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On Campus Blog
Alex Friedrich

How the federal shutdown will affect the University of Minnesota, MnSCU

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Just got this from the U.

Summary:

Minimal impact in the short run, though long-term picture is still unclear. Financial aid not affected. New federal grants will be delayed.

I have a call in to MnSCU as well. (Updated. MnSCU's response follows the U's press release.)

Statement from the University of Minnesota regarding effects of the federal government shutdown

University of Minnesota leaders are concerned about the federal government shutdown and the interruption it may cause if it continues for a significant length of time. While the effects of a long-term shutdown are difficult to quantify at this time, we expect minimal short-term impacts.

Specifically, students receiving Federal Pell Grants or Federal Direct Loans should not be affected. Federally-funded research grants that already have been awarded will not be disrupted and the University will continue to submit required research reports and updates to the federal government. The University receives about $53 million each month from the federal government to support research grants. New grant awards are expected to be delayed during the shutdown. However the University will work with researchers to bridge short term gaps in funding. Programs funded through sources other than federal appropriations, such as health care and general University operations, will proceed normally.

We have been working with appropriate federal agencies and our researchers to prepare for this scenario, and have taken every action available to mitigate impacts caused by a shutdown. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and will comply with the regulations and guidelines set forth by federal agencies during this period.

Update from MnSCU Vice Chancellor for Advancement Mike Dougherty:

Our relationship with the federal government is largely (>90%) associated with providing financial aid and other critical services for our students – the Pell, Perkins and Direct Student Loan programs . The federal government shutdown will not immediately impact these programs. We will closely monitor this issue in the days ahead and adjust as the federal situation changes.

We receive about $38 million annually in federally funded research.  Grants awarded with federal fiscal year 2013 or prior years will continue.  Future grants will be delayed by the shutdown.

But I also got this MnSCU-related comment from reader Jay Sieling, a liberal-arts instructor at Alexandria Technical and Community College:

There are small ripple effect for students too. A colleague here at Alexandria Technical and Community College teaching a course in Nutrition has assignments where students access information from websites like nutrition.gov. It is shut down and the projects the students were working on have been disrupted. They can probably still find some appropriate information, but it’s like getting a stick in the spokes when you’re coasting downhill. Not fun at all.