To the UC Davis community:
We are navigating a number of issues that are changing rapidly, often by the day or hour. On Wednesday, I shared some information with faculty and staff after University of California President Michael V. Drake announced a systemwide hiring freeze designed to manage costs in the face of budget uncertainties.
One concern is the proposed 2025-26 California state budget, which calls for a reduction of funding for the University of California.
We are also facing the prospect of significant cuts in federal research funding. On that end, I am working closely with the University of California Office of the President, fellow UC chancellors and organizations like the Association of American Universities to explore and implement legal actions and other responses to these challenges.
Collectively, we are exploring better ways to reach audiences about how the research conducted by higher education connects to a thriving economy, healthier communities and a better understanding of the world. I encourage everyone to find the latest information about how we are managing these issues at the UC Federal Updates website.
At UC Davis, one of our defining goals is to enable research that transforms lives and communities.
Federal funding from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH; the National Science Foundation, or NSF; and other agencies plays a critical role in strategic preparations for the next generation of leaders, innovators and scientists. However, given the ongoing uncertainty with federal support, much of this funding is in jeopardy.
Our researchers are experts like Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of the UC Davis Health Division of Infectious Diseases, who depends on federal funding for research to help prevent limb loss due to surgical infections. He shares concerns about the state of federal research funding in our newly launched “From Labs to Lives” website and video series: “Projects like this, which don’t have a great commercial impact, can really only be funded by federal agencies,” he says in one of the videos.
A research powerhouse
UC Davis is classified as an R1 research university, which marks those with the highest level of research activity. Out of nearly 6,000 colleges and universities in the nation, UC Davis is one of 187 institutions with R1 designation.
In September, we announced that UC Davis received over $1 billion in research awards for the third consecutive year, surpassing the previous year by $33 million. Fewer than 20 public universities in the United States can make a similar claim.
These numbers reflect how UC Davis is shaping a healthier and brighter tomorrow while supporting $2 billion in California economic activity and nearly 10,000 jobs.
The potential impact of federal funding cuts
A proposed 15% cap on NIH reimbursement for facilities and administration costs, or F&A, would be devastating, equating to a loss of $70 million in research funding at UC Davis if the rule were applied to this year. And the impact would stretch beyond UC Davis to the research community at large.
I like to use a simple analogy about milk and a refrigerator to explain the relationship between research and F&A. Imagine you visit the grocery store to purchase some milk. The milk itself constitutes your direct cost. However, you also incur indirect costs, such as the refrigerator and the expenses needed to keep the milk cold. These costs include the need for a storage space for the milk, the utilities required to maintain its freshness and someone to monitor and replenish when the product has expired, as well as clean up any milk that spills.
We charge direct costs for the research and indirect costs for research infrastructure expenses, such as buildings, compliance and regulatory staff, computing and utilities. These indirect costs also cover essential staff to ensure safety measures and protections for human and animal research are in place. The university and the federal government both contribute to the indirect costs of doing research.
From Labs to Lives
“From Labs to Lives” spotlights a wide range of UC Davis researchers who share their work and address why federal funding is crucial for making discoveries.
Dr. Joseph Tuscano, an oncologist from our School of Medicine, is focused on finding breakthroughs for safer and more effective cancer treatments. He says federal funding cuts will “reduce our ability to develop new drugs for these devastating diseases. Potentially, the costs will continue to rise, and more people will potentially succumb to cancer without the development of new drugs.”
Rebecca Calisi Rodríguez, an associate professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior, leads NSF-funded research to understand how chronic stress affects the brain health of parents. By studying the biological mechanisms behind chronic stress, she hopes to find better ways to support positive child development and the well-being of families.
“Government agencies like NIH and NSF, they are the backbone of research in the United States,” she says. “If funding is cut, it won’t just affect scientists. It will slow down the discoveries that save lives.”
Nicholas Pinter, professor of Earth and planetary sciences, focuses on natural hazards and disaster risk reduction at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. He studies how waterways evolve over time, which can lead to better strategies for floodplain management and protecting vulnerable communities.
“That (NSF) research has been an engine for innovation and economic growth,” he says. “And until now, we never thought that things could unwind so quickly … We’re looking at the threat of a sudden turning off of that engine.”
Stay tuned for more videos featuring our world-class researchers in the coming weeks. If you are a researcher or graduate student interested in being interviewed for this series, please fill out this form.
Moving forward
We will continue monitoring the federal landscape and stay committed to unlocking advancements for the greater good of our communities and the planet.
Research across the UC Davis campus produces innovations that become the foundation for tomorrow’s products, services and businesses. Last fiscal year, researchers generated 140 records of invention, submitted 208 patent applications and secured 109 patents and plant certificates.
Our research will remain at the forefront, contributing to the nation’s global leadership in technology and innovation.
We remain committed to collaborating with UC campuses through the UC Office of the President to present a united front against the proposed F&A cuts by NIH and other reductions in federal research funding. Our goal is to ensure that we operate and respond consistently across the entire UC system, providing a unified and coherent approach to these challenges.
Our teams are working tirelessly to share the impact of our teaching and the power of our research with policymakers and other leaders. They are investigating every approach to protect our work and promote the economic and societal good that emanates from our university every day.
For those who would like to be ambassadors for the impacts of federally funded research, the Office of the President has posted an advocacy toolkit related to proposed cuts to NIH funding. The toolkit includes a letter to Congress that you can submit through the UC Advocacy Network, suggested messaging for social media and ways to share the impact of NIH-funded research.
I will continue to provide updates on these many issues as we learn more in the weeks ahead about the proposed state budget and federal research funding. In the meantime, I encourage you all to remain active, continue to ask questions and support one another.
Condemning hatred
The federal government has recently tied federal funding to expressions of antisemitism on college campuses. Considering this very serious situation, I want to address the campus even more directly on this topic.
In February, we launched celebrations for the 35th anniversary of the UC Davis Principles of Community. Since we adopted those principles in 1990, every year we have reaffirmed the basic tenet: We affirm the dignity that is inherent in each of us.
We’ve received complaints from concerned community members about recent student activities, including the Students for Justice in Palestine demonstration on March 11, and those allegations are being reviewed at the highest level of the university. I want to state as strongly as possible that we will not tolerate hatred against any individual or group, or any activities directed at any individual or group in ways that violate UC policy.
We absolutely condemn any and all forms of violence or calls for violence against individuals or groups. Any individual or group that violates policy will be referred to the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs, and individuals will be held accountable for actions found to be in violation of university policy.
In compliance with state and federal laws, UC Davis is committed to providing an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment and where members of the campus community may peacefully exercise their constitutional right of free expression. Freedom of expression remains a pillar of our democracy, but disregarding policy will not be condoned.
As we welcome spring, we ask each of you to join us in reaffirming and upholding the Principles of Community. Throughout the year, the campus will offer many opportunities to reflect, learn and share in events that encourage reviewing approaches to combating anti-discrimination, upholding free speech and adhering to the laws and policies.
We must honor one another’s humanity, even when we don’t agree. We must give people the freedom and opportunity to be who they are, authentically. No one should ever fear coming to campus to learn or work. No student, faculty or staff member should make any other Aggie feel unwelcome.
The Principles of Community remind us always to strive to build a community based on mutual understanding and respect, and I encourage you all to stay active in your commitment to those ideals.
Sincerely,
Gary S. May
Chancellor