January 26, 2006
Dear Colleagues:
The University of California recently developed new guidelines for seeking non-competitive federal funding, commonly known as Congressional-directed spending or "earmarks." The University of California Guidelines on Non-Competitive Funding are attached for your review.
As you know, federal funding for fundamental research is eroding rapidly. The growing number of academic earmarks diminishes available funding for research in all disciplines. The new Guidelines reaffirm the University’s commitment to merit-based peer-reviewed federal research as the most effective way to allocate funds. The Guidelines outline a process to evaluate circumstances that may warrant the need for an exception to the University’s position not to seek or accept Congressional earmarks.
The newly issued Guidelines provide each campus the ability to establish a local process for reviewing and evaluating earmark requests. The process we will use is outlined below:
- Deans must submit a request for each project to the Vice Chancellor for Research. The deadline for submittal will be determined each year by the Office of Federal Relations. The deadline this year is February 9, 2006. It is anticipated that future deadlines will fall in December. The Request to Seek Congressionally Directed Funding for FY 2007 is attached.
- The Office of Federal Relations will meet with each Dean to discuss the process and the request, and to anticipate any assistance and guidance that may be needed in the event that the earmark request is approved to be submitted.
- The Vice Chancellor for Research will review each request and determine which request will be considered, given the priorities and financial commitment of the campus.
- The Vice Chancellor for Research will forward any accepted requests to the Chancellor for review and approval. Deans will be informed by the Vice Chancellor for Research of the status of requests.
- The Office of Federal Relations will work with the University of California Office of the President and Office of Federal Governmental Relations on requests requiring action by a U.S. Senator.
- The Office of Federal Relations will work with each Dean as the approved request moves through the appropriations process.
I feel this process will provide continuity on campus within the newly issued system-wide Guidelines. I have attached the documents provided by President Dynes announcing and explaining the system-wide guidelines, the campus request form, and a flow chart that diagrams our internal process.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Vice Chancellor Roberto Peccei at ext. 57943 or Executive Director for Federal Relations Kim Savage at ext. 46808.
Sincerely,
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
PDFs:
UC Guidelines on Non-Competitive Funding
UCLA Earmark Form 2006
UCLA Flow Chart 2006