CSHEMA - Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association

CSHEMA Joins Amicus Brief Opposing NIH Indirect Cost Reimbursement Rate Cap

June 27, 2025—The Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) announces its official support for an amicus brief filed by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), COGR, and 16 other organizations. The amicus brief supports ongoing lawsuits challenging a National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy that caps indirect cost rate reimbursements for institutions of higher education at 15%.

This unprecedented federal pullback would significantly increase the financial burden on colleges and universities conducting vital federally funded research for American taxpayers and impact the quality of environmental health and safety programs and services to support.

As noted in the NACUBO press release, "Indirect cost reimbursements are crucial to federally funded research performed by higher education institutions. This research involves real and unavoidable direct and indirect costs, many of which universities already absorb to allow faculty, staff, and students to meet federal research grant and contract objectives. In fiscal year 2023, institutions estimated they spent over $28 billion of their own funds to support research, including more than $6.8 billion in unreimbursed indirect costs."

Adding to this critical support, James Crandall, President of CSHEMA, emphasized the indispensable role of EHS professionals in the research ecosystem. "As we stated in February, many colleges and universities rely on the indirect funding model to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness for their EHS programs. Our EHS professionals provide critical support to research—from ensuring compliance with complex safety and environmental regulations to managing hazardous materials and responding to incidents. These essential functions are components of the indirect costs and are vital for protecting faculty, staff, and students, preventing accidents, and safeguarding institutional reputation. Without adequate indirect cost reimbursement, the very foundation upon which groundbreaking research is built is jeopardized, ultimately impacting the health and safety of our campuses and the pace of scientific discovery."

To learn more about indirect costs and the research U.S. colleges and universities conduct on behalf of federal agencies, watch "Understanding the Real Costs of Research."

Endorsers of the Amicus Brief include:

• American Association of State Colleges and Universities
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
• APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities
• Association of American Law Schools
• Association of Independent Research Institutions
• Association of Research Libraries
• AUTM
• Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA)
• COGR
• Council on Social Work Education
• EDUCAUSE
• NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
• National Association of College and University Business Officers
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
• National Council of University Research Administrators
• Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)
• Society of Research Administrators International
• URMIA - University Risk Management & Insurance Association

About CSHEMA:
The Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) is a non-profit organization that provides leadership and resources to improve environmental health and safety in colleges and universities.

For more information, please contact:
James Crandall
President, CSHEMA
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