Federal Updates

The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the American Council on Education (ACE) along with the the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities sent a letter to Chairman Tim Walberg of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, sharing their concerns and opposition to the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan, a proposal to provide for budget reconciliation affecting education programs. The associations say that, while the bill has some positive elements, on the whole, the bill “proposes policies that will harm students, institutions, and borrowers. UW–Madison is a member university of AAU, ACE and APLU.

UW–Madison can report that as of late Saturday, April 26, all 27 of its international students and alumni affected by SEVIS record terminations have been returned to active status.

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin is one of nearly 300 college and university presidents and chancellors to sign an April 22 letter from the American Association of Colleges & Universities titled “A Call for Constructive Engagement.”

An update on UW–Madison’s participation in legal challenges to prevent wrongful funding cuts, grant terminations and delays.

The Association of American Universities (AAU), the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) jointly filed a new lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, along with a number of impacted research university co-plaintiffs, seeking to halt the proposed Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate cut to 15% for all Department of Energy research grants to colleges and universities. UW–Madison is a member university of AAU, ACE and APLU.

International Division Dean Vavrus shared a message with deans and campus leaders on April 10 about several campus offices that are monitoring the situation around SEVIS record terminations closely at the national and local levels and providing resources and recommendations as circumstances develop.

An update related to the termination of Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records of a number of current and former international students by the U.S. government.

Dean of the International Division Frances Vavrus shared a message and links to resources with international students, scholars, faculty and staff on April 2.

The Association of American Universities (AAU) Board of Directors issued a statement on March 31 about the importance of preserving the partnership between American research universities and the federal government. UW–Madison is a member of AAU.

On March 26, University of Wisconsin–Madison Professor and Associate Director of Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Sterling Johnson provided testimony on the importance and urgency of National Institutes for Health (NIH) investments in research at a forum on Capitol Hill.