CONTENTS:
- Budget and Appropriations Update
- FY19 Appropriations Bills Advance
- 302(b) Funding Allocations Announced
- EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Scientific Transparency Rule
- House Oversight Subcommittees Hold Second Campus Free Speech Hearing
- House Bill Would Require ‘Wealthy’ Universities to Spend Endowment Earnings on Students
- Education Department Proposes Two-Year Delay to State Authorization Rules
- Higher Education Groups Offer Recommendations to USPTO to Improve PTAB Proceedings
BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
The relevant Senate Appropriations subcommittees advanced their FY19 Agriculture-FDA and Energy and Water spending bills Tuesday. The FY19 Senate Agriculture-FDA bill would provide $405 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), a $5 million boost over FY18. The FY19 Senate Energy and Water spending bill would provide $6.65 billion for Energy’s Office of Science, a $390 million increase above FY18. The House Appropriations Committee postponed a May 22 markup of the FY19 Interior-Environment bill, which would fund the National Endowment for the Humanities at $155 million, a $2 million increase over FY18.
House and Senate appropriators both released 302(b) funding allocations this week. Key differences between the chambers include a higher Labor-HHS-Education allocation in the Senate ($179.288 billion to the House’s $177.1 billion).
EPA EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROPOSED SCIENTIFIC TRANSPARENCY RULE
The EPA announced this week it will extend the comment period for a proposed rule intended to “strengthen transparency” of science used in EPA rulemaking that was set to end May 30. The public will now have until August 16 to provide comment and the EPA will also hold a July 17 public hearing in Washington on the proposal rule. AAU President Mary Sue Coleman last week wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to request a comment period extension citing the proposed rule’s complexity and potential impact on university researchers.
HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEES HOLD SECOND CAMPUS FREE SPEECH HEARING
The House Oversight Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules and Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs yesterday held a joint hearing titled, “Challenges to the Freedom of Speech on College Campuses: Part II” (See Part I, July 2017). Members of the majority primarily focused on what they characterized as a worsening environment on college campuses with respect to speech suppression, including “self-censorship” among students who feel they cannot express views that run counter to orthodoxy or the academy’s tilt towards liberal ideology. They questioned witnesses about instances in which controversial speakers have been disinvited, expressed concerns about overly restrictive free speech zones and speech codes, probed the definition of hate speech. The minority Members mostly discussed the reported rise in hate speech and acts on college campuses, and security issues that can arise when extremist groups bring weapons to campus.
The University of Chicago campus speech statement was frequently and widely-praised as a model that other institutions should adopt or replicate. Witnesses did not appear supportive of federal or state intervention but instead emphasized that Congress’s role is to shine a spotlight on campuses, so they know the public is watching and concerned.
HOUSE BILL WOULD REQUIRE ‘WEALTHY’ UNIVERSITIES TO SPEND ENDOWMENT EARNINGS ON STUDENTS
Rep. Tom Reed introduced legislation Tuesday that would require certain universities to distribute 25 percent of their endowment earnings to assist students from working-class families. A Bloomberg Government report indicated this week that under the legislation, institutions may have to disclose more details on pay and investment manager fees and submit cost-containment plans to the Treasury Department on a regular basis to demonstrate how the university will keep cost increases below inflation.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TWO-YEAR DELAY TO STATE AUTHORIZATION RULES
The Education Department yesterday announced plans to postpone state authorization rules for distance education providers. Finalized in December 2016, the rules require states to have a process for reviewing and taking “appropriate action” on student complaints about online programs. The department said it will accept comments on the delay for 15 days starting today, May 25.
HIGHER EDUCATION GROUPS OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS TO USPTO TO IMPROVE PTAB PROCEEDINGS
AAU, APLU, COGR, AAMC, and the Association of University Technology Managers submitted to USPTO Director Andrei Iancu a series of recommendations for the Inter Partes Review (IPR) process and Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings. The recommendations were relayed during an in-person May 15 meeting with Director Iancu.
Director Iancu and his staff are interested in campus visits. AAU staff is available to assist should your institution invite him to campus.
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