Sent Friday, December 21, 2018

Members of the Brown Community,

I’m writing about the possibility of a partial shutdown of the federal government and potential implications for the University should this occur. The current continuing resolution (CR) that funds the federal government is set to expire at midnight tonight, Friday, December 21. Unless the Congress and President reach an agreement to temporarily fund the government, we can expect a partial shutdown.

Brown, like all U.S. teaching and research universities, partners with the federal government to fulfill its mission. The federal government supports students through federal financial aid and loan programs for students and their families, and university-based research is funded in large part through grants from a range of federal agencies.

The situation is highly fluid. Congress and the President have until midnight tonight (Friday) to broker a deal to fund the government, and the outcome at this point is uncertain.

The implications for the Brown community would be determined by the duration of the shutdown and the affected agencies. Approximately 75 percent of the government’s $1.2 trillion fiscal 2019 operating budget is already funded, so the effects of a shutdown would be limited to agencies whose appropriation bills have not been signed into law.  

We will be monitoring the situation closely, remaining in contact with our Congressional delegation on the issue, and reporting on any potential impact to the University should a shutdown occur.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke
Provost