Federal shutdown update

The following message was sent to all students, faculty and staff on Oct. 1 from Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Rob Cramer and Vice Chancellor for Research Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska. It is being translated into multiple languages.

To our campus community,

As you're likely already aware, non-essential federal government operations have shut down as of 12:01 a.m. today.

Though this event is concerning for our campus operations and research enterprise, campus leaders have been preparing for this possibility over recent weeks and have planned for multiple scenarios, including the risk that the shutdown lasts for multiple weeks.

Leaders from University Relations, Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs are monitoring developments and potential impacts and will continue to communicate with the community and shared governance.

During the shutdown, the university's goals are to provide guidance and advocacy for our community and limit disruption on campus to the maximum extent possible.

Federal funds provide the single largest share of the university's budget. A shutdown will primarily affect university research operations, though any broader implications depend largely on the length of the shutdown and the corresponding guidance provided by federal agencies.

Student aid, including financial aid and scholarships, are not expected to be impacted.

Faculty and investigators working on federally sponsored projects that are ongoing and employees who are funded by federal grants should, for the present, continue with their research, unless they receive other directives or their granting agencies issue stop-work orders requiring that they pause their work.

During the period of the shutdown, federal agencies will not issue new grants or contracts or renew existing projects; government employees may not be able to answer phone calls, respond to emails or update informational resources or assistance. Federal facilities may also be inaccessible and visa processing is likely to be delayed.

As a result of our collective efforts to manage expenditures and reduce spending over the summer, we are in a strong financial position entering the shutdown period. However, we continue to strongly encourage financial restraint, including limiting non-essential hiring and travel and implementing tighter controls on expenditures for federally funded projects. Please refer to this campus message from March for guidance, which remains in effect.

RSP will be in regular contact with the research community as the shutdown unfolds to provide timely updates. Pertinent information will be posted on a detailed shutdown website, and the RSP team can field research-related questions.

The Office of Federal Relations will also post broader campus updates on an as-needed basis.

As we navigate this changing and challenging federal landscape together, we want to acknowledge the uncertainty many of you are facing regarding research funding, policy changes and agency operations. This shutdown adds additional potential stress, especially for our research community. We recognize this and will do our best to provide clear and timely information, as it is available.

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we navigate this situation, and we thank you for your important work.