The May 2015 Update from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) provides a broad overview of significant regulatory, legislative, and policy developments affecting research universities and their administration. Notable topics include animal welfare regulations, ongoing reforms related to federal grant transparency (GRANT Act), and the National Institutes of Health’s single IRB policy for multi-site studies, with COGR expressing concern about the administrative and operational burdens of these measures. The report covers extensive federal engagement on issues such as agency conflicts of interest, dual use research oversight, and major legislative efforts on patent reform, intellectual property management, and “patent troll” litigation, emphasizing the active role of higher education associations in shaping and responding to proposed changes.
The Update also details developments relating to federal requirements and regulations, including expanded anti-trafficking compliance for federal contractors, revised standards for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) from NIST and NARA, and implementation progress on the OMB Uniform Guidance for grants administration. There is analysis of challenges and recommendations concerning financial management of grants, costing and compensation policies, audit developments (notably involving NSF and HHS), and institutional accounting transitions, such as the NIH shift to subaccounting and new grant closeout procedures. The newsletter reports substantial advocacy for regulatory reform and retrospective review of burdensome federal requirements, highlighting ongoing dialogues with agencies, the GAO, and the National Academies. Other covered topics include efforts to ensure equitable treatment of off-campus research centers, implementation issues related to the DATA Act, and strategies for maintaining compliance amidst a complex and evolving federal funding landscape. Overall, the document emphasizes both the challenges facing research institutions due to expanding regulatory demands and the proactive measures being taken by COGR and its affiliates to address and influence these changes to support the research community.
