National Science Foundation to scale back on awards

The National Science Foundation, the largest contributor of funding for University research, is cutting back on the amount of awards it gives out to research institutions across the nation. The foundation announced Feb. 27 that it will reduce funding by 5 percent as part of the federal budget sequester that requires the government to cut spending by $1.2 trillion by fiscal year 2021. The University has been among the top three recipients of NSF funding for four years.

In its notice to the institutions to which NSF awards funds, the foundation said it hopes to reach the 5 percent goal by distributing 1,000 fewer awards this fiscal year.

The University was the largest recipient of NSF funds in fiscal year 2012. Over the course of the year, the NSF contributed more than $218 million in funding to University researchers, spread across 322 projects. The University received 16 percent more funding than the second highest recipient, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership.

Although the White House Office of Management and Budget gave sequestration estimates to agencies and departments, most of the potential effects have not yet reached campus.

Melissa Edwards, director of Research Communications, said her department is still compiling information from federal funding agencies. 

“Right now, we’re just trying to get all the agency updates organized in one place,” she said,

The NSF announced the funding cuts just weeks before the launch celebration for the University’s supercomputer, Blue Waters, one of the NSF’s highest-profile projects. The foundation contributed more than $225 million in funding to the project.

“As we understand it, Blue Waters funding will not be affected,” said Trish Barker, spokeswoman for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

Many other federal agencies that fund University research have also contacted the University through letters, warning of potential cuts, including the Department of Energy, NASA and the National Institute of Health.

ROTC to civilian personnel to lose work hours

Despite eminent cuts to defense spending, ROTC administrators’ paychecks will be spared, but non-military personnel will be subjected to fewer work hours.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Budget Control Act requires $454 billion of cuts to defense spending over the next eight years. The Department of Defense announced that it must cut its budget by $46 billion this fiscal year alone. The only category not seeing cuts, according to a press release, is military personnel spending. A large portion of cuts will instead fall on the Department of the Army’s Civilian Personnel. 

Diane Moncrief, scholarship and enrollment officer for the ROTC, said it is unlikely, but unknown, if the campus Army ROTC program will incur any major cuts. 

Lt. Matthew Comer, spokesman for the region’s Naval ROTC programs, said his office does not have any specific figures yet. However, Comer said possible naval ROTC furloughs wouldn’t take effect until at least late April. Active duty administrators will not be affected by the budget cuts, but civilian personnel may have to take furlough days amounting to as much as 20 percent of their pay over a period of six months or 22 workdays.

Henry can be reached at [email protected]