Aloha UHPA Members,
The Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a 412-page proposal titled the “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” seeking to transfer core decisions on federal research funding away from qualified scientific experts and hand them over to political appointees. By stripping away nonpartisan peer review and prioritizing ideological compliance, this regulation weaponizes the federal bureaucracy to exert control over scientific research. In an audacious attempt to undermine the merits of science, OMB’s guidelines explicitly state all proposed grants must “demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities.”
If passed, it will allow political appointees to censor research, reject applications based on a researcher’s public statements, and cut off active funding mid-project on a moment’s notice. This threatens multi-year grants now in progress. It will also ban using grant funds to pay for academic journal publishing fees and require federal clearance just to attend a conference. In Hawai‘i, groundbreaking, trans-national intellectual discoveries may also come to an end as the OMB prohibits using federal funds to collaborate with any foreign countries that are on the U.S.’s sanction list. This is an immediate crisis for higher education, academic freedom, the entire public research sector, and ultimately, the public who benefits from these research findings. Read this overview of the key changes.
The AAUP and AFT are leading the charge to resist this attempt to constrain American science. UHPA is actively engaged with the AAUP and AFT in this national effort, and we need every member, affiliate, and activist to take action.
Action Items
1. Attend the AAUP/AFT Higher Ed Webinar on June 18
Join AFT and AAUP for an online briefing where they will break down the proposed rule and walk members through how to submit effective public comments.
- Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026, 10:00 AM (HST)
- Platform: Zoom
- Registration Link: Register Here
2. Submit Your Public Comments (Deadline: July 13, 2026)
While AFT and AAUP will be submitting formal organizational responses, personalized individual comments from faculty, researchers, and the public is critical. Note: Personal stories about how this impacts your specific line of research carry the most legal weight.
- Where to submit: AAUP and AFT have partnered with Stand Up for Science to create a streamlined portal. Submit your comments directly via the Stand Up for Science Action Portal.
- Need help framing your comment? Review these talking points and comment-submitting strategies to make your voice as impactful as possible.
We urge you to register for the webinar, submit your comments, and forward this notice to your colleagues. We must stand together to protect higher education and keep research free from political interference.
Mahalo!