President's FY2018 Proposed Budget

On May 16, the White House released its full budget request for FY2018, which calls for more than $1 trillion in cuts to a wide range of programs over 10 years. The proposal calls for a $54 billion increase in base discretionary defense spending in 2018, offset by an equal cut in non-defense discretionary spending. Emory is concerned about the myriad of proposed cuts to programs we prioritize, such as research and financial aid programs. While the President’s budget provides important insight into the Administration’s priorities, congressional appropriators typically prefer to craft spending bills that reflect their own priorities.

Missed Opportunities for NIH

Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), Emory’s representative in Congress, has introduced legislation to drive home the point that the current National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding level is insufficient to capture all the outstanding grant proposals that are being advanced by today’s researchers. More information on H.R. 1946, the Missed Opportunities Act of 2017, can be found here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1946

Cost of Research

A proposal by the Administration to cap the indirect costs associated with research at 10% is raising alarm for research universities like Emory. Also called Facilities and Administration costs, these expenses include construction, maintenance, energy/utility, safety, and security. Using FY2016 data, under a 10 percent cap scenario, Emory estimates a loss of $84.5 million. The OGCA team is working with our association and institutional partners to educate Congress and the Administration about how much research costs and how much research institutions, like Emory, already spend of their own resources to further the research enterprise.

See infographic here

The Winship Cancer Institute is recognized in the Congressional Record!

See it here

Thanks to Senators Isakson and Perdue for demonstrating their support for NIH funding in FY2018.

Read the letter here

Emory in the Community: Connecting Communities Through Art

On April 28, Professor Nicole Morris’ English class celebrated the opening of their exhibit, “‘Let the People Sing’; Communities Reflected Through Art in the Tradition of Zora Neale Hurston.” During the spring semester, students focused on the texts of the acclaimed writer while observing and creating art representing their perspectives of the Emory community. The students in this class identified and explored areas of the Emory community they had not visited before. The students engaged with the Emory Police Department, Kaldi’s, the various Cliff Shuttle communities, the African Students’ Association, and employees in Campus Services. Professor Morris emphasizes the importance of students interacting with communities outside of their comfort zones. See the student’s artwork and read more about this project on the course website. The artwork is currently on display at the Schwartz Center through September 1.

Opioid Prevention Summit

We applaud DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson for his leadership in organizing an Opioid Prevention Summit, addressing the challenges of this serious and widespread health issue. Emory Drs. Justine Welsh and Ayman Mohsen Fareed participated on panels discussing prevention education strategies and increasing access to treatment.

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