Executive Orders & Directives

No. We encourage researchers to move forward with your proposal preparation and submission. Please adhere to current federal program guidance for the funding program to which you are applying and reach out to Research & Sponsored Program Development at UND.RSPD@UND.edu with any questions regarding specific solicitations.

We do not yet know how and to what extent individual faculty careers and research trajectories may be disrupted by procedural or policy-driven changes at the federal level. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic provide examples of how to ensure faculty success during rapid change and uncertainty. Possibilities include allowing for one-year tenure clock extensions. 

Make sure your dean and department chair are aware of any disruptions to your research agenda caused by federal directives. You can also reach out to:  

Randi Tanglen 
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs 
randi.tanglen@UND.edu

NIH released guidance on Feb. 7 indicating their intention to cap indirect cost recovery on all awards to 15%. On Feb. 10 a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order directing the NIH to continue granting new awards and reimbursing current awards at their agreed upon, negotiated indirect cost rates. If a principal investigator (PI) receives correspondence directly from the agency or institution that sponsors their work or the officer who oversees the funding program, they should reach out to:  

Lauren Pite  
Grants & Contracts Accounting 
lauren.pite@UND.edu

Michael Sadler 
Research & Sponsored Program Development 
michael.p.sadler@UND.edu 

The university will continue to monitor this closely and work with any areas that might be impacted by such a change.

Some federal agencies are providing agency-wide guidance and / or guidance directly to individual researchers and institutions. Before incorporating new federal directives or changing policy into your work processes, researchers should attempt to contact their federal program officer. 

If you have questions about whether any of these directives apply to your work, or you have received direction from your federal program officer to stop or change certain activities, reach out to:

Lauren Pite
Grants & Contracts Accounting 
lauren.pite@UND.edu

Michael Sadler 
Research & Sponsored Program Development
michael.p.sadler@UND.edu

If you receive a stop-work order, you should immediately contact: 

Lauren Pite
Grants & Contracts Accounting 
lauren.pite@UND.edu

Michael Sadler 
Research & Sponsored Program Development
michael.p.sadler@UND.edu

In the absence of further guidance from the federal funding agencies involved, PIs should continue their work as planned, unless you have received specific guidance to the contrary from your federal program officer.  In terms of planning for future contingencies, should changes be enacted broadly that would disrupt active research programs on campus, the University will work to provide clear guidance to PIs about next steps and possible avenues for support.

Each case will likely need to be evaluated separately, but we want the campus community to know that we will do what we can—within legal limits and subject to available resources—to make sure faculty can continue to be successful and pursue their research agendas.

There is no current change to student organizations or employee affinity groups.

UND embraces a culture that welcomes all members of our community and celebrates our different perspectives and experiences.  The University is prepared to meet with students and employees to address specific needs and concerns. Students may reach out to their advisors to schedule these meetings, if needed.   

The health and safety of our campus members is our priority. We need to support one another and take steps toward maintaining our health, both mentally and physically. Information on campus resources available for faculty, staff, and students can be found at SafeUND. 

Additional support services available to students can be accessed both through informal peer support programs and through the University Counseling Center.  Employees have access to additional support through the Employee Assistance Program.

No. If you have any concerns about this, please reach out to:  

Peggy Varberg 
Associate Vice President of Human Resources 
margaret.varberg@UND.edu

Yes. There is no federal or state regulation or law prohibiting this. Fostering a sense of belonging is one of our core values and we continue to celebrate the unique ways that we all connect and contribute to the work at UND.

Yes. No current executive order or legislation prohibits this and UND does not have a policy regarding what is required to be included on your campus email signature, name badges, and business cards. However, Marketing & Communications does offer branding guidelines for faculty and staff email signatures, name badges, and business cards. 

Accrediting bodies are closely monitoring federal executive orders and the potential impact they will have on accredited programs. There may be a delay in detailed guidance from accrediting bodies as it relates to the issuance of an executive order, official interpretation or guidance, or a court decision. For questions on accreditation please reach out to:  

Shane Schellpfeffer 
Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation 
shane.schellpfeffer@UND.edu

SBHE and UND policy protect academic freedom and free speech for students, faculty, and staff. 

