Dear Pitt students, faculty and staff,
On Sunday, members of the University administration wrote to update you on guidance announced Friday that drastically reduced funding for existing and ongoing indirect costs for research awards granted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Yesterday morning, 22 state attorneys general filed suit against these cuts, and a federal judge granted the requested temporary restraining order (TRO) for the states that filed. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) also filed suit, and the court granted a national TRO for that action around midnight last night. Similarly, yesterday evening, the Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and the American Council on Education (ACE) jointly filed suit, along with a number of impacted research university co-plaintiffs. Pitt is well represented at the leadership level of these associations and is providing supporting documentation for this effort.
The NIH represents Pitt’s largest federal research sponsor at nearly $700 million in funding, ranking us sixth in the nation. As a result, much is at stake with the proposed cuts to indirect costs, also known as F&A, which support the operations of our research enterprise — from the laboratory space, clinical facilities and highly sophisticated instruments for conducting the research where discoveries happen to the grant, finance or administrative support that enables the work of thousands of scientists, trainees and students. A significant reduction of these funds will result in irreparable harm for University operations: for our patients who receive treatments and cures, the students who become their best selves on our campuses, and the people whose livelihoods depend on our innovation economy. Nationally, research has shown that every dollar of NIH funding generates around $2.46 in economic activity, driving U.S. economic competitiveness.
We will continue to work collaboratively in support of this effort and to provide you with timely updates as more information becomes available.
Best wishes,
Joan Gabel