UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will host a town hall on Monday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. to share updates on the University’s research enterprise and the evolving federal funding landscape. The event will take place in 603 Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub and will be livestreamed for the Penn State community. It will be hosted by Andrew Read, senior vice president for research; Fotis Sotiropoulos, executive vice president and provost; and Amanda Wintersteen, assistant vice president for federal relations.
The town hall comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding federal reimbursement policies for facilities and administrative (F&A) costs. While no final decision has been made, proposed changes could significantly impact how universities nationwide — including Penn State — fund and manage research.
“This is a moment for transparency and strategic planning,” said Read. “We are committed to supporting high-impact research, but we must also prepare for potential shifts in federal support. We will never step away from excellence, but rather will double down on it, making difficult decisions as needed to ensure long-term sustainability.”
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released revised guidance that could limit the use of discretionary grant funds for indirect costs. Although the proposed 15% cap has not yet been finalized, Penn State leaders are proactively evaluating its implications.
The town hall will address:
- the current status of the federal funding environment
- the effects of funding slowdowns and grant terminations on Penn State
- Penn State’s scenario planning in anticipation of additional future funding cuts
- updates on advocacy efforts
Penn State faculty, staff and students can attend in-person at 603 Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub or online via Microsoft Teams. Registration is not required.
- Penn Staters can join via this Microsoft Teams meeting link.
- Those who do not have Microsoft Teams can use this link to be able to access the meeting.
During the town hall, Read, Sotiropoulos and Wintersteen will answer questions that have been submitted in advance (submit questions here), including any that aren’t addressed at the State of State event on Oct. 30 due to time constraints. Attendees also will have the opportunity to ask questions live during the event.