Navigating uncertain times

Dear UIC community,

We are living through deeply uncertain times, where the landscape seems to shift daily, if not hourly. In the latest development, the National Institutes of Health announced plans to cap indirect costs funding at 15% for all existing and new grants. While we anticipate legal challenges, this change would have significant impacts for our entire campus community. Some key points to be aware of:

• A 15% cap would cut roughly $47 million in NIH Facilities and Administration funding to UIC based on our current NIH grant portfolio.
• Indirect costs are real costs that support campus infrastructure, including lab operations, security, information technology, research equipment, and core facilities, among other things. The proposed cuts would have significant impacts across the entire campus.
• We encourage investigators to consult the Office of the Vice Chancellor webpage for additional guidance on spending, unobligated balances and no-cost extensions. If you receive any communication from your sponsors, please share them with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research by emailing NotifyOSP@uic.edu.

Among many other things, UIC biomedical research has produced promising new therapeutics, including a novel antibiotic to fight drug-resistant bacteria and a redesigned drug for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common blood cancer in children. It has helped us develop a new screening method to help physicians detect ovarian tumors early and a new vaccine for lymphatic filariasis, a disease affecting over 100 million people worldwide.

Please be assured that university leadership is actively working with our national network to gain clarity and, in some cases, join legal actions as led by the UI System Office of the General Counsel. Make no mistake, we are facing hard challenges — but hard challenges are easier to take on when we navigate them together.  As always, our shared mission is our greatest strength.

With regards,

Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor

Karen Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs

For more information, please contact:
Office of the Chancellor
chancellor@uic.edu