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THE WHITE HOUSE
National Science and Technology Council
For Immediate Release
Contact: (202) 456-6020
September 26, 1996
FACT SHEET
Review of the University-Government Partnership
Introduction
The partnership between government and
universities aimed at advancing science
and technology in the national interest
has roots going back well over a century,
when the land-grant universities were
founded. In the last fifty years, that
partnership has been transformed into the
core element of our world-leading science
and technology enterprise. Federal
support of basic research is focused at
universities, where the training of young
scientists and engineers is advanced
synergistically with the creation of new
knowledge.
Investments in research and education are
a centerpiece of this Administration's
investment in America's future. These
investments are increasingly important for
our nation's prosperity, security, and
quality of life in the knowledge-driven
society of the twenty-first century. The
Administration's investments in this area
are significant with over $12 billion
being invested in universities for
research, as well as considerable support
for education at these institutions.
The President recently received several
letters from national, political,
corporate and education leaders saying
that the nation's universities are going
through a period of stress. These letters
included a letter from the President's
Committee of Advisors on Science and
Technology (PCAST) that recommended a
government-wide policy and administrative
review of our university research system.
It is clear that both the public and
private sectors, including universities,
have had to undergo difficult
restructuring over the past few years. We
have all had to look hard at why and how
we do things. We have had to become more
focused, more efficient, and prioritize
our activities. To sustain our national
level of innovation for the long term, it
is appropriate to stop to examine the data
on what stresses these universities may be
faced with and whether the Federal
government might be contributing to them.
Goals and Principles
Given these observations by diverse
sectors of the science and technology
community, the Assistant to the President
for Science and Technology has decided to
establish a multiagency task force under
the auspices of the National Science and
Technology Council (NSTC). This task
force will be directed by the NSTC
Committee on Fundamental Science (CFS).
This review will: 1) examine data to
determine what might be the major stresses
in the areas of research, education, and
administrative regulations; and, 2)
determine what the Federal government's
role should be in addressing any issues
raised by this examination.
Implementing Actions
As part of the NSTC process, the task
force should define the principal issues
in the three areas cited below, prioritize
the issues, and develop a detailed terms
of reference in collaboration with the
CFS. The task force will work with the
agencies to assess their policies,
programs and regulations related to the
government-university partnership,
education, and research administration.
Research Partnerships. The agencies
should provide their best current
assessments about how budgets, programs,
policies, and regulations may have
impacted research partnerships among
universities and the Federal government,
including facilities not sited at
universities but serving large university
research communities.
Education. Our principal resource for
maintaining leadership in research and for
capitalizing on its advances is our talent
pool of well-trained scientists and
engineers. They are the wellspring of new
ideas and new solutions to challenging
problems. Our universities have served
the nation exceptionally well in this
regard and must continue to do so. The
agencies should review their support of
undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral
science and engineering education.
Effectiveness in advancing the research
and education linkages should also be
considered.
Administration and Regulation. The
Administration is committed to
streamlining administrative and
regulatory procedures. Indeed,
significant progress has been realized.
The agencies should assess the results of
streamlining with respect to the support
and oversight of university research and
identify opportunities for further
progress. The review should include not
only administration of research funding
agreements but associated issues such as
intellectual property rights,
certification processes, and regulatory
oversight. The goal is to minimize costs
and paperwork while preserving the needed
level of accountability in spending public
funds.
Assessment Contexts
If these assessments generate
recommendations to support higher priority
budgets, programs, or policies, then each
agency must include in their assessments a
strategy on how these recommendations can
be accommodated within and among the rest
of the agency's research and development
or education portfolio.
NSTC Integration and Schedule
The NSTC task force shall frame the
agency assessment process so as to address
the issues outlined above and then
recommend the appropriate steps needed to
integrate the findings across the
government. Government and academia must
jointly take responsibility for reshaping
the partnership to meet the new challenges
of the increasingly global technology-based society.
The evaluation should be completed
by June 30, 1997. Any information that
might be useful for the FY 1998 budget
process should be provided to the
Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology as appropriate. Significant
differences in views among agencies should
be noted in the report.
External Advice
The NSTC may seek advice, in
accordance with existing laws, from
members of the President's Committee of
Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
and other appropriate representatives of
industry, academia, the nonprofit private
sector, and state government in preparing
the report.
Resources
Agencies shall provide the NSTC with
the resources needed to prepare guidance
for the agency reviews and for the NSTC's
report preparation.