule governing gender equity in educational settings. The 2020 rule had already been in place for many schools, including BU, due to lawsuits.
BUZZ BITS…
- President Donald J. Trump nominated Dr. Neil Jacobs to be the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA). Jacobs is an atmospheric scientist who served as acting NOAA Administrator during President Trump’s first term. His nomination will need confirmation from the U.S. Senate.
- On Monday, the President nominated Conner Prochaska as director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). Prochaska served as chief commercialization officer for the Department of Energy during President Trump’s first term.
- The House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on “The State of American Education” on Wednesday. Witnesses sharply criticized the cost of college and the federal loan programs, while Committee Democrats decried the President’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education.
- On Wednesday, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing entitled “The State of U.S. Science and Technology: Ensuring U.S. Global Leadership.” Participants discussed competition with China, approaches for diversifying the pool of American scientists, and the impact of recent executive orders on the scientific enterprise.
BU NEWS YOU CAN USE…
- The Office of Research is hosting a “Federal Outlook for Research Under the New Administration and Congress” webinar on Wednesday, February 12th at 9 a.m. Federal Relations and experts from Lewis-Burke Associates will discuss the new administration’s research priorities and strategies for positioning your work in this new environment.
- The University has posted a set of Frequently Asked Questions to help the BU community understand federal immigration policies.
- The Office of Research is regularly updating its 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources page which includes answers to your frequently asked questions, a summary of agency actions on executive orders, and more.