CONTENTS
CONGRESSIONAL ISSUES
- GAO Issues Report on Research Regulatory Reform
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
- Department of Education Publishes Proposed Regulations on State Authorization
- Justice Department Considering Revising ADA Regulations
- DOE Seeks Candidates for Fermi and Lawrence Awards
OTHER
- AAU Seeks Project Coordinator and Policy Assistant
CONGRESSIONAL ISSUES
GAO ISSUES REPORT ON RESEARCH REGULATORY REFORM
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released its much-awaited report on the federal regulation of research. The report focuses on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The study responds to a request made in 2012 by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), then-chairman of the House Science Committee’s Subcommittee on Research and Science Education.
Federal Research Grants: Opportunities Remain for Agencies to Streamline Administrative Requirements says federal agencies have made “continuing efforts” to reduce universities’ administrative workload and costs in three areas, but “with limited results.”
The report says more needs to be done to standardize requirements across agencies, to identify pre-award requirements that can be postponed, and to address some requirements – “such as those for obtaining multiple quotations for small purchases” – that “limit universities’ flexibility to allocate administrative resources toward oversight of areas at greatest risk of improper use of research funds.”
GAO recommends that “OMB, DOE, NASA, NIH, and NSF identify additional areas where requirements, such as those for budgets or purchases, can be standardized, postponed, or made more flexible, while maintaining oversight of federal funds.”
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLISHES PROPOSED REGULATIONS ON STATE AUTHORIZATION
The U.S. Department of Education today proposed regulations on state authorization requirements for postsecondary distance education.
State authorization is a longstanding requirement in the Higher Education Act that requires institutions to be authorized in the state in which they are located as a condition for eligibility to participate in Title IV federal student aid programs.
The proposed regulations will be published formally in the Federal Register on July 25, and the public comment period will end August 24. The Department expects to publish a final regulation before the end of the year.
AAU and 59 other higher education associations expressed serious concerns with the draft regulations in 2011.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERING REVISING ADA REGULATIONS
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering revising Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations to substantially augment accessibility requirements for content on the public websites of state and local government entities.
The Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (SANPRM) on the Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities, issued by DOJ in April, affects Title II of the ADA and contains a number of provisions explicitly directed at public universities.
DOJ intends to conduct a separate rulemaking to propose changes to Title III of the ADA, which addresses the behavior of private entities.
A group of higher education associations, including AAU, the American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and EDUCAUSE, is developing comments in response to the SANPRM. Comments are due on August 1.
DOE SEEKS CANDIDATES FOR FERMI AND LAWRENCE AWARDS
The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking nominations for two prestigious government awards: the Enrico Fermi Award and the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award. Campus representatives are encouraged to share information about the two awards widely on campus and elsewhere.
The Fermi Award is a presidential award that recognizes outstanding achievements in scientific, technical, management, or policy leadership in advancing energy science and technology. Nominations can be submitted electronically at https://apps.orau.gov/Award/Fermi.
The Lawrence Award is bestowed by the Secretary of Energy to mid-career scientists and engineers in recognition of exceptional scientific, technical, and/or engineering achievements related to the broad missions of DOE. Nominations can be submitted electronically at https://apps.orau.gov/Award/Lawrence.
OTHER
AAU SEEKS PROJECT COORDINATOR AND A POLICY ASSISTANT
AAU is seeking to fill two positions on its staff. The job announcements and descriptions for both positions are available on the AAU Careers Page.
Project Coordinator . This is a new position, the role of which will be to provide administrative support for AAU’s initiatives and projects. These activities include helping coordinate projects involving multiple project/research teams, tracking budgets and managing the finances of funded projects, organizing logistics for meetings and conferences, and serving as a community manager for online project forums. The deadline for applications is July 27.
Policy Assistant . This individual provides administrative support to the AAU Vice President for Policy, including calendar management, scheduling, responding to internal and external requests, and related duties. The deadline for applications is July 28.
NOTE: Unless events warrant, the next AAU Weekly Wrap-up will be published September 9.