N.C. A&T, Chapel Hill Co-Host National APLU Meeting of University Research, Government Affairs Leaders

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2025) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University partnered with UNC Chapel Hill July 28-31 to co-host an especially timely joint meeting of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities’ (APLU) councils on research and governmental affairs.

The event drew 325 leaders from doctoral research universities across the country for three days focused on higher education advocacy in Washington and state capitals and issues affecting federal research funding, policy and legislation. This is the first time that an HBCU has hosted such a joint meeting, and it came at a pivotal time for the councils, both of which are grappling with changes at the federal level, including funding uncertainty in federal science agencies.

“It would be hard to overstate the value of the discussions at the joint meeting or the significance of that dialogue being hosted by North Carolina A&T,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II, who spoke to delegates on the second and third days of the meeting. “We’re grateful to our colleagues at Chapel Hill and at APLU for their partnership and to higher ed attendees from around the country, many of whom were visiting our university for the first time.”

Issues drawn from the headlines dominated the meetings, including talks regarding what the government will agree to pay in overhead costs – also known as F&A or indirect costs. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed that costs be capped at 15% of the typical award. 

Universities argue that overhead represents hard costs associated with scientific inquiry, including cutting-edge technology, laboratory maintenance and utilities. Some of the most significant scientific research with the greatest potential to impact humanity is unavoidably expensive, and overhead costs can sometimes add 50% or more to the total award for such projects.

If universities were required to absorb those costs without full compensation, many would quickly lose the financial wherewithal to support research at the levels they do today, numerous academic leaders underscored at the joint meeting.

Representatives from APLU and nine other academic and research organizations are discussing this issue with OMB and Congressional representatives, working toward creation of a new F&A policy that works for all parties and supports America’s continued global leadership in scientific research. In an unprecedented move, those organizations last spring formed the Joint Associations Group on Indirect Costs or JAG to spur development of a new funding model.

On July 11, JAG released formal recommendations to Congress and the executive branch called the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) Model, “a new approach to increase transparency, accountability and clarity in how federal research funding is spent.” It simplifies the cost structure by eliminating negotiated F&A rate proposals and recommends adoption of a total-project-cost calculation to determine indirect funding.

While administration and Congressional officials have engaged collaboratively with JAG on the FAIR Model, it has not been adopted yet, and conversations are ongoing.

In addition to indirect cost discussions, the joint meeting focused on strategic partnerships between higher education and industry, workforce development and strengthening campus relationships between offices of research and departments of governmental affairs.

“The joint meeting set a high bar in terms of collaboration between A&T and Chapel Hill that was very visible to all who attended,” said A&T interim Vice Chancellor for Research Melissa Hodge-Penn. “It also gave attendees a chance to see what A&T is doing as a research university, and from the comments I heard, that was a pleasant surprise for a number of our guests.”

In a particularly special moment at the joint meeting, APLU presented Congresswoman and two-time A&T alumna Alma Adams (R-N.C.) with its Congressional Achievement Award.

A Greensboro Democrat and former state legislator now in her sixth full term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Adams has long been a staunch supporter of higher education on Capitol Hill. She is the founder of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus (2015) and co-founder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus (2019).

Adams earned a B.S. and M.S. in Art Education, both from A&T, before completing a Ph.D. in Art Education and Multicultural Education from Ohio State.