Trump Budget Request; Antisemitism Hearing; NSF F&A
BU IN DC
WBUR CEO Margaret Low attended a meeting of the National Public Radio Board of Directors, of which she is a member, on May 2nd.
Kevin Outterson of CARB-X and the School of Law met with Congressional offices to discuss antimicrobial resistance on May 7th.
TRUMP “SKINNY BUDGET” PROPOSES CUTS TO STUDENT AID, RESEARCH
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-ME) registered “serious objections” to the preliminary budget proposal released by President Donald J. Trump last week, as did many other key Members of Congress. The release of the President’s “skinny budget” marked the start of the fiscal year 2026 budget process, paving the way for Congress to draft the annual spending bills that determine federal agency budgets. While the President is expected to release a more detailed set of budget proposals later this month, his early document requests:
- Student Aid: An 80% decrease in Federal Work Study funding and the elimination of the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, TRIO, and Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need programs.
- National Institutes of Health: A 40% decrease in funding.
- National Science Foundation: A 56% decrease in funding.
- Department of Energy Office of Science: A 14% decrease in funding.
- NASA Science: A 47% decrease in funding.
- National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities: Elimination.
Read the President’s Budget Request
HOUSE COMMITTEE QUESTIONS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS
The House Committee on Education and Workforce held a hearing on Wednesday entitled “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.” The presidents of Haverford College, DePaul University, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo acknowledged mistakes they have made in handling campus protests and allegations of civil rights violations since October 2023. Committee Republicans asked for detailed information about the disciplinary measures imposed by the presidents and sharply criticized Haverford’s president when she declined to provide specific numbers. Democrats decried the Trump Administration’s staffing reductions at the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, saying it would impede investigations into campus antisemitism.
BUZZ BITS…
- On Monday, a coalition of universities filed a lawsuit challenging the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) proposal to cap reimbursement for facilities & administrative (F&A) research costs incurred by universities at 15%. BU submitted a legal declaration in support of the lawsuit. The Trump Administration’s earlier proposals to cap F&A reimbursements for research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy are currently on hold due to similar university lawsuits.
- NSF Assistant Director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Greg Hager announced he will depart the agency today after serving for less than one year in the role. Hager will return to his faculty position at Johns Hopkins University. Division of Computer and Network Systems Director Ellen Zegura will serve as Acting Assistant Director for CISE.
- On Wednesday, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to examine the U.S. quantum industry. Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) highlighted the National Quantum Initiative Act and said the global quantum race is a “competition for 21st-century technological supremacy, with major implications for America’s economic strength and national security.” Babin described President Trump’s proposal to cut science funding significantly as “an opening dialogue, not a final decision,” reiterating that “Congress holds the power of the purse.”
- Last week, three humanities organizations filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse staffing cuts, grant terminations, and program eliminations at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The suit alleges that the Trump Administration’s refusal to spend the NEH funds appropriated by Congress violates the law.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Serving on a state board or commission can offer BU faculty a powerful opportunity to make an immediate and meaningful impact on state policy. On Tuesday, May 13, April English, Chief Secretary for Boards and Commissions in the Office of Governor Healey, will share insights into the application process and what it means to serve on a state board or commission. This virtual event — cohosted by the Office of Strategic Partnerships & Community Engagement at BU Wheelock, the BU School of Public Health, and the Center for Innovation in Social Science at the BU College of Arts & Sciences — will also feature a panel of BU faculty members who bring firsthand experience in these roles on boards.