Dear Beacons,
UMass Boston continues to collaborate closely with elected leaders to actively monitor negotiations on Capitol Hill regarding the federal budget as part of our ongoing endeavors to assess the implications for our university in a shifting federal landscape. Most urgently, we are closely watching whether a government shutdown can be prevented before the deadline, currently set for 11:59 p.m. tomorrow (Friday), which will occur if Congressional leaders do not pass a stopgap spending bill. We must be ready for a scenario where a shutdown occurs, potentially causing disruptions or slowdowns in federal funding, operations, and services.
The possible impacts of a federal government shutdown depend on its duration. A short-term shutdown is likely to have minimal effects, while a longer-term shutdown lasting weeks or months could result in more significant impacts, especially in federally funded research and international student visas. The American Council on Education provides a comprehensive assessment on Government Shutdowns and Higher Education.
For more information on how this might impact you as a university faculty member, staff or student, please see our FAQ.
The uncertainty of this potential government shutdown comes during a time of tremendous precariousness and fluctuation, adding to an already volatile period for federal operations. The university continues to assess and share related updates through our federal resources web page.
Make no mistake, these are unprecedented times for our country, our community, and the landscape of higher education. We recognize that these times bring significant uncertainty. It is in these moments that we fully recommit ourselves to serving our mission. We must intensify our dedication to fostering an inclusive and thriving community of scholars, to relentlessly supporting our community—especially our students—while underscoring the critical need to enhance our research capabilities and remain vigilant in our responsibility to protect individual rights in accordance with state and federal law.
To that end, we regularly meet with faculty groups to discuss and address specific concerns. Our Office of Research and Sponsored Programs collaborates closely with faculty and researchers to keep them informed about potential changes to federally funded grants. Our Division of Student Affairs is intensifying efforts to provide the information and resources our students need during this uncertain time, including Veterans who have served our country, first-generation to college, international students, and those most vulnerable and in need.
We want to assure you that we are working side-by-side with the University of Massachusetts System and our elected leaders throughout the Commonwealth and Washington D.C. to advocate for our UMass Boston community. This includes direct face-to-face working meetings with Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll and their cabinet secretaries, Massachusetts legislative leadership, the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation, and Mayor Wu, working together to navigate any potential policy changes. We are also closely coordinating on all matters pertinent to higher education with Attorney General Campbell.
We are fortunate to live, work, and learn in Boston, where education is considered a right for everyone and where freedom, decency, and the “humane heart” are the core values of the people, the businesses, and the government.
These are challenging times for all of us, and we acknowledge and are grateful for all you do to make our community stronger, healthier, and more humane. While the rapidity of the change and the depths of it are disconcerting, and we cannot predict what will happen next, we can and must manage how we prepare, protect, and respond. To achieve our mission, we must unite, support each other, and work collaboratively toward our shared goals.
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To ensure our community has access to the latest, credible information, we created a news page as a resource for faculty, staff, and students summarizing federal news and policy changes and updates. This is updated regularly, and we recommend you bookmarking this page to continue to view. www.umb.edu/federal
Sincerely,
