Dear Colleagues,

As part of Michigan State University’s commitment to federal research compliance and national security, we are implementing a requirement to complete Research Security Training for all faculty involved in federal research proposals or awards.

On December 15, 2025, faculty who are participating in federal proposals and/or awards will be auto enrolled in the Research Security Training in Ability LMS.  An email will be sent to the enrolled faculty, and they will have 30 calendar days to complete the training. This training should be completed by January 15, 2026, and will need to be updated annually.

This requirement aligns with federal mandates under National Security Presidential Memo-33 (NSPM-33) and the CHIPS and Science Act. Several federal agencies now require MSU to certify that training has been completed prior to submitting proposals or progress reports and we anticipate that all federal funding agencies will implement this requirement. To avoid last-minute delays in application submissions, or application rejections, we believe a proactive approach will best protect faculty interests.

Thank you for your attention to this important compliance matter and for your continued contributions to MSU’s research enterprise.

For more information on MSU's Research Security Training requirements please visit the Research Security Program website guidance.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact researchsecurity@msu.edu.

Sincerely,

Douglas A. Gage, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research and Innovation