September 21, 2018

AAU Weekly Wrap-up, September 21, 2018

Newsletters

CONTENTS:

FY19 Appropriations Update
Associations Comment on Proposed Increase to Student and Exchange Visitor Program Fees
NSF to Release New Term and Condition for Reporting Sexual Harassment

FY 19 APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE

President Trump today signed into law the FY19 minibus that combines Energy and Water, Military Construction-VA, and Legislative Branch appropriations that would increase funds for DOE's Office of Science and ARPA-E, by 5.2 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. Another FY19 minibus package that includes Agriculture-FDA, Financial Services, Transportation-HUD, and Interior-Environment reportedly remains in conference negotiations.

NOT SO FUN FACT: The last time a president signed all appropriations bills into law on time was 1996 (22 years ago!).

The Senate Tuesday voted 93-7 to adopt the conference report for a minibus spending package that contains FY19 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense appropriations. The House is expected to advance the measure next week upon returning from recess. The FY19 Labor-HHS-Education and Defense minibus would provide a $2 billion increase to the NIH, a $100 boost to the Pell Grant annual maximum award for students, and increase funds for Department of Defense 6.1 basic research by nearly 12 percent. The bill’s conference report includes a continuing resolution to fund other government agencies and programs not covered by this or other FY19 appropriations bills at FY18 levels through December 7.

RESOURCE AVAILABLE: FY19 Budget and Appropriations Resource page

ASSOCIATIONS COMMENT ON PROPOSED INCREASE TO
STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM FEES

AAU and several other higher education associations wrote to the Department of Homeland Security Monday to express concerns with proposed increases to program fees for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). The comment letter says that while the associations support efforts to ensure SEVP is adequately resourced, the proposed fees represent “significant and burdensome increases” that will negatively impact student and faculty exchange visitors as well as colleges and universities.

NSF RELEASES NEW TERM AND CONDITION FOR REPORTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The NSF today announced a term and condition for awards to become effective October 21. The term and condition require awardee organizations to: 1) report any findings that an NSF-funded PI or co-PI committed harassment, including sexual harassment or sexual assault; 2) and notify NSF of the placement of a PI or co-PI on administrative leave, or the imposition of administrative action relating to a harassment or sexual assault finding or investigation. CFR should note several changes in notification requirements, NSF oversight, and the creation of a new NSF Electronic Portal to submit reports electronically. More details are included on this fact sheet.

AAU in May commented on NSF's proposed changes to this end and will continue to monitor these changes as the NSF moves forward.