Thank you to each and every one of you who contributed to the Coalition for Carolina in response to last week’s newsletter.
If you haven’t had a chance to make a contribution yet and would like to support the Coalition for Carolina with a tax-deductible donation, you can give at this link.
If you missed last week’s newsletter and want to read more about the important work the Coalition is doing and why we could use your help, you can read it here.
One of our most recent efforts exemplifies how this Coalition makes a difference. While we cannot always control the outcome of issues facing Carolina and higher ed, this Coalition serves as a vehicle to keep the Carolina family informed about the most important issues facing our great university and gives you the tools to get involved and fight back.
We recently called on Coalition supporters to speak out against a dangerous proposed rule change to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Guidance that would allow Trump administration political appointees to decide the fate of federal research funding. With UNC being a top -10 research university, this rule would have a huge impact on Carolina.
Researchers at UNC partnered with STAT News to crunch the numbers of the comments on the OMB’s website:
- 496,769 total comments submitted before the July 13 deadline
- Analysis of 52,322 comments posted in full shows broad opposition to rule – roughly 95% were in opposition and just 1% supported the proposed changes
- Analysis indicated “the overarching theme cited in comments of those in dissent was the risks associated with political appointees directing what science is funded. Other common concerns were peer review being deemphasized, the potential for awards to be terminated before research projects are completed, and restrictions on work related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Those who commented in support largely surfaced arguments about reducing waste, fraud, and abuse.”
In a busy world and crowded news environment, it’s easy to lose track. We at the Coalition for Carolina are working hard to keep you up to date on the news and how you can take action to support UNC. We hope we can continue to count on your support.
Thanks again.
Roger Perry
Coalition for Carolina Co-founder