Colleagues,
I want to share a timely update regarding developments in Washington, D.C. that may affect our campus operations.
Following the absence of agreement on legislation to fund the government past the end of the federal fiscal year, the federal government “shut down” just after midnight Wednesday. This lapse in appropriations has the impact of shutting down all federal government operations that are deemed “non-essential,” as defined by the contingency memos authored by each federal agency. Unfortunately, we cannot say with certainty when Congress will advance funding legislation that has the effect of resuming normal government operations. However, please be assured, we continue to work closely with our partners at the Universities of Wisconsin as we coordinate contingency plans and monitor the situation.
At this time, the immediate impact on our operations is limited. Federal financial aid has primarily been disbursed, and we are carefully monitoring federal grant funding reimbursements and other activities for potential impact to our university community. For those with federally funded grants or contracts, please be aware there may be delays in processing or requests for alternate plans.
We are in contact with our partners and agencies to stay informed and will share updates as they are available. Finally, the Universities of Wisconsin Federal Updates Work Group continues to meet on a weekly basis and will post weekly Federal Friday updates at https://www.wisconsin.edu/government-relations/federal-updates/. If you have questions or concerns, please connect with supervisors, deans, or unit administrators, who will elevate issues as appropriate so we can navigate together. However, keep in mind there remains a lot of uncertainty and there may not be an immediate answer to every question.
Please know we will do everything possible to keep core campus operations stable and to support our community through any disruptions. We will share updates as the situation develops.
Thank you for your patience and flexibility as this situation evolves.
