Dear Colleagues,

 Effective October 10, 2025 the National Science Foundation requires research security training certifications for all proposers and senior/key personnel. This training must cover cybersecurity, international collaboration, foreign interference, proper use of funds, disclosure, and conflicts of interest/commitment.

Specifically:

• Senior/key personnel must complete their required research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission.  NJIT must certify that all senior/key personnel have completed this training.  Accordingly, it is even more important to initiate pre-award approvals as early as possible.
• NJIT must also certify that the institution has a plan for Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research training for all relevant personnel (students, faculty, etc.). This training must include mentor training, awareness of research security threats, and federal export control/disclosure requirements.

More details related to these federal requirements may be found here.

Going forward, in post-award phase, all personnel, including students, postdocs, etc., working on the project will be required to take the research security training as a part of the federal or institutional policy.

Through CITI Program, NJIT has the required courses available.  Our use of CITI Program for training integrates into our existing compliance training and allows for documentation and certification.  NJIT has single sign-on access with CITI Program to facilitate accessibility (choose to log-in through my organization).

For those that have not yet have an account with CITI Program, some basic instructions to get research security classes active are: 

• Navigate to the CITI Program webpage.
• The Login button is located near the upper right, click it.
• You will then want to choose "Log in through my organization" and in the search use New Jersey Institute of Technology in full.
• Continue to SSO/Login Instructions, and sign in as normal.
• You will be prompted to associate your account, if you do not already have an account, this is the time to create your account.
• You will be asked to update your profile, please do so.
• For NJIT compliance purposes, the licensed professional question will have no impact.
• You will then find yourself presented with a set of questions; these questions help determine which training is required.
• For the purposes of research security training, you only need to answer Question 10, and please choose "Research Security Advanced Refresher."  This class contains all the required modules in one. 

Continued Institutional Guidelines on Impact of Changes in Federal Policies on Research Grants and Contracts

If you receive any notification including any specific stop order, termination, budget change on indirect costs rate on your award/proposal, or request to sign any attestation from any funding agency, please forward the notification with any attachment to me immediately at dhawan@njit.edu and copy Eric Hetherington at erich@njit.edu. 

Please do not sign any document sent to you regarding any attestation on the federal research grants. 

We will continue to carefully review at the institutional level with the provost and general counsel offices to advise and follow up. The Office for Research and the Office of General Counsel will review the request and respond with instructions for you to follow.

Please visit our website periodically for updates on this situation.

Sincerely,
Atam Dhawan
Senior Vice Provost for Research

Dear Colleagues,

As we have shared over the past few months, federal policies regarding research funding are evolving rapidly. We are seeing new certification requirements and conditions being included in grant awards and applications from federal agencies, and we need your assistance in identifying any new certifications or conditions on funding. This is essential to preserve NJIT’s eligibility to receive federal grants.

Please immediately bring to our attention any new certifications or conditions you find in a grant application, Notice of Award, or other communication with the funding agency, which may include language specifically related to:

• Presidential Executive Orders
•  Indirect cost caps (e.g., a 15% cap) that fall outside our standard negotiated rates
• DEI/DEIA or equity initiatives
•  "Gender ideology" or definitions of sex
• Any other atypical language or requirements

Please forward any such language to Eric Hetherington, Associate Vice Provost for Sponsored Research Administration, at eric.d.hetherington@njit.edu. If you find this language in a grant application, a grant renewal, or during discussions with an agency (before a Notice of Award), please pause and wait for guidance from Eric before taking any further action.

We appreciate your partnership as we work to protect our research enterprise. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

John A. Pelesko
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share with you new guidance, entitled Recognizing the Impact of External Events on the Tenure, Promotion, and Evaluation of NJIT Faculty. This document was prepared by the Provost’s Ad Hoc Task Force on Federal Developments, endorsed by that group, and reviewed and supported by the University Promotion and Tenure Committee.

As you know, recent federal actions have disrupted traditional patterns of research funding, altered agency priorities, and placed new constraints on scholarly work. These developments have the potential to affect faculty productivity in ways that are outside an individual’s control. This guidance offers recommendations on how Promotion and Tenure committees may take such factors into account when evaluating cases.

