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University officials say federal executive orders have halted dozens of grants; new emergency RAISE fund created
Summary
University leaders told Regents that a recent wave of federal terminations and stop‑work orders has disrupted dozens of sponsored projects, affected hundreds of personnel and produced multi‑million‑dollar shortfalls; the administration described appeals, a rapid‑response task force and a one‑time RAISE emergency fund to help affected staff and trainees.
Vice President for Research and Innovation Shashank Priya told the University of Minnesota Board of Regents’ Mission Fulfillment Committee that recent federal executive orders and agency actions have produced “multiple layers of disruptions and destabilization” to the university’s sponsored research portfolio.
Priya said on the slide deck that the University had “confirmed 79 terminations of a sponsored project as of May 2.” He also described a two‑week‑lag snapshot showing 72 terminated awards and said personnel connected to those earlier terminations numbered about 220, with an initial dollar‑impact estimate of roughly $22.3 million and an expanded estimate approaching $27 million when pending stop orders were included.
Priya and Director of Cost Analysis David Hagen told Regents that terminations include full cancellations, stop‑work orders that suspend activity and payments, and partial terminations that cut specific components of multi‑part projects. They identified major funders affected — including NIH, NSF and USDA — and listed several campus examples, among them NIH subawards to Alzheimer’s research, a multistate Thriving Communities technical assistance program (original award about $8 million), and a Duluth‑based industrial transformation initiative whose DOE negotiations were paused.
“We react on the terminations wherever it’s possible to file the appeal,” Priya said, describing a process that relies on the Office of General Counsel and agency program officers. He warned that agencies often delay or do not respond to appeals and said some PIs decline public appeals out of concern that naming themselves could affect future reviews.
President Joan Gabel Cunningham and Priya described internal mitigation steps. The administration has formed a rapid response task force working with finance, human resources, the provost’s office, sponsored programs and other units; it pursues appeals, scenario planning and aggressive external advocacy through higher‑education associations. Cunningham said the measures aim to “manage the business problem while focusing on supporting our people.”
To offer short‑term relief, Priya announced the Researcher Assistant Initiative for Supporting Emergencies (RAISE), a one‑time emergency funding mechanism “designed for researchers whose projects have been terminated” that prioritizes students, postdocs and research staff at immediate risk of losing continuity of employment or critical projects that require orderly wind‑down. Priya said the program will not replace lost federal funding but can help preserve personnel and critical data or human‑subjects work while appeals proceed.
Regents pressed for detail on appeals procedures and timetables. Priya said appeals are grounded in factual analysis that argues a termination or stop‑work order is inconsistent with agency policy, and that responses from agencies can take months. He added that the university coordinates regularly with peer institutions and associations to share tactics and support legal or administrative remedies when available.
Cunningham said the university is preparing for multiple budget scenarios, including large proposed cuts in federal agency budgets, and emphasized advocacy to state and federal officials. “There is no replacement for that federal funding,” she said; RAISE and internal emergency funds are meant to mitigate harm to people and preserve near‑term continuity where possible.
The Committee did not take formal action; Regents asked follow‑ups about personnel counts, the appeals process, and how private‑sector partners might help sustain key positions.
