The document presents a comprehensive overview of the costs and operational impacts associated with new compliance requirements related to NSPM-33, recent disclosure mandates, and the development of research security plans at research-intensive institutions. Drawing on a survey conducted among ten diverse universities—spanning both public and private sectors and varying in federal research funding—the analysis highlights the significant administrative, staffing, and technological investments now necessary to meet federal requirements. The survey findings indicate that institutions have incurred considerable new expenses, including hiring and reallocating staff, investing in information technology, and expanding training initiatives. Pre-implementation and ongoing compliance efforts reportedly required hundreds to thousands of hours and upwards of several hundred thousand dollars per institution. Furthermore, costs were associated not only with tangible resources but also with opportunity costs stemming from diverting existing personnel to compliance efforts.
The panel discussion distilled four major themes: the leveraging of technology and existing systems for compliance efficiency, substantial investments in people and training, the profound influence of institutional size and research scope on compliance burden, and the need for clarity on funding these new costs. Institutions are encouraged to evaluate how their established administrative processes and technology platforms can be adapted for research security while recognizing that even incremental adaptations entail costs. A strong emphasis is placed on the need for tailored training, clear risk assessment, and resource allocation in response to the scale of federal funding and the type of research conducted. The document underscores ongoing challenges in reconciling the financial impact of compliance with available funding mechanisms and advocates for continued dialogue with federal agencies to address this issue. Looking ahead, it calls for expanding the survey to gather broader insights and maintaining active advocacy related to the nuances of compliance costs and institutional sustainability under evolving federal policies.
