Federal government shutdown update, Jan. 4

As you know, a number of federal departments and agencies are impacted by the partial government shutdown. As noted before the shutdown began nearly two weeks ago, agencies will stop conducting intramural research, issuing payments, and reviewing grants. In addition, staff will not be available to provide assistance and support to grant recipients.

The Office of Federal Relations is beginning to learn about direct impacts to campus. For example, the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects has started to receive stop orders for some projects. Faculty also informed us that the American Meteorological Society annual meeting will be impacted since government employees from NSF, NASA and other agencies who are scheduled to present or serve as competition judges will not be able to travel if the shutdown continues into next week. Other meetings with representatives from affected federal agencies are postponed until the government reopens.

Please let Mike Lenn or Carina Marquez in the Office of Federal Relations know if you have been directly impacted by the shutdown or if you have questions. We are collecting anecdotes to share with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, and some may be used in media responses.