UCR Research and Economic Development Newsletter: May 2, 2017

Michael Pazzani

Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development

Back Issues of Newsletter: http://research.ucr.edu/vcr/newsletters.aspx

Grant Opportunity Search: http://pivot.cos.com

· Omnibus Bill and Federal Funding

· Facilities Services: Submit a trouble ticket if something is broken

· Stay within the lines: Department of Education

· Brown Booby

Omnibus Bill and Federal Funding

Congress has agreed to pass an omnibus funding bill for the rest of FY17. I have attached a report by Lewis-Burke Associates on the impact on various federal agencies. In general, funding is up insignificantly, with a more significant increase for NIH and a slight decrease for the Institute of Education Science at the Department of Education. Perhaps most importantly for UCR, Pell grants may now be used year-round which make enrolling in summer session easier for our students.

The funding news is good news for most agencies which had to plan for worst case scenarios of significant budget cuts. As a consequence, agencies that have reviewed and been holding on to proposals waiting for a budget are likely to fund them soon (which in federal government means the next few months).

• NIH: $34 billion +$2 billion +6.2%

• DOE Office of Science: $5.39 billion+$42 million +0.7%

• DOE ARPA-E): $306 million+$15 million +5.1%

• NSF: $7.472 billion +$9 million +0.1%

• NASA: $19.7 billion +$368 million +1.9 including an increase of $176 million for science programs.

• DOD basic research: $2.3 billion -1.4%, applied research +5.4%

• USDA NIFA: $1.36 billion + 2.72% above the FY 2016 level. AFRI: $375M +$25M

• Institute of Education Sciences within the Department of Education would be funded at $605 million, -2.1%

• NEH ($149.849 million, increase of $2 million

• NEA ($149.849 million, increase of $2 million

What does this mean for 2018? My best guess best is about the same as 2017 after some tweets and drama. However, agencies will be submitting new budget plans which may shift priorities within these funding levels. We should know more later this month.

Facilities Services: Submit a trouble ticket if something is broken

Facility services has updated its website http://facilities.ucr.edu/ to make it easier to submit a trouble ticket (to report something broken) or a work order (Office renovations, Painting, carpet replacement, Relocation of scientific equipment).

Is something broken? Please submit a trouble ticket., Malfunctioning toilets and sinks, room temperature issues, moving routine equipment, Replacing light bulbs, Landscape maintenance, Pest control

http://fmm.ucr.edu/fmm/stt.request

If Urgent call (951) 827-4214. On weekdays after 5pm and on weekends call (951) 827-4677. Chemical spills, Electrical outages, Elevator entrapment, Floods, Gas leaks, Major plumbing leaks, Overflowing toilets, Roof or ceiling water leaks

Stay within the lines: Department of Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that “Dozens of Colleges’ Upward Bound Applications Are Denied for Failing to Dot Every I: 'It’s more about format than it is about content'

http://www.chronicle.com/article/Dozens-of-Colleges-Upward/239895

It’s just another example stressing the importance of following instructions carefully, no matter how petty. Hmm, should the Chronicle have used a lower case “i” in quotes in the title?

Brown Booby

Here’s a photo of a brown booby with a fledgling that I took on Little Tobago Island, in Trinidad and Tobago.

In California, they can be seen flying off the coast of San Diego, occasionally landing on buoys.

(click to enlarge)