I want to emphasize that this guidance does not change NJIT’s Promotion and Tenure policy. Instead, it provides a framework for committees to fairly assess faculty achievements in light of these external realities. The goal is to ensure that our processes remain both rigorous and equitable, recognizing the resilience and adaptability of our colleagues in navigating a shifting environment.

I am grateful to the Task Force and the University Promotion and Tenure Committee for their thoughtful work. I trust that both tenure-track faculty and promotion and tenure committees will find this guidance helpful throughout the promotion and tenure process.

Sincerely,
John A. Pelesko
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear NJIT Faculty and Staff,

I would like to start by thanking the faculty, staff, and students who attended the open forum hosted by the Provost's Ad Hoc Task Force on Federal Developments on April 28, 2025. The participation and thoughtful input from attendees greatly contributed to our understanding of these complex and evolving issues. In the months ahead, I encourage each of you to continue to engage with the Task Force as we work to navigate federal developments.

As shared at the open forum, I am pleased to report that all 21 visas previously revoked for NJIT students have been fully restored. Our Office of Global Initiatives (OGI) continues to monitor these situations closely and will provide guidance to any community member impacted by visa-related matters. To contact OGI, please call 973-596-2451 or email global@njit.edu.  

Additionally, I want to bring to your attention recent actions by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Effective May 5, 2025, the NSF has implemented a standard indirect cost rate of 15% for all new grants and cooperative agreements awarded to institutions of higher education. This new policy, Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate | NSF - National Science Foundation, has significant implications for NJIT and our research community. Further, over the past several weeks, the NSF has terminated more than 1000 awards and has halted all funding actions until further notice.

As we’ve shared previously, if you receive any specific stop-work order, grant termination, notice of indirect cost rate change on your award/proposal, or request to sign any attestation from any funding agency, please forward the notification with any attachment to the Research Office immediately to Senior Vice Provost Atam Dhawan at dhawan@njit.edu and copy Associate Vice Provost Eric Hetherington at erich@njit.edu. 

Please do not sign any document sent to you regarding any attestation, certification, or substantially similar document on any federal research grants. 

We recognize the potential difficulties these actions and proposed cuts pose to our research community. In response, NJIT has established a Stop-Gap funding policy designed to support researchers affected by these federal developments, ensuring continuity and mitigating disruptions to ongoing research activities. The full text of this policy has been distributed to Deans and Department Chairs and any faculty or lecturers impacted by grant terminations should discuss the application process with their Department Chair.

Furthermore, to acknowledge the extraordinary circumstances impacting research and academic activities, faculty seeking promotion are now encouraged to include an impact statement in their promotion dossiers detailing how these federal developments have influenced their professional work. Detailed guidance about preparing this impact statement can be found on the Provost’s webpage.

I also want to note that the President’s recently proposed federal budget for FY 2026 indicates substantial funding reductions for many agencies crucial to our research enterprise, including:

• NSF: 55.8% reduction
• U.S. Department of Energy: 9.4% reduction
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 26.2% reduction
• NASA: 24.3% reduction

While the development of the FY26 federal budget is in its early stages, we will continue to monitor these proposed changes and share additional information as it becomes available.

Thank you once again for your dedication, resilience, and commitment during these challenging times. We remain committed to supporting our entire community and will continue to keep you updated as further developments occur.

Best,

John A. Pelesko
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Highlanders,

With recent federal actions affecting student visas across the country, we know many in the NJIT community, particularly our international students, faculty, and staff, are feeling anxious and uncertain. Today, we want to share the latest information available about visa revocations and terminations of status and other recent developments, and provide information about resources available to the community.

Across the United States, many universities have reported instances of student visas being revoked. This has occurred at NJIT as well. At present, we are aware of 21 terminated Student and Exchange Visitor Information (SEVIS) records and/or visas of NJIT-sponsored F visa holders. This includes seven current students and 14 former students on post-graduation Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT Extension work authorization. NJIT had no advance notice of or involvement with these decisions by the federal government, and the reasons for these decisions are unclear.

