University Statements

Dear Colleagues,

We write today in response to yesterday’s NIH announcement of significant across-the-board reductions in indirect costs for research funding. Indirect costs cover essential expenses such as facilities, utilities, financial administration, and operations that enable research to flourish safely and responsibly. Indirect costs are an essential component of the decades-long partnership between the federal government and universities to conduct research that saves and improves lives and adds immeasurably to our economy. Federal cost sharing extends to many government agencies, and we are concerned that each of them may in turn be affected. These cuts violate this extraordinarily successful partnership and, if enacted, will irrevocably harm U.S. research and financially destabilize Cornell and universities across the nation.

Please know that Cornell is consulting peer institutions and legal experts to develop a coordinated response to this dramatic shift in funding academic research. We emphatically believe that cuts of this nature will irreparably harm American competitiveness and curtail the scientific breakthroughs that benefit society.

Leadership across the university is working to assess potential impacts at the college and school, lab, and principal investigator level. We will share more specific data as it is available.

While we work to reverse the announced reductions, we are engaging in thoughtful discussion with faculty and researchers with significant NIH portfolios. We encourage researchers to consider short-term measures for expenses and to avoid new hiring or spending for the moment. Please consult with your colleagues on shared resources and to think beyond the walls of your own labs to the people, activities, and equipment that might be shared to reduce our expenses.

Over the past couple of weeks, beyond this recent NIH announcement, we have received stoppages issued from other government agencies, including USAID. We at Cornell are working to understand, respond to, and mitigate the impact of these government actions. We encourage you to continue consulting the Executive Orders website for the latest updates, including research-specific updates and FAQs. If you have questions about existing grants or in-flight proposals, please email researchimpact@cornell.edu or WCMResearch@med.cornell.edu.

Cornell is a world-class research institution dedicated to discovery and translating that discovery to benefit the public in all aspects of American life. Our foundational mission “to do the greatest good” is unwavering. We will respond to this NIH news and other federal developments with decisions aligned with our academic commitment and institutional values.

With thanks and appreciation for all you do,

Michael I. Kotlikoff
Interim President

Kavita Bala
Provost

Robert A. Harrington, M.D.
Provost for Medical Affairs, Cornell University