Francis Collins to Step Down as NIH Director by Year's End
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins plans to step down by the end of the year after nearly three decades at the agency, including 12 years at the helm, the agency announced Tuesday. The 71-year-old physician-geneticist led the agency under three consecutive presidents—making him the first presidentially appointed NIH director to serve in more than one administration and the longest-serving NIH director. His departure, first reported by POLITICO on Monday night, had been in the works for some time, one person familiar said. During Collins' 12-year tenure, the NIH budget grew by 38 percent, from $30 billion in 2009 to $41.3 billion in 2021. Collins proposed a series of ambitious initiatives directed at pressing health issues including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, opioid use disorder, rare diseases and the coronavirus pandemic. ( Politico - Oct. 5, 2021)
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OSTP, NIH Release ARPA-H Stakeholder Feedback Summary
In follow-up to the 15 listening sessions that were hosted on the president’s Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) proposal this summer, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the NIH have posted a summary outlining the main themes reiterated by participating stakeholders. These sessions included more than 5,100 stakeholders and nearly 250 organizations from across the country, representing patient advocates, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, professional societies, the academic research community, industry, and others. A set of frequently asked questions on ARPA-H, informed by the discussions during the listening sessions, were also posted. ( Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research - Oct. 4, 2021)
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NEH Awards Emergency Relief Grants to 90 Institutions
The National Endowment for the Humanities announced Monday that it has awarded $87.8 million in grant funding to 300 cultural and educational institutions, 90 of which are colleges and universities. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan and is meant to provide emergency relief to help offset the financial losses humanities organizations have experienced throughout the pandemic. Enrollment declines, state funding shortfalls and additional costs related to campus closures and technology infrastructure have caused postsecondary humanities programs and departments to shrink over the last 18 months, said the NEH. Public and private institutions of all sizes received awards, including the University of Florida, Seattle Community College, Kalamazoo College and Vanderbilt University. ( Inside Higher Ed - Oct. 5, 2021)
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BUDGET RECONCILIATION NEWS
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Low Cost, High Impact for Pell Grant Recipients
Congressional Democrats’ $3.5 trillion social spending plan is expected to face substantial cuts in the coming weeks, as moderates in the Senate say they don’t support the legislation’s high price tag. Advocates are hoping lawmakers will retain a tax change for Pell Grant recipients in the final package, which they say has the advantage of being low cost and high impact. Under current law, the low- and moderate-income students receiving federal Pell Grants could be subject to added taxes if they use their grant aid for non-tuition-related costs while they’re in college, such as housing, transportation and food. The budget reconciliation bill includes a provision that would change that, allowing students to use their Pell Grant to cover nontuition expenses without facing an additional tax liability. The legislation would also eliminate a complicated interaction between Pell Grants and the American Opportunity Tax Credit that prevents hundreds of thousands of students from taking advantage of the tax benefit. ( Inside Higher Ed - Oct. 5, 2021)
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