At this time, we are not aware of any members of the Highlander community being arrested or detained because of these terminations. Nor have there been any instances of federal law enforcement on campus, to date, related to these matters. Should such an instance occur, please recall that impacted individuals should notify NJIT’s Department of Public Safety by dialing 973-596-3100 or 9-1-1 and saying “NJIT”. No further action should be taken until Public Safety arrives. The Office of General Counsel will be notified as necessary.

NJIT’s Office of Global Initiatives (OGI) is monitoring the SEVIS system continuously. If OGI is notified or becomes aware that a member of the Highlander community’s visa status has been changed by a federal action, OGI will contact that community member and provide information and resources. To contact the Office of Global Initiatives, please call 973-596-2451 or email global@njit.edu.  

In instances where current students are affected, the relevant dean will be notified, and the Office of the Provost will work with the dean to enable the student to continue their studies, if possible. The State of New Jersey’s Office of the Secretary of Higher Education also has provided guidance and resources concerning federal immigration requirements for New Jersey institutions of higher education. This guidance document may be found here. 

Additionally, members of NJIT’s research community should be aware of a new policy action announced by the Department of Energy on April 11, 2025. Details may be found here. Note that this new policy sets a standard indirect cost rate of 15 percent for all grant awards to institutions of higher education and notes that the Department of Energy is taking action to terminate all grant awards to institutions of higher education that do not conform to this new policy. If you receive any notification including a stop order and budget change on indirect costs rate on your award/proposal, or request to sign any attestation from DOE or any other funding agency, please forward the notification with any attachment to me immediately to Atam Dhawan at dhawan@njit.edu and copy Eric Hetherington at erich@njit.edu. Researchers are encouraged to check the website maintained by the Office of Research concerning federal actions regularly. 

We want to assure all members of the Highlander community that NJIT is committed to supporting its students, faculty, and staff who may be affected by any or all of these actions. We will continue to monitor the situation, act as appropriate, and share information and resources regularly. NJIT values every member of its community, and we thank everyone for their contributions and support during this challenging period.

Sincerely,

John Pelesko, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs

Marybeth Boger, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Bill Brady
Vice President for Human Resources

Dear Colleagues,

NSF has posted a Statement of NSF Priorities on their website today. The following important points in this statement should be noted and considered for the current and pending NSF awards, and future proposals to be submitted.

“NSF's broadening participation activities, including activities undertaken in fulfillment of the Broader Impacts criterion, and research on broadening participation, must aim to create opportunities for all Americans everywhere.

These efforts should not preference some groups at the expense of others, or directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities.

NSF will continue to support research with the goal of understanding or addressing participation in STEM, in accordance with all applicable statutes and mandates, with the core goal of creating opportunities for all Americans.

NSF will continue to support basic and use-inspired research in S&E fields that focus on protected characteristics when doing so is intrinsic to the research question and is aligned with Agency priorities.”

The statement posting on the website is followed by Frequently Asked Questions. We strongly encourage all researchers to carefully review all content including the FAQs. Specifically, please note Q3:

3. What types of awards are being terminated?

Awards that are not aligned with NSF's priorities have been terminated, including but not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation.

Additional information on NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders can be found here.

If you receive any notification including a stop order, termination, budget change on indirect costs rate on your award/proposal, or request to sign any attestation from NSF or any other funding agency, please forward the notification with any attachment to me immediately at dhawan@njit.edu and copy Eric Hetherington at erich@njit.edu. 

Please do not sign any document sent to you regarding any attestation on the federal research grants. 

We will continue to carefully review at the institutional level with the provost and general counsel offices to advise and follow up. The Office for Research and the Office of General Counsel will review the request and respond with instructions for you to follow.

Please visit our website periodically for updates on this situation.

Sincerely,
Atam P. Dhawan
Senior Vice Provost for Research

Dear Faculty and Staff,

The Provost's Ad-Hoc Task Force on Federal Developments invites you to an upcoming open forum for faculty and staff to discuss issues regarding the evolving and changing landscape in higher education under the current federal administration. Recognizing that these issues have implications for graduate students, we encourage faculty to invite your graduate student representative from your department to attend with you.

This forum will take place on Monday, April 28, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm in GITC, room 1400.

