With the national elections concluded, Congress returned to Washington, DC last week to continue negotiations to address the threat of across-the-board cuts to the federal budget.  These cuts are triggered by a process known as sequestration. 

The University of Oregon has joined with the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) to make the case to Congress that sequestration threatens the nation’s prosperity.  Interim President Robert Berdahl joined with AAU presidents this summer to highlight the dangers of sequestration. UO President Michael Gottfredson and the six other presidents of Oregon University System institutions sent a letter to the Oregon delegation about the immediate impacts if sequestration goes into effect.

In addition, President Gottfredson met on campus with almost every member of the Oregon delegation this fall. Congress has until January 2 to reach a deal to prevent $1.2 trillion in across the board budget cuts through sequestration. If sequestration occurs, the Oregon University System expects the loss of approximately $33.2 million in federal funds for federally funded research, student aid, and other programs carried out by its campuses.