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Notes: Outrage at National Science Foundation in Alexandria over mass firings

By ALXnow.com

Good Friday morning, Alexandria!

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🚨 You need to know

National Science Foundation (image via National Science Foundation)

Politico reported turmoil in the Alexandria-headquartered National Science Foundation (NSF) after 10% of the workforce was fired earlier this week.

The NSF headquarters is located at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue in the Carlyle neighborhood. It moved from Arlington to Alexandria in 2017.

Politico reported that 168 people were removed, including most probationary employees and all of its contract experts. Leadership at the NSF warned that more firings are likely ahead.

The 10% cuts are more than what was required by the Trump administration, which has been slashing government agency workforces, but Politico reported a top NSF said it was only fair to remove the experts on contract if the NSF was removing probationary employees.

Politico reported that workers in the meeting railed against ‘cowardice’ by NSF leadership. Politico said workers at the NSF said leadership “screwed people, hardworking people, who trusted the word of this agency.”

NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan was reportedly not present at the meeting.

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  • This is the staff byline for ALXnow, used by editors and other full-time staff. Launched in October 2019, ALXnow is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Alexandria, Virginia.