Friday, 8 January 1988
1.
THE FY 88 BUDGET -- THE PORK BARREL HAS GONE HIGH-TECH.
The
practice of earmarking science funds for unreviewed centers and
institutes continues to grow, aggravating the problems of tight
science budgets. As in the past, the DOE's Office of Energy
Research is the favored location for the scientific pork. Irwin
Goodwin of Physics Today counted fifteen new "centers" and
"institutes" in their budget, soaking up about $133M, up a third
from last year's $96M. Included is an $8.5M Institute for
Advanced Physics Research at the University of Boston. They seem
to get a new library or science facility every year. Their
President, John Silber, is one of the noisiest critics of peer
review. Why put up with the hassle of a proposal? All you need
is an influential Congressman on the right committee and you too
can have a new Institute. The DOE was also instructed to provide
Louisiana State University with a $12M Center for Advanced
Microstructures. Sen. Johnston (D-LA) Chairs the Energy and
Natural Resources Committee. Mississippi, will get $3M for the
Mississippi Institute of Technology from the Department of
Commerce, a $3.75M Polymer Institute at the University of
Southern Mississippi from the Department of Agriculture, and a
$0.6M Mineral Resources Institute at the University of
Mississippi from the Department of the Interior. Sen. Stennis
(D-MS) is Chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
2
.MEANWHILE, RECIPIENTS OF NSF MERIT REVIEWED GRANTS,
including some Nobel laureates, report that their funding for
next year is being cut 5-20%. This is generally taken to mean
that Erich Bloch has decided to forge ahead with the creation of
new Science and Technology Centers despite the disappointing
budget increase (WN 18 Dec 87). Indeed,
some of the new
Engineering Research Centers reportedly are getting less than
they had anticipated. It was this kind of grant shaving that
created the instrumentation crisis a few years ago.
3.WILL NEXT YEAR BE ANY BETTER? PROBABLY NOT.
Officials at
NSF are still talking bravely about getting back on the doubling
track, but the President says his budget will adhere to the
Budget Summit agreement to hold discretionary spending to a 2%
increase in FY 89. His asking budget is expected on 19 Feb 88.
4.STATES THAT FAILED TO MAKE THE SUPERCOLLIDER SHORT LIST
(WN 1 Jan 88) do not all plan to yield
gracefully. They note that
the DOE has the power to add to the list, and Secretary of Energy
Herrington's office is being bombarded with requests for appeal
hearings. The award for cheek goes to Gov. Cuomo who is
protesting because only one New York site (Rochester) made the
list. At least 20,000 residents of the Rochester area wish it
had been the other one. They signed a petition protesting the
location of a supercollider in their backyard. It was delivered
to the White House by Rep. Frank Horton (R-NY).
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