A staple since COSSA’s earliest days, the biweekly COSSA Washington Update newsletter provides members and the public with comprehensive coverage of policy developments impacting social and behavioral science research.
PAA to Host Symposium on Demography and Rural Well-being
The Population Association of America (PAA), a COSSA governing member, is hosting a Rural Policy Symposium to discuss potential policy solutions to promote sustainability and well-being in rural populations. The symposium will also feature panel discussions by experts from the Rural Population Research Network (RPRN), an initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to translate research into policy-relevant solutions for rural communities. The symposium will be held on Friday, September 16. Online registration is available here.
Midwest Political Science Association Call for Submissions
The Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) is accepting proposal submissions for their 80th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference. The conference will take place April 13-16, 2023, in Chicago. Submissions will close on October 7, 2022.
White House Announces New Requirements for Public Access to Federally Funded Research
On August 25, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced new requirements on federal agencies to make peer-reviewed publications resulting from federal funding freely available to the public immediately following publication. Citing longstanding concerns around inequitable access to “the full benefits of scientific research” as well as recent success in the sharing of COVID-19 research and data, the memorandum directs federal agencies to eliminate the optional 12-month publication embargo period for federally funded peer reviewed research articles and to make data associated with peer reviewed research articles immediately available upon publication. Specifically, federal agencies are expected…
COSSA Seeking Nominations for At-Large Seat on Board of Directors
The Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) is soliciting nominations to fill one (1) at-large director seat on the COSSA Board of Directors for the 2023-2025 term. For this year’s cycle, COSSA is specifically interested in nominations that would (1) enhance racial/ethnic diversity and representation on the Board, and (2) represent sectors or communities that would bring new perspectives and opportunities to COSSA, such as philanthropy, industry, or other sectors. The COSSA Board serves as the governing body of the organization and is responsible for setting policy and providing guidance and oversight for COSSA’s strategic directions. The Board of Directors…
COSSA Releases Analysis of Senate Draft FY 2023 Appropriations Bills
In late July, the Senate Appropriations Committee released drafts of its fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations bills. As previously reported, the House introduced its bills in June and passed half of them in July. While the Senate Appropriations Committee is not planning to take up the bills individually through the regular committee process, the release of its bills allows House and Senate appropriators to begin talks and, hopefully, work toward an agreement on final FY 2023 spending in the fall. Across many of the accounts, the Senate bills seek sizable increases for federal science agencies and programs, in many cases,…
COSSA Analyzes Recently Passed CHIPS and Science Act
As previously reported, Congress passed sweeping innovation legislation in late July that promises to make major new investments in the U.S. scientific enterprise and bolster American leadership in cutting-edge research and technology. The Chips and Science Act of 2022 was signed into law by President Biden on August 9 in a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House that included Members of Congress, heads of federal science agencies, technology industry CEOs, and representatives of the scientific community. COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus had the honor of attending the signing on behalf of the social and behavioral science community….
OSTP Requests Information on Data for LGBTQI+ Equity
On August 28, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a Request for Information to help develop a Federal Evidence Agenda on LBGTQI+ Equity. This request addresses the June 2022 executive order, “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals” (E.O. 14075), which tasked a new subcommittee on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (SOGI) within the Interagency Working Group on Equitable Data that will take the lead on developing and agenda to support data collection and aid in informing policy decisions to improve equity for the LGBTQI+ community (see previous coverage)….
