As the federal government shutdown continues, Johns Hopkins University's administration is working with all schools and divisions to assess the potential impacts of a longer-term closure.
"At this time, Johns Hopkins University and Medicine are operating on a near-normal basis," said Jonathan Links, the university's chief risk officer. "We have experienced only very minimal impact at this early stage."
On Tuesday, JHU Provost Robert Lieberman sent an email updating the university community about the shutdown. As a follow-up, the university launched a Web page to keep individuals—particularly grant recipients and others who rely on federal funding—informed about the shutdown. The page includes links to external resources and other information. It will be updated as needed.
At this stage, the university has noted only minimal disruptions related to the shutdown, including "stop work" orders for a small number of specific projects. Administration also has received reports that researchers and students who rely on government resources, such as the Library of Congress or Pub Med Central, have been unable to access them. Some researchers who collaborate with federal employees have not been able to reach them or gain access to labs at federal facilities.
Future impacts, including shortfalls in research funding, could be more significant, Lieberman said.
"We are in the midst of analyzing the potential consequences of an extended shutdown, but for the moment, the important work of the university community continues," Lieberman wrote in a follow-up message Thursday.
Individuals who experience work-related effects of the shutdown are urged to contact the Office of Government and Community Affairs, which is interested in sharing reports with members of the Maryland congressional delegation.
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