As you are aware, a partial federal government shutdown went into effect at midnight on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. The Research Foundation (RFCUNY) is not able to receive any funds from many federal agencies. Federally funded projects are not paid in full or in advance when awarded, but rather the RF draws down funds from the funding agencies’ payment systems periodically to be reimbursed for expenses. The RF will have to “forward fund” grant expenditures from affected agencies until the shutdown is over. In addition, federal pass-through subcontracts, State, City, and private programs may be affected.

Federal agencies not affected by the shutdown are NIH, ED, DOE, DOD, and NASA.  

The College of Staten Island and the Research Foundation are committed to supporting our principal investigators, the staff associated with projects that receive federal funding from the affected agencies, and our students supported by affected grants and awards. Accordingly, the RF is taking steps to conserve funds to minimize the potential impact of the shutdown on research and sponsored programs and, in particular, on RF-funded personnel and students. The following procedures have been developed and implemented by the RF to conserve financial resources in order to ensure that current salaries and other critical obligations are paid.

A.     All Programs with Direct Funding from Federal Agencies that are shutdown: 

    1. Payment of personnel costs will be limited to existing employees. Reappointments will be processed on a case-by-case basis.
    2. No new employees will be placed on the RF’s payroll.
    3. New and existing GRAs will continue to be processed and paid. 
    4. Payments of all OTPS expenses (to vendors, consultants, sub-recipients, etc.) will be suspended, except the following
      1. Existing and new stipends will be paid.
      2. Expenses associated with safety.
      3. Expenses associated with animal care or other emergency circumstances.
  1. For federal pass through subcontracts, State, City, and Private Programs: 
    1. If a project is funded in cash, it will not be affected.
      Please note that many projects are “cost-reimbursed” accounts, which means that we have to bill the sponsor first before the accounts have the actual cash to spend. Under such cases, please refer to the following:
      1. If a new contract has not been fully executed, meaning registered with the Comptroller, there will be no forward funding.
      2. Fully executed contracts and MOUs will be funded via forward funding or college guarantee on a case-by-case basis.

B.     All Discretionary Accounts (9th ledger accounts, those account numbers start with 9xxxx-xx-xx): 

Expenses on these accounts will be limited to essential needs only.

C.    All PSC-CUNY Accounts:

These are all cash accounts and will not be affected.

Currently, these emergency courses of action apply only to funds from agencies affected by the shutdown. We will keep you informed of any new developments if the shutdown continues for a more extended period.

I know that some of you are beginning to feel the effects of these procedures. Many situations are being handled on a case-by-case basis and if you have any questions, please contact Associate Provost Mel Pipe, mel.pipe@csi.cuny.edu, 718 982 2729. ​

Thanks for your cooperation during this difficult state of affairs.