New from COSSA
Advocates Working to Promote Social Science Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Today, about 40 social and behavioral scientists and other stakeholders are participating in COSSAâs 6th Annual Social Science Advocacy Day, meeting virtually with Members of Congress and their staff about the many ways social and behavioral science is helping to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow our advocatesâ efforts on Twitter by following @COSSADC and using the hashtag #whysocialsciencev. Others can get in on the action by responding to COSSAâs newest action alert. Visit COSSAâs Take Action page to tell Congress that the social sciences stand ready and willing to help the United States recover from this crisis. In addition, COSSA…
Congress Split on Content, Timing of Next Supplemental
Congress left town in late March upon passage of its third COVID-19 supplemental appropriations bill (see COSSAâs coverage) with no set timeline for return. Many are still speculating about what a fourth coronavirus supplemental bill might contain. Republicans are interested in a package focused on relief for small businesses and an infusion of cash for the Small Business Administration, while Democrats are seeking additional resources for hospitals, food stamp benefits, testing, and protective gear for frontline workers. The research and higher education communities, too, have been developing proposals for Congressional consideration. On April 7, four higher education associations sent a…
COSSA Compiles Social Science Resources Related to COVID-19
COSSA is compiling a list of resources for social scientists and stakeholders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The list includes guidance from federal science agencies, collections of publicly available peer-reviewed research related to the crisis, resources from COSSA member associations, and more. It will be updated frequently; if you would like to share resources for inclusion, please contact us. There are a number of new databases for researchers wishing to amplify their work that may have relevance to the current crisis, including the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset, supported by the Allen Institute for AI, and a grassroots effort on GitHub…
COSSAâs Analysis of Enacted COVID-19 Supplemental Funding Legislation, FY 2020
Over the past month, Congress has passed three large stimulus bills in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, the three bills comprise the largest economic stimulus package in American history and touch nearly all aspects of American life, including scientific research, support for key economic sectors and small businesses, direct financial support to Americans, and boosts to social safety net programs. All three bills enacted in response to the crisis, so far, have been supplemental appropriations bills, meaning they provide funds to federal agencies and programs in addition to what has already been appropriated for the current fiscal year (FY…
Aprilâs Headlines Webchat to Feature Deep Dive on Social Science During the Coronavirus Crisis
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, March 12. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month, including how the coronavirus pandemic has affected infrastructure and operations at science agencies, organizations, and universities. As always, COSSA staff will be standing by to answer your questions. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Read COSSAâs 2019 Annual Report
COSSAâs 2019 Annual Report is now available. Check it out to learn more about COSSAâs activities and successes over the past year. Find out how your organization can become a member of COSSA on our website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COSSA Submits Testimony in Support of Social Science at NSF, Census, NIJ and BJS
Each year, COSSA submits outside witness testimony to the Congressional Appropriations subcommittees responsible for funding federal agencies important to the social sciences. Earlier this month, COSSA submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies calling for robust funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics, and Census Bureau in fiscal year (FY) 2021. All of COSSAâs FY 2021 testimony will be posted on the COSSA website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Marchâs Headlines Webchat to Feature OSTP Assistant Director for Academic Engagement
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, March 12. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer your questions. The February chat will feature a deep dive discussion with Dr. Lisa Nichols, Assistant Director for Academic Engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Advocacy Day Hotel Block Closing March 9
The hotel block for COSSAâs 2020 Social Science Advocacy Day closes on Friday, March 9. Participants may reserve a room at the block rate of $276 per night for the nights of March 29-31 at the Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC/U.S. Capitol (1225 First Street, NE), a nine-minute walk from our Advocacy Day training location and home base. Use this link when booking or book by phone using the group code C3 or Consortium of Social Science Associations. COSSA members can sign up for Advocacy Day on COSSAâs website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COSSA Urges Advocates to Oppose FY 2021 Budget Cuts to Social Science
Last week, COSSA released an action alert urging social science advocates to reach out to their Congressional representatives to oppose the steep cuts proposed by the Administration in its FY 2021 budget request (see COSSAâs analysis). COSSA created a menu of letters that stakeholders can send to their Members of Congress to share their priorities for the coming year. COSSAâs TAKE ACTION page allows advocates to quickly send a letter to your Senators and Representative and tell them why they care about supporting the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Institute of Education Sciences and International Education, or…
Administration Releases FY 2021 Budget Request; Read COSSAâs Analysis
On February 10, the Trump Administration released its fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request to Congress. In a significant departure from last yearâs budget rollout, the FY 2021 budget is not delivered on the heels of a major government shutdown, like we saw in early 2019. Given that Congress passed its FY 2020 appropriations bills in December 2019âalbeit nearly 3 months lateâthe Presidentâs FY 2021 budget can be compared to FY 2020 enacted levels, providing a clearer look at the potential implications of the Administrationâs proposals. However, the positive news largely ends there with respect to the Trump Administrationâs budget…
COSSA Releases 2020 Rankings of College and University Social Science Investment
On January 29, COSSA released its 2019 College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of federal research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences. This yearâs rankings feature a dashboard with an interactive map of recipients of social and behavioral science R&D funding so you can see how your university stacks up among more than 500 U.S. institutions. Based on the most recent available federal data, the COSSA rankings use an inclusive selection of fields representing the breadth of the social and behavioral sciences to calculate the total federal R&D funding…
COSSA Responds to JCORE RFI
In response to a request for information (RFI) from the Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE) (see previous coverage), COSSA submitted a collection of resources produced by its member associations relevant to JCOREâs four primary areas of interest: (1) Research Rigor and Integrity; (2) Coordinating Administrative Requirements for Research; (3) Research Security; and (4) Safe and Inclusive Research Environments. As COSSAâs letter states, âGiven [the social sciencesâ] focus on the human condition across multiple scales, it is not surprising that our sciences have a lot to say about the topics of interest to JCORE.â The document is intended to…
Still Time to Register for Februaryâs Headlines Webchat on the Presidentâs Budget Request
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, February 13. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer your questions. The February chat will feature a deep dive discussion on the Trump Administrationâs budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2021, scheduled to be released on February 10. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
HOT TOPIC: Foreign Interference in the U.S. Research Enterprise & Policy Responses
COSSA has released the latest edition of our HOT TOPIC series, which are featured articles prepared by COSSA staff members offering insights into timely issues important to the social and behavioral science community. This edition, titled Foreign Interference in the U.S. Research Enterprise & Policy Responses, was written by Ben Goodrich. In recent years, United States federal research agencies have faced growing concerns of reports of U.S. research and intellectual property being stolen, illegally transferred, or tampered with by foreign governments, notably the Chinese government. These agencies have employed a variety of methods to protect research from foreign interference, including commissioning…
COSSA Sends Letter in Support of Panchanathan Nomination to Lead NSF
On January 21, COSSA submitted a letter to leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in support of the nomination of Sethuraman Panchanathan to be the next Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) (see previous coverage). The letter notes that âDr. Panchanathan has a strong and clear vision on the role of research and innovation in ensuring our nationâs leadership in the global economy, and we are pleased to lend our collective voices in support of his nomination.â Panchanathan was nominated in December for a six-year term following the upcoming retirement of current NSF Director France…