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Ahead of Higher Ed: Shutdown ramifications permeate to UH

Though assumed to be small, the effects on public higher education institutions resulting from the government’s shutdown, which occurred on Monday after Congress failed to agree on the Appropriation Act, will continue to trickle down to students.

UH, along with any other higher education institution that receives funding from the government, expects to see effects on its Division of Research, if the shutdown continues for an extended amount of time. However, Pell Grants or any national student financial aid are not expected to experience long-term negative effects, as reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education, although delays are expected in some cases.

“As a result of the permanent and multi-year appropriations, Pell Grants and student loans could continue as normal,” said the Department of Education in its contingency plan released Friday.

“Only skeletal program operations would continue under the ‘significant damage’ standard,” which would phase in the necessary employees to prevent “significant damage” to the department, according to the plan.

Though research departments expect to be hit harder by the shutdown, even those repercussions are minimal, since agencies that typically provide grants to universities, such as the National Institute of Health, give to universities at least a year in advance.

Government-funded museums and libraries also experience closures, but UH does not play host to any of these facilities.

Government websites, such as that of the U.S. Department of Education, are not to be updated, but will remain open.

If the shutdown continues, universities can expect greater consequences. For the UH community’s convenience, the Division of Research has compiled a list of their resources online.

The entire country is holding its breath for news of development from Congress, but it seems higher education is in the clear for now.

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