Congress, NIH Address Harassment in Academia
BU IN DC
School of Medicine Dean Karen Antman attended the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Council of Deans Administrative Board meeting on June 18th and spoke at AAMC’s Leadership Conference on Sexual Harassment on June 19.
Shamiran Mako and Joshua Shifrinson of the Pardee School of Global Studies attended Bridging the Gap’s International Policy Summer Institute from June 9 through 13.
CONGRESS, NIH ADDRESS HARASSMENT IN ACADEMIA
On Thursday, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee unanimously passed the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act (H.R. 36), a bipartisan bill to create uniform guidelines for reporting sexual harassment by grantees to federal research agencies. The Committee’s vote came soon after a National Institutes of Health (NIH) advisory committee released interim recommendations that propose: treating professional misconduct as seriously as research misconduct; requiring NIH applicants to attest they have not violated their institution’s anti-harassment policies; providing victims of sexual harassment with a path for reentry into research; and developing alternative funding models that give trainees independence from their mentors. The NIH committee plans to further develop these proposals and issue a final report in December.
BUZZ BITS…
- The U.S. House of Representatives passed four spending bills on Wednesday that would increase next year’s NIH budget by $2 billion, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science budget by $285 million, and Federal Work-Study financial aid by $304 million. The U.S. Senate has not yet considered similar legislation.
- The House Ways and Means Committee approved a bill on Thursday that would repeal a tax nonprofit organizations, such as colleges, pay for the parking and commuter benefits they provide to employees; the tax was enacted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is unclear when the bill will be considered by the House or Senate.
- The U.S. Department of Energy announced a new policy earlier this month that prohibits employees and contractors, including personnel at national labs, from participating in foreign talent recruitment programs from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Are you looking to take the next step in your research and compete for large federal grants that support centers and significant collaborations? The latest guide from Lewis-Burke Associates is now available for the BU community and provides the status and timing of flagship funding opportunities across federal agencies. With topics ranging from the National Institutes of Health Specialized Programs of Research Excellence in Human Cancers (SPOREs) to the Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiatives (MURI) Program, the compendium is an excellent resource for investigators who are considering pursuing notable federal grants.