James M. Fadool, an associate professor of biology at Florida State University, got a federal grant of more than $300,000 to study eye defects using zebra-fish. Some of that money went to pay another researcher, $1,536 biweekly, to assist with the research and manage the lab where the fish were kept. But an audit by the Office of Inspector General…

Specific campus projects that Congress has directed federal agencies to support this year at over 120 colleges and universities are listed. The agencies neither requested support nor sponsored merit-based competitions for the awards. In some cases, the institutions have a history of receiving special federal treatment. (MSE)

Federal appropriations for fiscal 1991 for projects involving specific colleges and universities has set an all-time record for such spending. Actual totals are probably even higher. Spending is for research facilities and varied projects. The increases may reflect lawmakers' impatience for an administration policy on promoting technology. (MSE)

As Congress prepares for the next cycle of appropriations, lawmakers and academics must consider what military research projects are doing to the universities and decide where the lines on academic freedom should be drawn, both by the government and by the universities themselves. (MSE)

The practice and methods of federal research impact assessment are described. Three areas of evaluation (selection of research project, research review, and postresearch assessment) are examined, and different evaluation methods (qualitative, retrospective, and quantitative) are compared. Peer evaluation, the most common assessment method, is seen…

A discussion of the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policies concerning computation of indirect costs on federally funded research projects at universities focuses on recent policy changes. Significant revisions are examined, future points of scrutiny are noted, and ongoing initiatives are described. Three options for indirect cost…

In the largest settlement of its kind, New York University has agreed to pay the federal government $15.5 million to resolve charges that it submitted false information to obtain inflated reimbursements for costs associated with research grants. At least four universities are being investigated on similar grounds. The Clinton Administration issued…

This brief guide to the Research Programs Division of the National Endowment for the Humanities covers basic information, describes programs, and summarizes policies and procedures. An introductory section describes the division and its mission to encourage the development and dissemination of significant knowledge and scholarship in the…

A study investigated the factor(s) predicting success in receiving National Institutes of Health (NIH) First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) funding. Two analytical models were used with a variety of researcher, methodology, project design, and institutional characteristics as variables. No significant predictor variables were…

Despite pressure from Congress and faculty, and a series of revisions in federal regulations, the average rate charged the government by universities for overhead for federally financed research appears remains high. Average rate for the top 100 research institutions is over 50%; most of the highest rates are at private institutions; all the…

A recent survey of federal government officials, corporate leaders in charge of personnel and research, and journalists found dramatically different views in some areas, but agreement in concern about college costs, financing, and lack of government spending for research. Most felt college is a fair value for the cost. (MSE)

The unsettled federal policy environment of the 1990s will affect public policy for higher education well into the next century, particularly in the areas of research support and student aid. Institutional researchers should work with financial aid officers to comply with rules and reporting requirements and to monitor policy effects on…