RAS to close July 2-5; please plan research proposals accordingly

Dear PIs,
 
As they did in 2020, President Reif and Vice President for Human Resources Ramona Allen again provided an extra day off over this year’s Independence Day holiday in order to give the MIT community a much-needed break. As a result, the holiday extends from Friday, July 2, through Monday, July 5. I am writing to provide the research community with a friendly reminder that there are a number of federal grant deadlines during and shortly after the holiday break, including NIH, DOT/FAA, NSF, and NASA/ROSES.
 
Please be aware that no proposal waivers to the five-day rule will be accepted for solicitations due July 2 to July 11 to ensure that Research Administration Services (RAS) staff members will not be required to work over the holiday. I will be instructing them to disconnect from their MIT accounts at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 1, and not reconnect until Tuesday, July 6, at 8 a.m., so please plan your proposal submission accordingly.
 
In addition, please let off-campus collaborators know about this plan, as late input from collaborators at other institutions is one of the most frequent justifications given for waiver requests. I urge PIs to submit proposals well in advance of deadlines.
 
Over the last year, despite the challenges created by COVID-19, RAS has successfully submitted more than 3,200 proposals, which represents a shared success between our PIs and administrative staff. By making it possible to rest and recharge over the Independence Day holiday, we demonstrate to our staff how much we value their contributions. Thank you for your cooperation.
 
Sincerely,
 
Maria T. Zuber
Vice President for Research