Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Plan for Federal Funding Hiatus
If the federal government closes as a result of failure to pass an appropriation bill, the Wilson Center will not close. Click to read the full details of the Wilson Center's plan in case of a government shutdown.
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (also known as Wilson Center) is a trust instrumentality of the United States funded in part by an annual Federal Appropriation through the Interior, Environment and other Related Agencies Appropriation Bill. The Wilson Center's Federal Appropriation represents about one-third of its total annual budget. The other two-thirds of the Wilson Center's annual budget is funded Trust funds (sources other than its annual appropriation).
If the government closes as a result of failure to pass an appropriation bill, the Wilson Center will not close. The Wilson Center has facilities and personnel not funded through its annual appropriation. The Wilson Center's facilities at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Building are under a GSA lease agreement that waives any payment of rent through August 2028 and the building personnel have advised that the Ronald Reagan Building will not close during a government shutdown but will operate with reduced levels of services should no appropriation bill be passed. About two-thirds of Wilson Center staff is not funded through its Federal Appropriation.
In an effort to effect an orderly partial shutdown of the Wilson Center's Federal activities, should there be no additional Continuing Resolution spending authorization or an annual appropriation bill passed, all staff not in a leave status, including Federal employees will be instructed to report to work on the first business day following the lapse in appropriation (Monday, April 11, 2011) for their regularly scheduled tour of duty to implement the Center's government shutdown plans. Work status reports will be provided by Federal staff to non-Federal staff and furlough notifications will be issued to Federal employees. It is anticipated that 50 of the Center's 51 Federal employees/FTEs will be furloughed and/or remain vacant during a government shutdown. Federal employees in leave status will be notified via email and telephone (or overnight mail when unable to reach via email and telephone) that their leave status has been changed to furlough status. Each employee will be advised in the furlough notification that the Center has established a centralized call-in line that will include a recorded message regarding reporting status for Federal employees. The furlough notice will also advise Federal employees that they may not work or volunteer at the Wilson Center during the furlough period and disregard of this law may result in significant fines to the individual Federal employee. The implementation of the Wilson Center's reduced level of activity as a result of a Government shutdown is anticipated to be completed within 4 hours, one business day following shutdown to allow Federal employees to impart upon their trust-funded counterparts, knowledge of work that will continue even if Federal activities cease.
The Center's website will remain operational during a Federal funding hiatus with any scheduled or unscheduled repairs or maintenance to be paid with non-appropriated funding throughout the lapse in appropriation.
The Center has identified one excepted employee from the Information Technology Office to protect the intellectual property residing within the Center's network and on its computers. This individual will also monitor the Center's IT infrastructure to ensure that the network remains secure and will not be compromised during a Government shutdown.
During a Government shutdown all facilities related questions should be directed to the Support Services Specialist of the Wilson Center's Administration and Resource Management Office.
