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).



Bob Park can be reached via email at whatsnew@bobpark.org
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the University, but they should be.