Dear Colleagues,
We write to bring your attention to a proposed federal regulation that could significantly reshape how universities and many other organizations apply for and earn federal grants and contracts for research, scholarship, teaching, and other vital services for the nation.
On May 29, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a proposed rule to revise the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance. If finalized as written, the new rule could have far-reaching consequences for how federal grants and contracts are reviewed, prioritized, awarded, monitored, and terminated.
The public comment period concludes on July 13, and OMB plans for the rule to take effect on October 1. Yale will submit an institutional response during the public comment period. As we prepare the university’s comment in consultation with deans, we are seeking your input. We hope you will share your views with us through this webform by July 3.
You can also consider submitting comments on your own behalf directly to OMB, describing how particular aspects of the proposed revisions would affect progress in the sciences, arts, and humanities. Please remember that any comment you send to the government becomes public record. You can learn more about how to submit a comment here.
As we draft our institutional response, we remain committed to cultivating and sustaining a research environment grounded in scholarly excellence and academic freedom. We are also dedicated to our longstanding work conducted in partnership with the federal government, which has helped save and improve countless lives over the years—from pioneering chemotherapy drugs to the introduction of the insulin pump.
This partnership continues today through numerous research projects and more than 2,200 clinical trials, including studies to improve outcomes for infants suffering from acute cancer and for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and other serious conditions. Beyond advancing health, American universities have strengthened our nation’s prosperity and standing in the world through discoveries that change the way we live and through creative and scholarly works that broaden our understanding and inform our future.
We are grateful for all you do to engage with the enduring questions of our time and to educate future generations. We look forward to your input as we prepare a response that reflects what we contribute to our nation through our teaching, scholarship, and research.
Sincerely,
Maurie McInnis
President
Professor of the History of Art
Scott Strobel
Provost
Henry Ford II Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry