APLU Raises Concerns to Proposed Changes to Uniform Guidance and Offers Better Approach 

On July 13, APLU submitted a comment letter in response to the White House Office for Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule on “Uniform Guidance”. APLU also developed a key issues document summarizing the proposed rule. 

Key Resources: 

• APLU Comment Letter  
• Key Issues Summary Document  
• Slides from APLU Webinar  
•  Congressional Letter Tracker  

The proposed rule would establish baseline requirements for federal programs governing how grant awards are issued, approved, managed, monitored, or canceled. OMB indicated it would like to issue a final rule that would put the proposal into effect at the beginning of the next fiscal year on October 1, 2026. The scope and scale of the provisions and resulting concerns in how it may impact the historic partnership between the federal government and public and land-grant universities are substantial. 

APLU is not alone in its concerns. Almost half a million public comments representing diverse interests were submitted to OMB about this proposal. Under the Administrative Procedures Act, OMB is required to review these comments before issuing a final rule. APLU’s Office of Governmental Affairs is monitoring action and actively engaged on Capitol Hill. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought asking him to withdraw portions of the rule that would harm scientific and biomedical research.   

APLU worked closely with its membership to develop the comment letter. The association wanted to ensure that its response represented the views and concerns of member institutions to the maximum extent practicable, including gathering member input via council meetings and broader webinars. Thank you to all members who provided feedback and submitted comments of their own.