Sept. 29, 2023

Dear URI faculty, staff, and students:

The University of Rhode Island is carefully monitoring the likelihood of a federal government shutdown and its potential impact on campus and research activities. The University receives significant federal funds for research, land- and-sea grant programs, and student financial aid.

A short-term government shutdown will have limited, if any, immediate impact on URI educational services or financial aid programs. Financial aid disbursements will continue for the current term and are not affected by the shutdown. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other student services websites through the U.S. Department of Education will continue to be available.

The State Department’s visa and passport operations are fee-funded and are not expected to be impacted by a government shutdown, though it is possible they will function at a slower pace. Consular availability may be impacted depending on the post.

The University is committed to supporting faculty and staff and will continue to cover purchases made and payments to grant-funded faculty and staff, and the Division of Research and Economic Development remains ready to respond to the needs of our research community.

As with previous federal government shutdowns, researchers with active federally sponsored grants and contracts will generally be instructed to continue work unless the project requires significant involvement of federal employees. Investigators may receive instructions from their contracting or program officers; if you receive such information, please notify the sponsored projects office immediately.

During a government shutdown, the following activities are generally affected:

• Contact with federal employees: Due to furloughs, federal employees will generally be unavailable for inquiries and support.
• Proposal submission: The Division of Research and Economic Development will continue to submit proposals, but proposal submission systems may become unavailable. Each federal agency will provide guidance on the status of the proposal submissions and whether submission deadlines will be revised.
• Peer reviews and council meetings: No peer reviews or council meetings will take place, which may have an impact on the evaluation and approval process of proposed projects.
• Awarded grants and cooperative agreements: Generally, awarded grants and cooperative agreements will continue with minimal disruptions.
• Federal contracts: Some contracts may be subject to stop-work orders. Determinations will be made by each agency on a contract-by-contract basis.
• New awards and contracts: New awards will not be issued and contracts will not be executed.
• The University is monitoring the White House agency contingency plans. Guidance available on the Division of Research and Economic Development web page will be updated accordingly.

We are committed to minimizing any negative impacts the shutdown may have on our education and research endeavors, and we will keep the campus community informed of any developments.