Government Reopens; NIH Leaders; AI & Education
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REOPENS
On Wednesday, the longest government shutdown in United States history ended after 43 days, as the President signed into law a spending package that funds the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and legislative branch agencies through fiscal year 2026. The new law maintains other agencies’ current funding levels through January 30th, providing lawmakers with two and a half months to complete work on the remaining spending bills that set the federal budget. The agreement also reversed the federal layoffs initiated by the White House during the shutdown and prevents further reductions in force through early next year.
NIH SEEKS INSTITUTE AND CENTER LEADERS
Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it is seeking personnel for key leadership roles. Among other positions, the agency is seeking permanent leaders for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Currently, eleven NIH institutes and centers are led by interim leaders. Applications will be accepted through late November.
GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE
On Monday, the Department of Education released a notice inviting applications for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education – Special Projects (FIPSE-SP) program. The competition identifies four national priority areas: advancing the understanding and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, promoting civil discourse on university campuses, supporting accreditation reform, and building capacity for high-quality short-term programs. Applications are due no later than December 3rd, and the Department intends to issue awards before the end of the year.