President Donald Trump signed Congress’ reconciliation package, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” into law on July 4th. The most significant impacts to UW–Madison include the provision to defund SNAP-Ed and changes to federal student financial aid.
Federal Updates
Visa appointments resume after three-week suspension
Media outlets have reported that the U.S. Department of State has instructed U.S. consulates and embassies to resume visa appointments using new guidelines to screen the online and social media presence of all applicants for student and scholar visas. The new vetting requirements and procedures should be implemented within five business days (by 25 June). UW–Madison has not received official notice regarding the new visa applicant screening guidelines.
Legal challenge to the administration’s cut to critical defense research
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 Defense research grants to colleges and universities. UW–Madison is a member university of AAU, ACE and APLU.
The Universities of Wisconsin: Fuel Futures
The Universities of Wisconsin are calling on Wisconsinites to share their federal financial aid stories to help preserve educational opportunities for future generations.
Updates regarding new travel restrictions
The International Division recently shared messages with UW–Madison’s international community regarding new U.S. travel restrictions.
Updates for our international student community
International Student Services shared two communications regarding recent Department of State actions.
Wisconsin higher education leaders say reductions in federal financial aid will limit educational opportunities
In a news conference on May 22, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman, Wisconsin Technical College System President Layla Merrifield, and Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President and CEO Eric W. Fulcomer shared that proposed cuts and programmatic changes to federal aid programs put education attainment at risk.
Chancellor Mnookin signs on to Council on Competitiveness statement
Chancellor Mnookin joined 49 fellow members of the Council on Competitiveness in a “Renewed Call to Action,” asking lawmakers to reinvest in the research partnerships and innovation infrastructure that have made the United States the global leader in turning knowledge and ideas into commercial value and societal impact.
The real costs of research funding cuts
With proposed changes to NIH support, critical health research at UW–Madison would be at risk. Here’s why.
Update on Department of Energy indirect cost rate cap
A federal judge on May 15 issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that halts the implementation of a 15% indirect cost rate on Department of Energy grants and contracts. The injunction replaces the temporary restraining order on the cuts placed last month and will likely remain in place until the judge hears full arguments in the lawsuit brought forward by the Association of American Universities, American Council on Education, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and several universities.