The September 2023 Update from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) provides a detailed overview of recent activities, policy developments, advocacy efforts, and upcoming initiatives relevant to its membership of 215 leading U.S. research institutions. Marking its 75th anniversary, COGR reflects on its expansion and increased influence in shaping effective research administration, policy, and compliance frameworks. Key highlights include COGR’s engagement with federal agencies such as NASA, NIH, DOE, NSF, and DOD, particularly around evolving regulations pertaining to research security, financial compliance, data management, and intellectual property. Noteworthy updates cover the unofficial release of major revisions to the Uniform Guidance, ongoing efforts to address foreign influence and research security under the CHIPS and Science Act and NSPM-33, comments on proposed changes to disclosure requirements and subaward agreements, and responses to new executive orders focused on domestic manufacturing and investment restrictions in certain technologies.
The report also details updates on compliance burdens, such as the cost of research security standards and administrative challenges with federal registration systems, financial reporting, and new federal technology transfer expectations. COGR has actively facilitated dialogue among its members and with agency officials on implementation nuances, proposed policies, and reporting requirements, seeking to balance regulatory compliance with minimization of administrative burdens and continued research productivity. Additional topics addressed include updates to human subjects and animal research policy, compliance with evolving audit frameworks, and anticipated regulatory comment deadlines. Across these developments, COGR emphasizes a collaborative, proactive approach, offering resources, workshops, and advocacy to ensure institutional preparedness and effective response to the dynamic federal research policy environment.
