Some good news and communication updates

February 11, 2025

Dear Research Community,

As you may have heard through media reports, early evening yesterday a temporary restraining order on the new NIH indirect cost policy was ordered by a judge in Massachusetts in response to a lawsuit filed by 22 states (including North Carolina; note Wake Forest was mentioned at the end of the linked article thanks to our government affairs team!).  In addition, close to midnight last night (February 10), the court issued a nationwide TRO in the action brought on behalf of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the Association for Schools and Programs of Public Health, the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, and the Greater New York Hospital Association.  The court enjoined Defendant agencies NIH, HHS, and their officers and employees “from taking any steps to implement, apply, or enforce the Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates (NOTOD-25-068), issued by the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health on February 7, 2025, in any form with respect to institutions nationwide until further order is issued by this Court.”

The bottom line is that the new NIH policy for indirect costs is now on hold.  We will provide updates as they become available.

As I mentioned at the College faculty meeting yesterday, the situation is changing so quickly that it can be difficult to follow.  Clearly, it is unsettling to everyone. Please know that we will communicate as rapidly as possible about specific guidance, orders, and laws that we must follow to remain in compliance with federal law. Going forward, that communication will happen primarily through a new research email list (please join here) rather than the potentially less complete list I’ve been sending information to so far.  We do expect additional news reports about ongoing grant reviews at NSF to be released, and we will communicate with affected PIs if there is specific guidance received from the agency. Updates and references to policies will also be updated on a new webpage on the ORSP website to be published later today (Feb. 11) and on this site run by governmental affairs.  Finally, I am meeting with many of our NSF grant holders individually this week and our CRADLE IX and X faculty in the coming weeks. If anyone who does not currently have a scheduled one-on-one meeting would like to meet, please contact Jen Haggas to sign up during office hours that I plan to hold weekly (days and times will change, and will be announced weekly on the ORSP website). The first will be held this Friday from 1-5pm. I will do my best to respond to emails, but the volume is high and so responses will take more time than I would like.  

Navigating these rapid-fire changes is challenging to everyone and we want to thank you for continuing your important research, scholarship, and teaching.  Your dedication to our students, our mission, and our community is truly inspiring.

Until the next update,

Kim

A. Kimberley McAllister, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry and Creative Activity