In an email to faculty and staff on Tuesday, LSU Interim President Matt Lee called for them to “stay engaged” despite the complexity presented by the federal government shutdown.
After Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress engaged in a standoff and ultimately failed to agree on a federal budget, the government went into a shutdown effective Wednesday.
In his email, Lee noted that the shutdown may delay federal awards and reimbursements. Despite that, he urged LSU faculty and staff to remain consistent and “continue to meet all established deadlines for grants, reporting, and applications.”
LSU, like many universities across the country, has been affected by decreased higher education funding and funding from the National Institutes of Health under the Trump administration. Lee acknowledged that had already complicated how LSU employees were reporting for federal funding, and the shutdown furthered that difficulty.
“Our leadership team is closely monitoring the situation and will share updates as we receive them from federal agencies,” Lee said. “We are also working actively with our partners across the federal government to identify research opportunities, complete annual audit and compliance requirements, and stay engaged with our congressional delegation.”
Lee’s message was optimistic and conveyed that he believed LSU would be able to weather the shutdown.
“We have successfully navigated previous shutdowns, and I am confident in our ability to do so again. Thank you for your continued focus, flexibility, and commitment during this challenging period,” Lee said.
