A message from the Leadership Team on Federal Actions

April 17, 2025

Dear URI Faculty, Staff, and Students:

Last week, we shared with you guidance regarding changes to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services registration requirements for non-citizens, as well as links to other campus resources. This week, we are writing to provide you with an update on a proposed facilities and administrative (F&A) cost rate cut by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would have significant implications for energy and other science-related research at U.S. institutions.

U.S. Department of Energy Proposed F&A Rate Cut

On Friday, DOE issued a communication indicating it will reduce its F&A rate to 15% for all higher education institutions, and that it will terminate awards to institutions that do not conform with the updated policy.

By Monday, several research universities and national organizations, including the American Council on Education (ACE), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and the Association of American Universities (AAU) jointly filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking to halt the proposed DOE F&A cut. On Wednesday, Judge Allison Burroughs granted a temporary restraining order on the proposed rate cut. A hearing is set for April 28.

URI is a member of APLU and ACE. We remain in regular conversation with these and other national associations, and we are closely monitoring the legal proceedings.

Any URI researcher who is a principal investigator on a DOE-funded award should contact URI’s Division of Research and Economic Development immediately if they receive any communication regarding DOE F&A rate reductions. Email the research division at FederalFundingCommunications-group@uri.edu.

Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

As an R1 public research institution, and as the state of Rhode Island’s land-grant university, URI is a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. APLU is a research, policy, and advocacy organization that works to advance the mission of public research universities. As North America’s oldest higher education association, its membership consists of more than 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico.

URI continues to work closely with APLU and peer member institutions on matters related to recent federal actions and, more broadly, efforts to advance and strengthen the work of the nation’s public research universities. The APLU news site can serve as a resource to members of our community interested in the association’s latest initiatives. 

Federal Actions Updates Webpage

We will continue to provide periodic and timely updates to our University community. Information is readily available on our Federal Actions Updates webpage at uri.edu/federal-actions.

Thank you.