Several universities and higher education associations filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday, a lawsuit regarding a new policy limit on indirect research on the cost of funds of 15%. [emphasis, links added]
DOE announced on April 11 that it will limit the indirect costs of all research funds or support for funding for administrative and other non-research-related expenses, or for administrative and other non-research costs.
According to the lawsuit, schools such as the American College Association (AAU), the American Board of Education (ACE) and Cornell University, Brown and the University of Michigan claimed in the lawsuit that the department’s decision was “blatantly illegal” and “will destroy scientific research.”
“[I]F Doe's policy is allowed to stand, which will undermine scientific research at American universities and severely undermine our nation's enviable position as a global leader in scientific research and innovation. ” The lawsuit says.
[…snip…]
ACE and APLU did not immediately respond to DCNF's request for comment. AAU referred DCNF to the public statement of the group.
The agency said in announcing the decision,illustrate:
“The purpose of energy grants to universities and universities is to support scientific research, not pay for administrative costs and bills for facility upgrades.”
Cuts do not apply to direct research funding.
A Doe spokesman told the Daily Call News Foundation that “no comment on ongoing litigation”.
Overhead costs are often used for expenses such as “facilities costs” which include “depreciation of building, equipment and capital improvements and operating and maintenance costs”, as well as “general management [other] General expenses, which include “the director's office, accounting, [and] Human Resources,” DOE said.
The lawsuit says some universities, such as the plaintiff University of Illinois listed in the lawsuit, received up to 58.6% of the indirect funding.
Another plaintiff, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), estimates that as much as $16 million in funding would be lost if DOE cuts are allowed to take effect.
Barbara Burgess on Unsplash
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