Research Campus Community –

On January 31, 2025, a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued to halt proposed changes in federal spending as outlined in various executive orders. This means that all work on federal grants should continue while the TRO is in effect. Funds can be drawn from funding agencies to support award activities.

Please continue to monitor the federal funding update page on the Office of Research website for regular and timely updates. If you have questions about your specific project, please contact the Office of Research at ora@ecu.edu.

We understand that there are many questions arising from the recent set of presidential Executive Orders. Multiple offices across campus are actively working to evaluate the effect of the orders, and we will offer guidance as we are able. Please contact our office with any questions or concerns. We may not have the answer immediately but will seek guidance from experts across our campus, the UNC System, and other networks to provide timely information.

The University and UNC System maintain longstanding policies prohibiting unlawful discrimination and harassment, including the Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy, and Title IX Compliance and Resolution Policy, among others. Over the last approximately two years, the campus has engaged in various efforts to ensure compliance with recently revised systemwide policies, including Section II.A.5 of Policy 300.5.1, Political Activities of Employees, and revised Policy 300.8.5, Equality at the University of North Carolina.  Discussions across campus were intended to help navigate compliance with state and federal law, with University and System policies as they are amended from time to time, and with the expectations of grant funding agencies.

The Office of the Chief Research Officer, the Office of University Counsel and others are monitoring these and any further Executive Orders that may have impacts on campus, any guidance that may be provided, and any court actions which may affect the implementation of these orders.  We will keep our research community updated as developments occur.

If you have questions about specific activities involving an on-going federally-funded research project or have received specific guidance from the federal sponsor and have not already done so, please contact ora@ecu.edu.

Thank you,

Sharon