News
Boston University Climbs to No. 41 in US News Best College Rankings
Up two rungs among national universities, BU also rises in business, computer science, and psychology programs
Is Higher Education Ignoring Inequality and Failing Disadvantaged Students?
New book from BU’s Anthony Abraham Jack says colleges admit students from diverse backgrounds, but forget cultural support.
Whip Clark, Drug Pricing, Nicotine Warnings
BU IN DC
BU President Gilliam Visits Capitol Hill
BU President Melissa L. Gilliam met with House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), and Rep. Lois Frankel (CAS’70) (D-FL) during a visit to Washington earlier this month.
FACULTY EXPERT
Conti Testifies on Prescription Drug Pricing Reform
BU Questrom School of Business Professor Rena Conti told the Senate Finance Committee that reforms to prescription drug spending enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act benefit seniors and do not harm innovation.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
E-Cigarette Brands Are Skirting the Rules about Health Warning Labels on Instagram, Study Finds
Using artificial intelligence, BU researchers with funding from the National Institutes of Health found that the vast majority of social media posts didn’t include health labels warning of the harms of flavored nicotine.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
BU reached agreement with its resident assistant union on a 3-year contract, with vote pending... BU School of Law Professor Julia Dahlstrom comments on the broader usage of sex trafficking laws by prosecutors, such as in the case against Sean Combs, in The New York Times... Elaine Nsoesie of the BU School of Public Health explains how African researchers are using artificial intelligence to design their own health solutions in Nature... BU College of Communication Professor Joan Donovan says that Americans are being targeted with disinformation tactics pioneered by populist authoritarians in The Atlantic... BU welcomed more than 70 Boston Public Schools graduates who will be attending the University on Menino Scholarships and Community Service Awards.
Campus Free Speech; NAIRR; Instagram
BU IN DC
Dean Penny Bishop and Leslie Dietiker of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development discussed investments in education research at the LEARN Coalition meeting on September 18th and 19th.
Rena Conti of the Questrom School of Business testified before a Senate Finance Committee hearing on lowering health care costs on September 17th.
Roscoe Giles of the College of Engineering presented an update on behalf of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot Subcommittee at the National Science Foundation Advisory Committee for Cyberinfrastructure Fall Meeting on September 13th. He co-chairs the Subcommittee.
HOUSE PASSES BILLS TO REGULATE COLLEGE FREE SPEECH, PARTNERSHIPS ABROAD
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the End Woke in Higher Education Act (H.R. 3724), which would restrict public colleges' ability to determine security and space usage plans for campus events and require universities to allow single-sex social organizations, such as fraternities and sororities. The Senate has no plans to take up the measure, which was offered during a series of legislative activity that House Republicans dubbed Woke Week. "Woke Week" followed "China Week," during which the House passed a bill to curb colleges' partnerships with Chinese organizations. While that bill is also unlikely to be adopted by the Senate, the measures were intended to demonstrate House Republicans' policy views in advance of the November elections.
BUZZ BITS...
- Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Kevin Kiley (R-CA) sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights requesting the agency brief Congress and issue recommendations for Congress and the Administration to address antisemitism on college campuses. Twenty-three Members of Congress signed the letter, including BU alumna Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL).
- The House Space, Science, and Technology Committee recently passed the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (CREATE AI) Act (H.R. 5077), which would authorize the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR). The NAIRR, a testbed for AI research, is currently being piloted by the National Science Foundation. A Senate committee has passed a companion measure, increasing the chances that a NAIRR bill could be completed before the end of the year.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently issued updated rules governing research misconduct in federally-funded medical research. The rules, last updated in 2005, clarify how grantee institutions should investigate and disclose scientific misconduct.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Office of Research and Public Relations | Social Media will host "Instagram Insights: Exploring Strategy, Timing, and Creative Success for Researchers" on Thursday, October 17th at 1 p.m. Suzanne Whitby, founder of SciComm Success, will explain how researchers can effectively use Instagram’s visual platform to connect with new audiences and showcase their work. The virtual workshop will cover hashtag strategy, posting techniques to beat the algorithm, finding or creating the perfect visuals for content, and managing content to stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. The event is part of the popular Strategic Communications series that helps BU researchers hone their communication skills and promote their work.
BU Celebrates Melissa L. Gilliam’s Inauguration as President
Weeklong lineup includes musical performances, community parties, and Friday’s momentous ceremony at Agganis Arena.
University, RA Union Agree to 3-Year Contract, with Vote Pending
Includes $1,700 stipend per semester, free meals, and continued free housing.
Healthcare Costs
Professor Reni Conti from BU Questrom School of Business testifies before the Senate Finance Committee about prescription drug pricing on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Gilliam on the Hill; NIH Reform; Walz
BU IN DC
Anthony Jack from the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development held a discussion about his new book at Politics & Prose on August 16th.
Hadi Nia of the College of Engineering gave a keynote address at the National Cancer Institute Junior Investigator Annual Meeting on August 22nd.
Kevin Gallagher and Marilou Uy of the Global Development Policy Centeraddressed an International Monetary Fund technical workshop about debt sustainability, climate change, and development on August 23rd.
Deborah Carr of the Center for Innovation in Social Science and Jennifer Weuve of the School of Public Health participated in a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) workshop on social factors that may impact the risk for cognitive impairment on August 29th and 30th.
Yannis Paschalidis of the Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering attended a National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health co-led workshop on using artificial intelligence to understand menopause on September 4th and 5th.
GILLIAM MEETS WITH LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL
President Melissa L. Gilliam discussed her vision for the University, BU's efforts to support students this fall, and the importance of federally-funded research with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill on Thursday. Gilliam met with Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), whose Congressional district includes parts of the Charles River Campus, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D-FL, CAS '70). Gilliam met this summer with Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, as well as Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), whose district includes BU's campuses.
BU COMMENTS ON NIH REFORM PROPOSALS
Vice President and Associate Provost for Research ad interim Thomas Bifano recently responded to two requests from Congress for input on the future of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In response to a proposal from Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) of the House Energy & Commerce Committee to merge NIH institutes and centers, restructure how NIH pays for research, and restrict gain-of-function research, BU's letter stressed the importance of an evidence-based decision-making process. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) sought input on ways to advance biomedical research further. In response, BU's comments emphasized the need for sustained funding over the long-term and investment in biopreparedness. While Congress is unlikely to move forward with legislation to alter the NIH this year, the Congressional proposals signal legislators' interests in the years ahead.
HARRIS SELECTS WALZ AS RUNNING MATE
Last month, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would be her running mate as she seeks the presidency on the Democratic ticket. Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard and was a high school social studies teacher prior to representing a rural Minnesota district in the U.S. House of Representatives. As Governor, he signed into law a bill to provide free college tuition for students attending public institutions. Governor Walz's wife, Gwen, was also a public school teacher and is an advocate for higher education opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
BU President Melissa L. Gilliam Visits Capitol Hill
President Gilliam met with Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Lois Frankel (D-FL) in Washington, DC on Thursday, September 12, 2024.