Dear Members of the UCSF Community,

As you may be aware, Congress is working to pass a budget for the federal fiscal year that starts on October 1. There is a possibility of a federal government shutdown if a deal is not reached by midnight on September 30.

The UC Office of the President and UCSF are closely monitoring the situation. This communication includes information about what impacts may occur in the event of a government shutdown and the steps we are taking to minimize potential disruption. Please take a moment to review these updates to learn more about any potential impact to you and your work. You may also refer to guidance on the UCOP Federal Government Shutdown webpage.

Implications for graduate students and postdocs

The Graduate Division does not anticipate any financial disruption to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars (trainees) who are paid through existing contracts and grants awarded to UCSF investigators. A subset of trainees is paid directly from federal agencies (such as NASA, USDA, NEH, EPA, and FDA) rather than through contracts or grants awarded to UCSF. UCSF expects September 30 payments to these trainees to proceed as usual. The Graduate Division is working on contingency plans to partner with schools and departments to support these trainees in the event that a government shutdown interferes with the timely transmittal of subsequent payments. Information about these plans will be distributed through schools and departments.

Impact to federally supported research

At this time, we do not anticipate impact to existing federal awards, but a prolonged federal shutdown has the potential to delay the proposal review process and the issuance of new awards or renewals. The Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to researchers as needed. Please refer to this helpful OSR resource for more specific information.

UCSF Health

Federal Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements to UCSF Health will not be affected by a federal government shutdown because these funds are not subject to the congressional appropriations process. The University of California is among the largest providers of health services to patients enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid in California, and UCSF Health expects to be able to continue serving our patients who are covered by these programs.

UCSF has experienced federal shutdowns before, and we are taking appropriate steps to minimize the potential disruption to our work across our mission areas. We will continue to provide updates as they develop. In the meantime, thank you for your continued dedication to serving all of the communities that rely on us.

Sincerely,

Sam Hawgood, MBBS
Chancellor
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor