Monitoring a potential government shutdown
Washington State University
As you may know, the federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30 and Congress has not yet reached an agreement to provide any funding for federal agencies and the programs they support. Although I don’t anticipate major disruptions to WSU’s operations, I am working closely with our federal relations team in the Office of External Affairs and Government Relations and the WSU Office of Research to minimize, as much as possible, any potential impacts to federally funded activities at WSU. We must also be prepared for challenges that might arise should a more prolonged shutdown occur.
Our role and our mission as a land-grant institution transcends partisan lines. In meetings with our state’s Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., we have continued to advocate for a swift resolution. We are fortunate to have strong support from leaders across the delegation who understand the importance of federally funded research and services in meeting the needs of our state.
We’re also collaborating with our peers at other universities across the country and remain closely coordinated with professional organizations and associations to monitor any impacts to higher education.
Please know that we value your dedication to your work and remain committed to supporting all faculty, staff, and students during these uncertain times. While there will not be any disruptions to our student services and other essential university functions, I recognize there is a lot of uncertainty out there. If you are a researcher with federally funded projects, please review an email sent to the WSU Research Council from Matthew Michener last week. If you have specific questions about how a government shutdown might impact you or your project, please contact the federal relations team or the Office of Research. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the university community as we learn more.