Census Bureau Seeking Public Comment for the Design of 2030 Decennial
The Census Bureau is requesting comments from stakeholders and the public regarding the Design Selection Phase dedicated to improving census records in anticipation of the 2030 Census. The Census Bureau anticipates multiple challenges in collecting efficient and accurate data, citing dynamic changes in the workforce and households, and technology advancements as possible barriers. The Census Bureau is seeking to receive feedback on the following: How the Census Bureau can better motivate communities, especially those who are underrepresented, to participate in the 2030 Census. In what ways the Bureau can make the 2030 Census more user-friendly using technology. Whether there are…
National Academies Study Addresses Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials and Research
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently released a report on diversity in clinical trials and research. The consensus study report, Improving Diversity Across the Clinical Trial and Research Ecosystem examined data from various organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, and found, generally, a significant lack of data on diversity on clinical trials. The report cites the lack of standardization of demographic data collection across organizations as a barrier to accessing this type of information. The report details the current atmosphere around clinical trials and research, and the lack of diversity within them, which can lead…
SRCD, LSA Seeking Candidates for Senior Staff Positions
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), a COSSA Governing member, is seeking candidates for its next Director for Policy. Among the responsibilities of this position are communicating policy-relevant scientific evidence to policymakers and policy developments to SRCD members, and administering the SRCD Policy Fellowship Programs. Details are available on the SRCD website. The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA founding member, is searching for its next Membership Director to serve as the “primary membership liaison, charged with retaining and increasing LSA’s membership and ensuring the delivery of membership benefits and services.” Applications are due September 19. Details…
AAPSS Calls for Nominations for 2023 Moynihan Prize
The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) has announced the opening of nominations for the 2023 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize in Social Science and Public Policy. The Moynihan Prize is an annual honor created to recognize social scientists, public officials, and civic leaders who champion the use of informed judgment to advance the public good. The winner is recognized at a public event to be held in 2023 and receives a $20,000 cash prize. Nominations will be accepted through October 26, 2022 and may be submitted on the AAPSS website.
Sweeping Innovation Bill Crosses the Finish Line
Before recessing for the remainder of summer, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act (H.R. 4346) in late July. This collection of bills has taken many forms over the last two years and has gone by many different names, including the Endless Frontier Act, America COMPETES Act, and U.S. Innovation and Competition Act). The final version gained traction over the last few months following significant disruption to the global microelectronics supply chain resulting from the ongoing pandemic. These concerns reinvigorated Congressional interest in innovation and competitiveness legislation, which led to the CHIPS and Science Act that also incorporates ambitious funding…
August Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on NSF’s Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Directorate
Join COSSA for our August 11 Headlines webinar to catch up on the most important social and behavioral science news from the past quarter and answer your questions. Stick around for a deep dive discussion on the National Science Foundation’s new Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate featuring TIP Director Erwin Gianchandani. Register for the webinar here.
Senate Appropriations Committee Releases FY 2023 Bills
On July 28, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations bills. As previously reported, the House introduced its bills in June and passed half of them in late July. While the Senate Appropriations Committee is not planning to take up the bills through the regular committee process, the release of the Senate bills allows House and Senate appropriators to begin talks and, hopefully, work toward an agreement on final FY 2023 spending in the fall. Below is a comparison of the House-passed and draft Senate bills for science agencies: COSSA will issue a full analysis of…
NSF and Congressional Women in STEM Caucus Hold Joint Briefing
On July 28, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Congressional Women in STEM Caucus held a joint briefing, “Meeting Today’s Moment: A panel discussion with women leading the way on scientific innovations.” Panelists included Chief Operating Officer of NSF Karen Marrongelle, Professor and Endowed Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California at San Diego Rommie Amaro, Professor of Astronomy and Physics and College of Science Associate Dean for Research at the University of Arizona Feryal Özel, and Associate Professor of Physics and Director of the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos at Pennsylvania State University Sarah Shandera. …
White House Releases Budget Priorities for R&D for FY 2024
On July 22, the White House released a memorandum outlining the Administration’s priorities for research and development (R&D) for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget cycle. This memorandum, which is traditionally released annually by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), aims to set cross-cutting priorities for all federal research agencies to consider as they develop their budget submissions. The FY 2024 memorandum lists seven such priorities for agencies to consider: Preparing for and preventing pandemics; Reducing the death rate from cancer in half; Tackling climate change; Advancing national security and technological…
Education Department Inviting Comments on Changes to Title IX
On June 23, the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Title IX law enforcing protections against sex-based discrimination in schools, the Department of Education released a proposal to change Title IX regulations and invited stakeholder feedback on the proposed changes. The proposal would implement several changes aiming to expand protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in schools. According to the announcement, the new Title IX rules would: Protect students and employees from all forms of sex discrimination and provide full protection from sex-based harassment. Protect the right of parents and guardians to support their school…