Trump Nominates More Agency Officials
BU IN DC
Joshua Semeter of the College of Engineering attended a meeting of the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Geosciences, of which he is a member, on April 12 and 13.
TRUMP NOMINATES MORE AGENCY OFFICIALS
The Trump Administration recently announced its intention to nominate several individuals for federal agency positions that are relevant to the higher education community:
- Candice Johnson has been chosen as the deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary of the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she oversees the Department’s efforts to address campus violence and sexual assault.
- Lee Francis Cissna will be put forth as director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which oversees immigration and naturalization policies, including the rules governing H-1B visas.
- Russell Vought has been tapped to serve as the deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, which plays a critical role in crafting federal research and education budgets. He currently serves as vice president of Heritage Action for America, a think tank, and previously spent 12 years as a Capitol Hill staffer.
BUZZ BITS…
- Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the third iteration of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASA) with six bipartisan cosponsors last week. The bill seeks to increase standardization and federal regulation around campus sexual assault protocols, but the higher education community has expressed concerns with some provisions. It is unclear whether Congress will take up the measure this year.
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) led several Democratic Senators in expressing concerns with the Department of Defense’s plans to protect servicemembers in its Tuition Assistance Program.
- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos withdrew three memos that increased the regulation of federal student loan servicers, stating that the previous Obama Administration guidance was confusing and onerous. Consumer groups criticized the policy reversal, which they believe could harm student borrowers.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a Dear Colleague Letter soliciting proposals to expand Convergence research, part of NSF’s Ten Big Ideas for Future Investment. NSF is requesting proposals for workshops, Research Coordination Networks (RCNs), Summer Schools, and Cross-Sector activities that integrate Convergence research into four of its Big Ideas: Harnessing the Data Revolution for 21st Century Science and Engineering; Navigating the New Arctic; The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum Revolution; and Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Shaping the Future. Applications for these opportunities are due by either May 15 or June 1, depending on the program.
A Note to Our Readers: Due to the Congressional Work Period, Beltway Buzz will not publish next week.