Critics see the appropriation as the latest example of "pork-barrel science"—a direct appeal to Congress for construction funds in the absence of peer review for quality and need. Supporters argue that politics should play a part in the appropriation of federal funds and that lesser-known institutions deserve a slice of the federal pie as they try to strengthen their programs. There is no formal peer-review process within federal agencies to fund university facilities because, officially, there are no federal funds available for such purposes.
A look at the eight projects shows that the federal government is only one of many sources of funding for university construction. In fact, federal funds often stimulate larger contributions from private, state and industrial sources.
The $22.9 million that the University of Oregon will receive this year brings to $33.9 million the total federal contribution to the University's $45.3 million graduate science technology center in ...
