Shutdown; Visa Proposal; R&D Priorities
BU IN DC
Leslie Dietiker of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development participated in the American Educational Research Association Consortium of University and Research Institutions Fall Policy Conference from September 28th to 30th.
Karen Jacobs, Emily Rothman, and doctoral students from Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences met with multiple Congressional offices during the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Hill Day on September 19th.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN
Federal agencies suspended most operations and furloughed employees on Wednesday after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a short-term spending bill to keep the government operational. During the lapse in appropriations, the Department of Education will continue to disburse student aid and Grants.gov will remain open to accept electronic applications. Although federal agency officials will be unavailable to answer questions or conduct peer review activities, both the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation advise investigators to continue following posted grant submission deadlines. The White House and lawmakers from both parties remain far apart in their negotiating posture, making a quick resolution to the shutdown unlikely.
BU SUBMITS COMMENTS ON VISA PROPOSAL
The University submitted a comment letter last week urging the Trump Administration to withdraw a proposed rule that would establish a fixed length of stay of no more than four years for international students and scholars studying in the United States. The proposal would require F-1 and J-1 visa holders to apply for an extension to stay in the U.S. beyond a specific end date, replacing the current rule that allow them to remain for the duration of their academic program. BU’s letter details the vital role that international students and scholars play and how the proposed rule would create uncertainty, restrict academic mobility, and harm the country’s global competitiveness. The Trump Administration is expected to issue a final rule after reviewing the nearly 22,000 comments it received.
BUZZ BITS…
- Last week, the White House released the annual memorandum on the Administration’s research priorities. In fiscal year 2027, federal science agencies will prioritize supporting research that aligns with the themes identified in the document, including artificial intelligence, quantum science, biotechnology, and energy independence.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced several leadership changes. Dr. Anthony Letai is the new director of the National Cancer Institute; he previously served as an oncologist with Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. John Lorsch has been appointed NIH deputy director for extramural research, a position he has held in an acting capacity since April 2025. Lorsch previously led the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at NIH. Dr. Erica Brown will serve as acting director of NIGMS. Dr. Helene Langevin will retire as the director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) in November 2025. Dr. David Shurtleff, the current deputy director of NCCIH, will serve as acting director.
- Republicans on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party released a new report asserting that students with links to Chinese defense universities are working on federally-funded science. The “From Ph.D. to PLA” report states that “China’s military-civil fusion system actively exploits open-source science, turning even basic [research] into weapons advancements.”