With the majority of federal agency operations suspended, Georgia Tech is developing contingency plans that will enable continuity of campus operations without federal funding.

The impact has been minimal since the Oct. 1 shutdown, but the longer the government ceases operations, the wider the ramifications. At the direction of President G.P. “Bud” Peterson, an institutional task force has been formed to monitor the developments in Washington, D.C. and develop specific plans that would sustain Tech operations should the hiatus extend for a prolonged period of time.

Because Georgia Tech relies on the U.S. government to fund research and student financial aid, any interruption in the operations of the federal government has an impact.

The ability for Georgia Tech to recover the costs of federally funded research is an example of almost immediate impact. A shutdown would affect each federal agency in a slightly different way, and the ability to receive payment may vary with the type of contract, or grant and funding source. Overall, the effect is likely to be profound. Non-federal research funding and the associated revenue should not be affected in the near-term. Tech’s Office of Sponsored Programs has compiled guidance provided by major federal research agencies.

There is some risk for those students who receive federal financial aid, but the number affected and the severity of the impact depends on the length of the shutdown. Georgia Tech does not anticipate a problem for fall semester but if a shutdown lasts for a few weeks or longer, the impact on future semesters will be reevaluated. The Bursar’s Office will hold any such students harmless until the resumption of federal government operations.