Northeastern is warning faculty of slowed or halted government services after the federal government shut down Oct. 1.
“As you know, early this morning the U.S. federal government shut down, the latest in a series of shutdowns over the past several years,” Winkelstein wrote. “During this period, most government agency activities, services and operations will be curtailed.
The shutdown took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST Oct. 1 after Congress failed to agree on annual budget legislation, with Republicans and Democrats voting along party lines. In an Oct. 1 update to Northeastern’s “Federal Landscape” FAQ page, the university wrote that the shutdown has “implications for the university’s research enterprise and other areas impacting faculty and students.”
“At this point, it is unclear when the shutdown will end,” the FAQ reads. “The university will continue to monitor the situation and its impact to our community.”
The shutdown has presented potential disruptions to research at academic institutions nationwide. In Winkelstein’s email to faculty, she explained that while research proposals can be submitted, they will not be evaluated during the shutdown. Additionally, research under an active grant or contract “can continue” unless a stop work order is issued or federal personnel become significantly involved.
The email explained that “federal funding agencies will not issue new grants, contracts or amendments” and that “agency staff will not be available to provide technical assistance” during the shutdown.
Northeastern, an R1 institution, or an institution with the highest level of research activities, ranks among the top 100 universities nationwide in terms of federal research dollars received, with its Fiscal Year 2024 funding totaling $67.6 million from the National Science Foundation and $88.3 million from the National Institutes of Health. In addition, a majority of academic research in institutions across the United States is funded by the federal government.
In terms of non-research-oriented information, Winkelstein’s email warned that past government shutdowns have “reduced or halted” visa operations, but that “students and faculty should be aware that the U.S. Department of State consular services will continue as long as existing funds remain.”
H1-B immigration services, which allow employers to hire foreign workers with a bachelor’s degree in specialty fields, particularly those in STEM, will also likely cease until the government re-opens. The email also said that international students and non-U.S. citizens “may wish to postpone” travel outside of the country until government services resume.
Winkelstein highlighted that the distribution of federal financial aid will “not be impacted by the shutdown” but that “students applying for funding (e.g. loans/loan forgiveness) may experience processing delays.”
The long-term implications of a shutdown on the university are dependent on the length of the shutdown.
