Comment from June Howard

I am a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. I spent more than 40 years teaching and doing research in the humanities, and also held administrative positions that included working with natural and social scientists. Now retired, I continue to publish and to participate in professional activities both on my own campus, nationally, and internationally. I write both as an experienced academic and as a concerned citizen. I am completely opposed to the OMBs proposed Regulations on Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034). The U.S. system of higher education is linked throughout its institutional forms to the principles of academic freedom and scientific method. Doing good sciencedoing good research in any fieldmeans making room for unexpected outcomes. Procedures that have political appointees reviewing grant applications (200), and include tests of political alignment (202, 340), are incompatible with this fundamental principle. Provisions prohibiting specific kinds of research (300, 218), obstructing international collaboration (220), shielding grant competitions from public view (204), undermine freedom of inquiry and potentially undermine the quality of scholarly work. From the middle of the 20th century to the present day, peer review has enabled an extraordinary development of knowledge. That success has been foundational to the successes of our nation in this period. These regulations contribute to the dismantling of one of Americas most valuable assets, our system for producing scientific knowledge; losing it would damage the nations economy and everyones quality of life. I urge OMB to withdraw them.