Further responses to federal actions

Dear members of the MIT community,

I write to bring you up to date on developments in two areas where recent government actions are interfering with the normal functioning of MIT, diminishing our ability both to serve the nation and to attract the world’s finest talent.

One relates to federal funding, the other to our international community.

Filing an additional lawsuit

As I’ve communicated before, we are responding to certain federal actions by going to court.

In February, when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) imposed a sudden cap on the indirect cost reimbursements required to conduct our research, we joined several peer schools and associations in filing suit. The court granted a permanent injunction, which remains in force while the government seeks to appeal.

As a reminder, indirect costs cover essential things like data storage; hazardous materials management; radiation safety; the costs of maintaining and renewing research facilities and equipment; research administrative systems; and compliance with federal regulations. For many years, each university has negotiated with the granting agency a reimbursement rate that reflects factors like the regional cost of living.

This past Friday evening, the Department of Energy (DOE) imposed a cap similar to that from NIH. DOE announced that, for grants to universities, it would no longer cover indirect costs at previously agreed-to rates and would instead terminate all grants unless they conform to a blanket rate of 15%. DOE grants support the work of nearly 1,000 members of our community.

Today, we joined with several peer schools and higher ed associations in filing suit to stop this action.

Visa and student status revocations

Separately, as you likely know, unexpected visa and student status revocations have occurred at many colleges and universities, and 15 higher ed associations recently came together to seek clarity from the government.

Since April 4, nine members of our community – students, recent graduates and postdocs – have had their visas and immigration status unexpectedly revoked.

One of those individuals has now filed suit against the federal government. MIT is not a party to the student’s suit, which is being brought by independent counsel representing the student’s interests. But we have been in touch with the student directly, and we are extremely concerned that there appears to have been no notice or explanation from the government for the revocation.    

Our concern extends to all the members of our community who face such unexpected revocations, and we know that our international community – indeed our campus community broadly – is alarmed by the possibility of future actions.

Our Office of the General Counsel has prepared several guidance documents, which you can access from this central page devoted to immigration and international travel resources. MIT also recently hosted an information session to answer the most common questions. If you have specific questions about your own situation, I urge you to reach out to the International Students Office or the International Scholars Office.

To live up to our great mission, MIT is driven to pursue the highest standards of intellectual and creative excellence. That means we are, and must be, in the business of attracting and supporting exceptionally talented people, the kind of people with the drive, skill and daring to see, discover and invent things no one else can.

To find those rare people, we open ourselves to talent from every corner of the United States and from around the globe. MIT is an American university, proudly so – but we would be gravely diminished without the students and scholars who join us from other nations.

The threat of unexpected visa revocations will make it less likely that top talent from around the world will come to the US – and that will damage American competitiveness and scientific leadership for years to come.

Sincerely,

Sally Kornbluth
President