University research to be affected by sequester, but degree of impact uncertain - Jillian Sandler, Daily Northwestern

The impact of the sequestration on Northwestern’s financial status is currently no more than a guessing game for University officials. “The buzzword of the day is uncertainty,” Jay Walsh, the University’s vice president for research, said. “It’s just really not totally clear what’s going to happen going forward.” What is clear is that the sequestration is slated to cut annual biomedical research funding from the National Institutes of Health by 5.1 percent in about seven months, according to a University news release published Feb. 25. The cut comes as part of an $85 billion reduction in federal spending formally enacted by President Barack Obama on Friday. Despite the cuts in research funding NU is facing, University President Morton Schapiro, who wrote Feb. 18 to the Illinois Congressional delegation about the sequester’s detrimental effects on Illinois’ schools and job market, did not express much concern about it in an interview with The Daily on Thursday. http://dailynorthwestern.com/2013/03/04/campus/university-research-to-be-affected-by-sequester-but-degree-of-impact-uncertain/