University of Wisconsin-Madison Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Isbell Jr. and Dean of the Graduate School William Karpus issued a memo to graduate school deans Sunday advising them to consider decreasing the number of future students admitted to graduate programs due to funding uncertainty created by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) funding cuts.
While the NIH’s decision to cap indirect cost rates is temporarily paused from taking effect, this move from UW-Madison administration hints at how universities — especially those with high research activity — plan to manage the impact if a cap is implemented in future admissions cycles.
Isbell and Karpus said the recommendation comes as peer institutions are lowering their incoming doctorate population, making UW-Madison more attractive to prospective students and increasing their admissions yield.
To counter the increase, Isbell and Karpus advise graduate programs “should carefully consider their existing and future resources” as offers of admissions are made.
Acknowledging they were unsure if the Graduate School even has funds to “support normal enrollment,” Isbell and Karpus nudged deans to “carefully consider whether to move down the waitlist” if an admitted student declines to attend, according to the memo.
A federal judge extended the order blocking the NIH from lowering indirect cost rates last Friday, though certain colleges at UW-Madison have already taken precautions in anticipation of funding cuts.
Dean and Director of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) Glenda Gillaspy wrote to CALS students in a letter Monday advising Principal Investigators to exercise more caution when deciding to use funds in research labs.
Gillaspy has also been meeting with members of Congress in Washington to “discuss the impacts of these changes,” according to the memo.
However, the current response from the university is being criticized for not including graduate students enough. Maddie Topf, the co-president of the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), the UW-Madison graduate student union, told The Daily Cardinal the Chancellor’s office and Graduate School have declined to meet with them since Mnookin took office.
“If they did take that time to hear what we have to say… we can get on the same page,” Topf said. She said the university has told her she doesn't know what is happening behind the scenes, alleging Topf is interfering in the university’s efforts of lobbying lawmakers and joining lawsuits challenging the orders.
Topf said during these uncertain times for graduate students, administration’s response must reflect the importance of graduate students, staff and faculty.
UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas in a statement to the Cardinal said that “although TAA is not a bargaining unit or union for graduate students,” Chancellor Mnookin would be happy to participate in a conversation. However, Lucas stipulated that this conversation would occur with the Associated Students of Madison, with TAA “in attendance.”
Topf said a dangerous domino effect could occur if NIH’s cuts to indirect rates go through.
“The fewer researchers you have, the fewer teachers you have, the research and education is going to suffer,” Topf said. “It just will.”
