News
Scene at BU: Celebrating a Hero
BU President Melissa Gilliam joins alum Brigadier General Enoch "Woody" Woodhouse (LAW'55) at the ribbon cutting for a permanent display of Woodhouse’s military memorabilia on view in the newly named Woodhouse Cadet HQ at the BU Air Force ROTC building at 118 Bay State Road, September 1.
Helping Create Special Education Policies to Benefit Students and Teachers
Researchers at Boston University’s Wheelock Educational Policy Center are studying ways to improve teacher retention and help more kids access special education.
Gilliam in DC; OMB Proposed Rule; Massachusetts Primaries
A Note To Our Readers: Due to technical difficulties, we are sending last Friday's Beltway BUzz today - Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
BU IN DC
Kevin Outterson of the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) and the School of Law testified at a Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health hearing on August 4th.
Jennifer Greif Green and Kristin Kane from the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the Office of Special Education Programs Leadership and Project Directors' Conference from August 4th to 5th. Kane and Sarah Sayko also participated in the Library of Congress National Book Festival on August 22nd.
Stephen Murray from the School of Public Health received an award from the Society of Addiction Psychology at its Annual Convention on August 6th.
PRESIDENT GILLIAM VISITS CAPITOL HILL
President Melissa Gilliam met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss BU's commitment to affordability, research, and global engagement. In conversations with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA, Hon '21), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Bill Keating (MA), Lois Frankel (FL, CAS '70), Bill Foster (IL), and Kelly Morrison (MN), Gilliam highlighted the BU Promise, the University's financial aid program that covers tuition for families earning less than $200,000. She also discussed how BU is supporting its international community amid significant challenges, shared examples of the University's convergent research across data science, sustainability, the humanities, and other fields, and emphasized the importance of robust federal investments in science.
CONGRESS DELAYS PROPOSED CHANGES TO FEDERAL GRANT RULES
On Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2027 into law, a bipartisan measure that maintains federal funding at current levels through December 11th. The continuing resolution also prevents the White House Office of Management and Budget from finalizing its proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance, the rules governing federal grant competitions and awards, before that date. BU and the larger research community oppose the proposed Uniform Guidance revisions, which would inject uncertainty into the federal research enterprise. Congress will need to pass full-year spending bills or another continuing resolution by December 11th to avoid a government shutdown.
BUZZ BITS...
- Congressional incumbents prevailed in the Massachusetts Democratic primary elections on Tuesday, with Senator Ed Markey and all House incumbents defeating their challengers. In the North Shore 6th Congressional District, Dan Koh won the Democratic nomination for the open seat being vacated by Congressman Seth Moulton.
- In August, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon issued A National Call to Action to University Presidents and Governing Boards, urging colleges and universities to publish a statement of principles on their websites. The requested statements would respond to questions posed by the Secretary on issues including admissions transparency, free speech, intellectual diversity, and the value of higher education, among others.
- The Senate confirmed Michael McDonald as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities last month. McDonald previously served as the agency's general counsel.
- The National Institutes of Health recently announced new institute and center leaders:
- John Gaitanis leads the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Wendy Weber is director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Judy Cho leads the National Human Genome Research Institute
- Peter Joseph Embí will lead the National Library of Medicine.
Boston University’s 2026 Menino Scholars and Community Leaders Scholars Arrive Ready to Change Their World
Scholarships reflect BU’s investment in Boston Public Schools students and the future of the community.
BU President Gilliam Returns to Capitol Hill
President Melissa Gilliam met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to discuss BU's commitment to affordability, research, and global engagement. In conversations with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA, Hon '21), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Bill Keating (MA), Lois Frankel (FL, CAS '70), Bill Foster (IL), and Kelly Morrison (MN),
Gilliam highlighted the BU Promise, the University's financial aid program that covers tuition for families earning less than $200,000. She also discussed how BU is supporting its international community amid significant challenges, shared examples of the University's convergent research across data science, sustainability, the humanities, and other fields, and emphasized the importance of robust federal investments in science.