During a government shutdown, agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) generally pause new grant awards, proposal reviews, and program launches. Institutions with existing federal research awards may still be able to draw down previously obligated funds, but technical assistance, progress reviews, and application processing are typically suspended.

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), most federal research staff and grant managers are classified as nonessential and furloughed, resulting in delays that can extend well beyond the shutdown itself. Past shutdowns have led to cancellations of reserved time on national lab instruments, closures of field research sites on federal lands, etc.

The impact on undergraduate research is not yet clear, but students applying for NSF, NIH or other federally supported programs might experience delays in response times to email and program timelines might change. UROP advises students involved in projects to stay in communication with project mentors and be attentive to program websites for updates.

CU Boulder’s administration is working to minimize disruptions to research and other grant-supported activities. In the unlikely event that students with UROP funding experience changes in their ability to accomplish project goals, such as the availability of mentors and/or resources, UROP will not withdraw previously awarded funding.

Create a Mentor Agreement

Reflect & Plan

We encourage you to create mentor agreements, or contracts, in partnership with your mentees as you supervise their growth and development.

What is a Mentor Agreement?

Mentor agreements outline goals, expectations, accountability and other aspects of collaborative work and are ideally drafted in partnership with students near the beginning of major projects. Given the open-ended nature of academic work, these agreements can be considered "living documents" that can be modified as conditions and goals change.

Templates

Check out and these samples to develop your own agreements: .

Additional Resources

Planning
  • U. of Minnesota:
  • Michigan State:
  • UC Davis:
  • Michigan State:

Common Characteristics

  • Project goals and anticipated outcomes
  • Timeline of activities and meetings
  • Student's learning and professional development goals
  • Training requirements and plans
  • Communication preferences and contact information
  • Expectations and cultural norms
  • Compliance procedures and ethics
  • Plans for dissemination (conferences, pubs, etc.)

Considering Autonomy

Mary Beth Rich and Robert D. Brown describe a “curvilinear relationship between Autonomy and perceived readiness to be a mentee” (297) in their study of student perceptions about their mentoring needs, noting greater need at the earliest and latest periods of development. Considering this developmental arc and the implications for your experiences working with students, you can plan for periods of growing independence followed by an increasing need for mentorship as projects conclude and students make plans for graduation.

“As students become more independent of others, they may rebel for a time and perceive no need for support. When the students become more fully autonomous, however, and perhaps become involved more deeply in identity formation, they may search for mentors as role models and once again have an interest in the mentoring relationship.” Rice, M. B., & Brown, R. D. (1990). Developmental factors associated with self-perceptions of mentoring competence and mentoring needs. Journal of College Student Development, 31(4), 293–299.

Mentoring Guide

Empower inspiring students with transformative opportunities.

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