News
Tax Bill; Kennedy; NSF
HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES HIGHER ED TAX CHANGES
On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Committee on Ways and Means approved a bill that would change tax policies impacting colleges and students. Among other provisions, the bill would significantly increase the endowment excise tax for schools with endowments larger than $750,000 per domestic student; Boston University would not be subject to the tax. The measure would also expand the tax-free treatment of certain employer-provided education benefits and temporarily reinstate a charitable tax deduction for tax filers who do not itemize. Republican leaders plan to combine the Committee-passed bill with several other bills into a reconciliation package that the full U.S. House of Representatives may consider as early as next week.
BUZZ BITS...
- Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., testified about his agency's budget before House and Senate committees on Wednesday. Kennedy defended the Trump Administration's proposed budget cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services and reiterated his priorities to "focus narrowly on ending the chronic disease epidemic" and "make sure that science cannot be corrupted."
- On Friday, President Donald J. Trump nominated Dr. David Barker to be assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Barker is an economist who served on the Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s public universities. As a regent, he focused on cost control measures and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
- As the National Science Foundation (NSF) reportedly undergoes significant reorganization, more agency leaders have recently announced their departures. Chief Science Officer Karen Marrongnelle will leave NSF to join the University of Colorado, Denver. National Science Board member Alondra Nelson stepped down from the Board, which oversees the NSF.
- The House Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the Department of Defense's science enterprise last week. Representative Bill Keating (D-MA) highlighted the "integral" role universities play in conducting research and developing a scientific workforce critical to military success.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Dr. Alicia Knoedler, leader of Office of Integrative Activities at the National Science Foundation (NSF), addressed the BU community during a webinar hosted by the Office of Research last month. Dr. Knoedler shared insights on building strong NSF partnerships, crafting compelling proposals, competing for NSF research infrastructure funds, and navigating the competitive grants process.
Conning an Aircraft Carrier. A Storm-Drenched Training Exercise. Graduating ROTC Students Reflect on Last Four Years
They say their training has prepared them for what lies ahead.
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.
BU Backs Lawsuit to Halt National Science Foundation Funding Cuts
University says sharp drop in funding could endanger “critical and cutting-edge research vital to our nation’s security” and that “often yields benefits for American businesses”.
NIH Awards $15M to BU-Led Effort to Diagnose CTE During Life
New study to look for potential biomarkers of progressive brain disease; former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck among the first to sign up.
Gilliam in DC, AOC & Finland, BEACON
BU IN DC
BU President Melissa Gilliam Meets with Lawmakers on Capitol Hill
President Melissa Gilliam discussed the importance of federal investments in research and student aid with Massachusetts Representatives Stephen Lynch, Richard Neal, and Lori Trahan on Tuesday, April 29th.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
The Rise of a Powerhouse BU Department: Economics
Notable alums—from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to the prime minister of Iceland to President Trump’s chief economic advisor to the Illinois secretary of state—have all helped boost the department’s notoriety, while talk about tariffs has made its subject matter all the more timely.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
BU Launches an Open-Source Infectious Diseases Monitoring Tool Powered by AI and Human Experts
The Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON) is slated to become a global hub for critical information about emerging outbreaks.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA, Hon. '21) will be the convocation speaker for the BU School of Public Health on May 17th... BU supports a lawsuit to block cuts to Department of Energy research... BU political scientist Christine Slaughter shares how the SAVE Act could impact young voters and married people who've changed their name... Dolores Acevedo-Garcia of the BU School of Social Work launched the Institute for Equity in Child Opportunity & Health Development... Megan Cole Brahim, co-director of the BU Medicaid Policy Lab at the BU School of Public Health, discusses cuts to Medicaid spending with NBC News... BU space physicist Joshua Semeter explains to PBS how scientists use math to help NASA debunk UFO videos.
Ayanna Pressley Named 2025 SPH Convocation Speaker
The US Representative for Massachusetts’ 7th district and former Boston City Council member has fought for equitable policies that uplift the voices of the communities she represents.
Trump Budget Request; Student Aid Cuts; Antisemitism Bills
BU IN DC
President Melissa Gilliam met with Massachusetts lawmakers on Capitol Hill on April 29th. Gilliam spoke with Representatives Stephen Lynch, Richard Neal, and Lori Trahan about the impact of federal grant terminations, investing in student aid, and supporting BU's global community.
Christopher Robertson of the School of Law hosted a Congressional briefing regarding Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reimbursement discrimination and its impact on women's health on April 29th. Isabelle Ninh also attended.
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET REQUEST EXPECTED TODAY
President Donald J. Trump is expected to release a "skinny" budget proposal, a high-level overview of his funding priorities, later today. While the President's Budget Request (PBR) serves as a starting point for Congressional appropriators, it is Congress that holds the constitutional "power of the purse" and ultimately determines agency funding levels. Leaked documents suggest the President's proposal will call for steep cuts to science and cultural agency budgets, as well as student aid programs. In response, advocates are preparing to spend the summer urging lawmakers to write spending bills that robustly invest in federal research and student aid.
HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE APPROVES CUTS TO PELL GRANTS, STUDENT LENDING
The House Committee on Education and Workforce approved the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan, a bill to reduce education spending by $330 billion over 10 years, on a party-line vote of 21-14 on Tuesday. The bill would cap undergraduate loans at $50,000, graduate loans at $100,000, and graduate professional loans at $150,000; limit parent PLUS loans; eliminate subsidized undergraduate loans and graduate PLUS loans; narrow eligibility for Pell Grants; and require colleges to pay the federal government for the unpaid federal loan balances of alumni. The bill will be included in a larger reconciliation package to be voted on by the full U.S. House of Representatives this summer as Congress identifies funds to pay for a tax bill this year. The Senate has not released its draft reconciliation bill.
BUZZ BITS...
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee postponed a vote on two campus antisemitism bills on Wednesday following a contentious markup. Republican Senators Rand Paul (KY) and Susan Collins (ME) joined Democrats in supporting amendments focused on free speech. Paul also backed an amendment offered by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) opposing the revocation of student visas based on political speech. The path forward for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, is now unclear.
- The Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on Wednesday entitled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation." Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) voiced her opposition to the Trump Administration's cuts to research funding, reductions in staff at the National Institutes of Health, and proposed caps on facilities and administrative cost reimbursement.
- Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) appointed six new acting NIH institute directors, including Alison Cernich at the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, Monica Webb Hooper at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Andrea Beckel-Mitchener at the National Institute of Mental Health, and Jeff Taubenberger at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The interim directors replace NIH officials who resigned or were placed on leave by the Trump Administration.
BU President Gilliam Returns to Capitol Hill
President Melissa Gilliam met with Representatives Stephen Lynch, Richie Neal, and Lori Trahan of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
Unlocking NSF Funding Opportunities for Infrastructure and Instrumentation
Dr. Alicia Knoedler of the National Science Foundation (NSF) discussed research infrastructure funding opportunities on Monday, April 28, 2025.