Re: Notice about Proposed NSF Budget Cuts

David G Radcliffe (radcliff@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu)
20 May 1995 09:28:07 GMT

Mitchell Golden (golden@harpo.harvard.edu) wrote:
: I still haven't seen this notice in any of these relevent groups.

: EMERGENCY ACTION ALERT
: From the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences

: The House Budget Committee has recommended the complete elimination of
: NSF research funding for Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology,
: Linguistics, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Cognitive Science,
: Decision, Risk and Management Sciences, History of Science, and
: Statistical Research for the Behavioral and Social Sciences-- as NSF's
: contribution to balancing the Federal budget.

Fortunately, this is incorrect. See below.

>Date: 5/17/95 10:03 PM
>From: ATEICH <ateich@aaas.org>
>Subject: Rep. Walker's Comments on NSF Budget
>Author: ATEICH at AAAS
>
>
> Dear STS-ers,
>
> While it is gratifying to see the STS and social science
> communities mobilize in response to a perceived threat to
> NSF funding in social and behavioral sciences and related
> areas, I am concerned that much of the reaction is based on
> a misunderstanding of recent congressional statements.
>
> In his press conference last week, Chairman Walker of the
> House Science Committee made some disparaging and, in my
> opinion, unwarranted comments about the place of the social
> and behavioral sciences in NSF. He said that these areas
> would be excluded from the 3% a year growth projected for
> NSF research overall contained in the House Budget
> Committee's plan. He did NOT say they were targeted for
> elimination or severe cuts.
>
> While excluding SBER from the projected growth is not in any
> sense desirable, it is a much different scenario than
> termination. Since the termination story has gained wide
> currency, I have checked with top officials of NSF and with
> the staff director of the subcommittee of Walker's committee
> that is responsible for NSF's authorization. Both confirm
> my interpretation.
>
> Al Teich
> AAAS Science and Policy Programs

--
Dave Radcliffe radcliff@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely
rearranging their prejudices. -- William James