The event will feature remarks from Provost Pelesko and Task Force Co-Chair Vice Provost Sadik. The majority of the forum will be devoted to a question and answer session with event attendees. To inform the Task Force's work, we ask that you complete this survey in advance of the forum.

This will be an in-person event and an open space for dialogue, with no virtual option. 

We look forward to a productive and engaging discussion with you all.

Wunmi Sadik
Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs

Bill Brady
Vice President, Human Resources

Dear Colleagues,

As PI or Co-PI of the federal research grants/contracts, you may receive a request to sign attestations for federal grants and subawards that the grant activities comply with recent executive orders. If you receive a request to sign any attestation from your funding agency, please forward the notification with any attachment to me immediately at dhawan@njit.edu and copy Eric Hetherington at erich@njit.edu. 

Please do not sign any document sent to you regarding any attestation on the federal research grants. 

We will carefully review at the institutional level with the provost and general counsel offices to advise and follow up. The Office for Research and the Office of General Counsel will review the request and respond with instructions for you to follow.

Please visit our website periodically for updates on this situation.

Sincerely,
Atam Dhawan
Senior Vice Provost for Research

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last several weeks, the United States federal government has issued a number of executive orders, memoranda, and other directives that may affect higher education in the United States. Many of these documents can be found in the Federal Register, and they call for changes to areas such as research funding, energy policy, immigration enforcement, gender identification, and diversity programming and resources. Some of these actions have resulted in legal challenges that are ongoing, and the situation remains fluid.

Most recently, on Friday, February 14, 2025, the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a “Dear Colleague” letter which provides an overview of how the Office of Civil Rights interprets the Supreme Court’s ruling in the 2023 case SFFA v. Harvard and its application to the nature of diversity programs and resources within educational institutions.

At NJIT, we are actively monitoring these federal developments and will continue to do so, reviewing all existing policies and practices to ensure compliance with the law. No preemptive action should be taken by individual departments or organizations. If you have any questions, please contact the senior university administrator for your area. Additionally, in order to be responsive to the issues affecting higher education, as well as the needs of our university community at this time, we have established an Ad Hoc Task Force on Federal Developments. This task force will have broad representation from faculty and staff and will help ensure that all concerns are heard.

Throughout our history, NJIT always has been a place where all students are afforded an opportunity to receive an education that can transform their lives and result in a better future for themselves and their families. We celebrate the diversity of our university and the core values that are our foundation, because we believe and have believed throughout our history that bringing together people from varied backgrounds spurs creativity and nurtures innovation.

We are proud of our history, our impact, and the work we do as an institution, and we are committed to maintaining a welcoming environment in which all members of our community are able to succeed and thrive.

Thank you for your dedication to NJIT, to our mission, to our values, and, most especially, to our students. We will continue to keep you informed as new developments occur and information becomes available.

Sincerely,

John A. Pelesko
Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs

Bill Brady
Vice President for Human Resources

David Jones
Chief Diversity Officer

Dear Colleagues,

On Friday, February 7, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a notification pertaining to indirect cost rates on current and future NIH grants. Indirect cost rates are reimbursements for related but indirect costs for facilities and administration necessary to support the funded research activity. Per the notification, award recipients for any new grant issued, and for all existing grants to Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), are capped at a 15% indirect cost rate. NJIT’s current negotiated rate with the federal government is 50.5%.   

Yesterday, attorneys general representing 22 states, including New Jersey, filed a lawsuit against the NIH and others, requesting a temporary restraining order to prevent implementation of this change. The judge in that case granted a temporary restraining order. Therefore, NJIT will continue submitting proposals with the federally approved rate of 50.5% at this time. The temporary restraining order is set to remain in effect until a hearing scheduled for February 21, 2025. NJIT leadership continues to work with contacts at federal and state agencies to monitor this situation and will communicate any developments as rapidly as possible.

The faculty, staff, and students of NJIT have long used federal funding to conduct groundbreaking and vital research that positively impacts our state, our nation, and our world, and the university both appreciates and values your commitment to our public research mission as we continue to navigate this rapidly evolving situation.

Please visit our website periodically for updates on this situation.

Sincerely,
Atam Dhawan
Senior Vice Provost for Research