In observation of May Day, today’s headline comes from “Bar Association”, the episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine involving the formation of a labor union. The documentary I was going to recommend - Harlan County, USA - isn’t easily available on streaming, but The Wobblies is on Tubi.
It’s been a (relatively) quiet week in terms of news affecting science and higher education. Probably that means something huge will drop the second I hit send. But maybe not?
Anyways…
Today’s update covers some news about start of negotiations around next year’s federal budget, a new nominee for Surgeon General, and a state-by-state breakdown of legislation affecting higher education.
Federal Research Policy
Stat has a special report on the competition and confusion surrounding NIH awards at present.
Last week, the entirety of the National Science Board was dismissed.
The NSB establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation and acts as independent advisory body to both the President and Congress.
This week Nature published an extensive feature on how 100+ advisory committees for science/education-related federal agencies have been terminated this year.
We’re already back in budget season. Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies released its first proposal to fund NSF and NASA next year. The proposed budget would cut funding to these agencies, but the cuts are substantially smaller than what is in the President’s budget request.
Public Health
According to reporting by Stat, the Administration has withdrawn its nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General. Nicole Saphier is the new nominee.
The Administration is appealing the injunction which effectively blocked the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) which had been set to meet in March to discuss alleged COVID-19 vaccines injuries. The committee is next set to meet in June.
The paper examining the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines that was blocked at the CDC last month has been leaked.
A federal appeals court issued a ruling today which temporarily blocks an FDA regulation that allows healthcare to prescribe mifepristone by telemedicine and deliver it to patients by mail.
Higher Education
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Stanford University to determine whether the institution violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The investigation is focused on a program that helps future teachers who who “identify as a person of color” receive National Board Certifications. Amid this investigation, the program has been discontinued.
Insider Higher Ed has a state-by-state breakdown of new legislation affecting tenure, shared governance, academic freedom, and other issues in higher education.