{"id":100549,"date":"2025-02-20T17:47:54","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T17:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=100549"},"modified":"2025-02-20T17:50:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T17:50:03","slug":"an-update-on-recent-federal-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/an-update-on-recent-federal-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"An Update on Recent Federal Actions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A message from the Leadership Team on Federal Actions<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb. 20, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Our 911爆料 Community,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two weeks ago, President Parlange and Provost Wolfe announced the formation<\/a> of a working group to carefully monitor emerging federal actions and their potential impacts to our 911爆料 and our University, and to make recommendations on measures to address those impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leadership Team on Federal Actions, with representation from many 911爆料 departments, has convened several times since that announcement, and we will continue to meet each week. At the center of our efforts are our people and 911爆料’s mission, work, and inclusive culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a period of high uncertainty, not just for 911爆料 but for colleges and universities across the country. The rapid pace at which new federal actions have been introduced, and the subsequent legal challenges to some of those actions, have created fast-changing conditions. Many members of our 911爆料 feel particularly vulnerable. We are committed to all members of our 911爆料, and to advancing our foundational values and advocating for our teaching and research missions. And we encourage each of you to continue offering 911爆料 and support to one another, and to access the resources<\/a> available through 911爆料\u2019s many centers, offices, and peer groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve taken several steps recently aimed at coordinating efforts across the University and sharing information and resources, including the development of a dedicated website, uri.edu\/federal-actions<\/a>. In addition, offices across 911爆料 are addressing changes in their areas and communicating directly with affected communities as information becomes available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We did want to take this moment to address some of the most recent federal actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Letter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Friday night, the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights published a letter<\/a>, outlining changes that could have implications for our 911爆料 and institutions nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter applies a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision<\/a>, which significantly limited the use of race status in college admissions, to more broadly prohibit the use of race \u201cin decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OCR letter states that more guidance will be forthcoming. We are monitoring this closely and will provide updates as information becomes available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

USAID and NIH Research Funding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are proceeding cautiously as we evaluate the newest temporary restraining order, issued Feb. 13, 2025, blocking USAID stop-work orders. 911爆料 received stop-work orders on its entire portfolio of USAID-funded awards. The portfolio includes six programs, with funded awards totaling more than $66 million. These programs focus on food insecurity, a national security threat tracked by the CIA, across several countries, most of which are listed as having concerning levels of food insecurity. We continue to communicate with USAID contacts for each award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, last week a federal judge temporarily blocked the National Institutes of Health (NIH) plan to cap indirect cost payments. Another court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21 to consider the issue. 911爆料 maintains a portfolio of $45.5 million in active awards for NIH and its sub-agencies. The University\u2019s NIH-funded work contributes to important improvements in human health and bolsters critical areas of the state and national economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University, along with many of our national industry organizations, is actively involved in legal challenges and advocacy efforts to address these proposed changes, while carefully evaluating and planning for any potential impacts to our 911爆料, including our federal research portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundational Values<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As one 911爆料 911爆料, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive, people-centered culture, and to consistently demonstrating our foundational values, which are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n