Dear colleagues,

What a pleasure it will be to hand out awards to incredibly deserving staff, students and faculty on Friday in Hiebert, and then more awards at Convocation on Saturday as another cohort of students moves out into an uncertain and new world. Thank you to faculty and staff who trained and supported these students so that they can lead initiatives that will create a healthier future for all.

Study sections and councils are meeting, and once smooth processes are bumpy at best. Here is the latest on local and federal politics and policies that affect our research. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

  • The Massachusetts House of Representatives approved its$61.5 billion state budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 with strong funding for public health agencies, workforce, and programs. But not all public health priorities were adopted in the House’s final version (see amendment outcomes for details). The Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means (SWM) Committee released its state budget proposal, which outlines a plan to spend over $61.3 billion for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1. Reconciliation between the chambers has begun.
  • NIH announced that they are adding an additional level of approval for no-cost extensions (NCEs). Please confer with your grants managers to monitor your spend rates, particularly as your grants near their end dates. Ending the award period with a balance could carry more risk than in years past.
  • The NIH has released an update to its policy on foreign subawards. In summary, NIH will not issue awards to domestic or foreign entities (new, renewal or non-competing continuation), that include a subaward to a foreign entity. The new policy on Foreign Subawards is here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-25-104.html. Foreign researchers will now have to submit a grant application for review, like domestic researchers.
  • If you have an interest, here are some membership opportunities to join federal advisory committees:
    • The Science Advisory Board
    • Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
      • AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency
      • APPLICATION DUE: Nominations are due by June 2, 2025.
      • NOTICE: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-07538
    • Learn more about how to become a member of Massachusetts Boards and Commissions. This MA GOV website summarizes all 785 boards (including 281 with open seats) and allows you to search by topic area.
  • The Office of Research maintains a detailed set of guidelines for managing early grant termination; accessing the guidance document requires a BU login. The link is also posted on the Office of Research 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources. With support from OGC and SP, Boston University now filed its first four appeals of grant terminations.
  • Guidance from the University Office of Sponsored Programs remains unchanged. Any concerns by PIs should be directed to Dean McClean. PIs should not take personnel actions in response to anticipated federal funding disruptions without prior consultation with and approval from Sponsored Programs, which Dean McClean will help facilitate.
  • All labor requests, travel, and external consultants on unrestricted funds (school money) and discretionary funds continue to fall under the budget controls and a request for approval is required. Please direct any questions to the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance, Dean Lazic at iralazic@bu.edu.

See you at School Assembly today at 10AM. Our Spring Community Day for staff and faculty will be happening on the afternoon of May 20.

Thank you,

Michael Stein
Dean Ad Interim

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