Governmental Relations update: Nov. 18, 2011

Some scientific research safe for now, Pell Grant recipients still in jeopardy

This week in Washington, D.C., FIU continued its efforts to protect Pell Grants, promote cutting-edge biomedical research and partner with federal officials to diversify the scientific workforce.

Late Thursday, Nov. 17, the House and Senate each passed the first substantive appropriations package of the year, which, in a positive turn of events, sets the National Science Foundation (NSF) budget at $7 billion, or 3 percent more than the NSF’s fiscal 2011 levels and $4.9 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, up 7 percent. Both of these agencies are critical to scientific, engineering and oceanic research at FIU.

It now appears the House of Representatives draft education funding bill has greater weight in negotiations between the Senate and House appropriators. This bill would eliminate eligibility for thousands of students across the nation by eliminating eligibility for students attending school less than half-time; reduce the maximum number of semesters a student can receive Pell Grants from 18 to 12; cut the maximum family income that would automatically qualify a student for the maximum grant from $30,000 to $15,000; and end eligibility for any student who qualifies for less than 10 percent of the maximum grant (currently $5,550).

President Mark B. Rosenberg wrote an op-ed in The Miami Herald on Pell. During the 2010-2011 academic year, FIU had 17,256 students who received Pell Grants (for more FIU Pell stats click here). FIU Student Government Association (SGA) leaders also met with Federal Relations this week to plan advocacy for this Fall. If you would like to become engaged in these efforts, contact your SGA leaders today.

In her mission to promote FIU’s biomedical engineering research, Dr. Ranu Jung was in D.C. this week representing FIU at the Neuroscience 2011 Public Advocacy Forum. While in D.C., Dr. Jung met with congressional staff from the offices of Congressman Rivera, Congressman Diaz-Balart and Congresswoman Wilson to share her advanced research on prosthetics and nerves.

Representatives from the Division of Research and our Applied Research Center met recently with representatives of the Department of Energy in coalition with other minority serving institutions to help diversify the energy sector workforce and increase research and contracting engagement with these institutions. FIU leads the nation by managing the first-ever workforce development program at a university for the Division of Environmental Management — the DOE Fellows.

Applications are now being accepted for the FIU Federal Relations internship program in Washington, D.C. Each semester, this 16-week internship offers a hands-on leadership experience for FIU students or recent graduates. This experience helps foster FIU leaders, who typically go on to become active alumni advocates, and in some instances go on to work in government relations positions throughout the nation.

For more information, contact federal@fiu.edu or connect with the staff on Twitter or Facebook.

Check out the latest video from the Office of Governmental Relations: