The Chronicle of Higher Education posts a timely article discussing the affects of the US Government shutdown on the higher education system.  All but a handful of colleges and universities receive some sort of federal funding in the form of student financial aid, research grants, federal training programs, etc.  Grant proposals are due this week  for the next round of research funding and much is on the line.  Many of the largest institutions in this country are heavily funded by federal research grants.  Another area of concern is access to databases and other technical information housed on government sites.  As of this writing the Bureau of Economic Analysis is inaccessible via the internet, posting a shut down for lack of government funding.  Although the Chronicle’s article discusses possibilities that affect the fiscal viability of colleges and universities, it does not address the very real ramifications of inaccessibility to information–a very real and present danger.