Policies 

SBHE 401.1 states a “commitment to ensuring that the institutions of the NDUS shall foster a free and open academic community for faculty members, students, and all other NDUS employees who engage in scholarly work.”  

• The SBHE and UND academic freedom policies are based in the American Association of University Professor’s 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom with 1970 Interpretive Comments
•  SBHE 401.1  
•  SBHE 605.1  
• UND Faculty Handbook, 1.VI  

Related Policies 

• UND Political Activities Policy  
• UND Events, Demonstrations, Fixed Exhibits, and Short-Term Rentals policy  

For UND Policy Questions please reach out to: 

Jennifer Rogers 
Director for Policy 
jennifer.rogers@UND.edu 

For SBHE Policy and UND Faculty Handbook Questions please reach out to: 

Heather Wages 
Director for Policy & Administration 
heather.wages@UND.edu

Yes. UND works closely with our representatives both at the federal and state level to advocate for the university and share the important work that our faculty and staff do to serve the people and communities across North Dakota.

Information on the current North Dakota legislative session, UND’s legislative priorities, and statewide initiatives can be found on our website. Please reach out to UND.officeofthepresident@UND.edu with questions about current North Dakota legislation and potential impacts to UND. 

Yes. The university is gathering guidance from peer institutions, academic experts, and higher education advocacy groups such as the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Association of American Universities (AAU) which can provide additional resources to better understand policy changes.   

As circumstances develop, UND will continue to assess potential impacts to our campus and provide guidance and next steps to students, staff and faculty as soon as possible. 

No. Federal student financial assistance programs, such as grants and loans, have not been impacted by current executive orders or other federal actions. 

We understand the status of student loans and grants is a great source of concern for students and their families. UND administrators continue to monitor the situation and will communicate any changes with students.  

For questions, please reach out to:  

One-Stop Student Services 
onestop@UND.edu

If a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officer or any Federal Law Enforcement Officer comes to campus looking for someone, you should refer the officer(s) to the University Police Department (UPD) while assuring them you are not obstructing their work. The UPD will serve as the liaison with the relevant Federal Agency to assist them in their duties.   

For questions, please reach out to:

Rodney Clark 
AVP Public Safety and Chief of Police 
rodney.e.clark@UND.edu

UND’s immigration counsel has provided the following guidance:   

• For permanent residents (green card holders), counsel is not concerned at this time (as long as the administration doesn't reinstitute travel bans or other policy changes).  
• For people traveling on advance parole, counsel strongly advises against travel; people would be traveling at their own risk.   
• For people with expired visas traveling pursuant to the automatic revalidation rule, it is recommended to use extreme caution.   
• For people with a current and valid visa, in general there are likely no concerns, but it would be prudent to use caution. 

No. UND requires all employees traveling internationally to register their UND-affiliated travel with the institution. Travel registration forms will be reviewed based on the US Department of State Advisories.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SAFETY

Study Abroad programs at UND are not currently impacted by federal regulations. 

Students planning to participate in Study Abroad programs may be affected by the U.S. State Department's temporary pause on processing passport applications with an 'X' gender marker. This may impact those who have already applied and are awaiting issuance, as well as those intending to apply for a passport with an 'X' marker.  

The Study Abroad Office is following NAFSA updates on the current administration and how it may affect study abroad.

International students and employees whose immigration and visa documents are sponsored by the university can contact the following offices. 

Students 

UND International Center 
UND.internationalcenter@UND.edu 

Faculty and Staff 

Heather Wages 
Director for Policy & Administration VPAA 
heather.wages@UND.edu 

For those looking for an outside resource, the National Immigration Law Center is one of the leading advocacy organizations in the U.S. dedicated to advancing and defending the rights and opportunities of immigrants and their family members.