NIRSA’s Government Affairs Committee stays up-to-date on the latest federal and state policy and legislative news through a variety of scanning tools. One particular resource they use is the bi-weekly Policy Pages provided by Active Policy Solutions. (For more on partnership, along with other SAHEC associations, have with Active Policy Solutions, see below.)

The policy issues included in the Policy Pages document are highlights of a point in time. They are by no means exhaustive and change continually – so matters discussed in the last issue normally will not carry over to the next unless there is some updated action to be discussed.

The Committee encourages NIRSA members to keep themselves informed on federal and state policy issues affecting their work as professionals on campuses. These issues could be specific to higher education, physical activity, or NIRSA’s strategic value areas. If you have an issue that is of concern to your campus, reach out the Government Affairs Committee.

Policy Page documents will be stored, as a resource for NRISA members, in the NIRSA Connect Community library. You can find them within the “Member Benefits” folder in a subfolder titled “Federal and State Policy Pages.”

In this issue:

Government Updates

Federal Education

  • College student loan-payment freeze extended by Biden Administration again as courts weigh Constitutionality of debt relief reports The Washington Post
  • Online college content to be made accessible for students with disabilities per agreement with UC Berkeley announces US Dept. of Justice
  • HBCUs request additional campus safety funds from Congress reports POLITICO

Federal Legislation

  • Earmarks to stay
  • College student increased federal assistance bill, “Pell Grant Sustainability Act” (HR 6537), subject of National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislation to watch in 118th Congress
  • Student loan income-based repayment plan amendment bill, “Affordable Loans for Any Student Act of 2022” (HR 7288), subject of National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislation to watch in 118th Congress
  • Sexual assault or harassment non-disclosure agreement enforcement prohibition bill, “Speak Out Act” (HR 8227/S 4524), passed Congress and sent to President Biden for signing
  • Federal student loan program amending and student loan forgiveness prohibition bill (HR 8655) subject of National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislation to watch in 118th Congress
  • Changing Our Learning, Loans, Endowments, and Graduation Expectations (COLLEGE) Act (S 4772) subject of National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislation to watch in 118th Congress

State and Local Government

Arizona

  • Arizona college financial aid applications for non-citizen students approved in election reports The Hill

Illinois

  • Illinois college sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill introduced

Ohio

  • Ohio school and college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, Save Women’s Sports Act, passes the state house and is now in the state senate awaiting committee review
  • Ohio COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for college attendance prohibiting bill introduced

Texas

  • Texas COVID-19 vaccination compulsion or coercion prohibiting bill prefiled
  • Texas sex assigned at birth changes on birth certificate prohibiting bill prefiled
  • Texas college residential housing for students in extended foster care requiring bill prefiled
  • Texas college student college costs statement providing requiring bill prefiled
  • Texas birth certificate change of sex allowing bill prefiled
  • Texas college students with autism spectrum disorder assisting bill prefiled
  • Texas colleges designated as polling places bill prefiled

Virginia

  • Virginia school & college sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill, “Save Girls and Women’s Sports” prefiled

Education

  • HBCU bomb threat suspect is just one juvenile according to the FBI reports Campus Safety Magazine
  • Reducing college student violence with threat assessment teams subject of article in The Chronicle of Higher Education

Activities

  • NCAA not responsible for former college football player’s death according to jury reports ESPN
  • Artificial athletic turf safety for children debate focus of article from The National Desk

Civil Rights

  • Balancing Title IX college compliance and the rights of individuals with disabilities subject of article from The Nation
  • College students may experience rights violations using mental health-related apps reports Digital Journal
  • College health center set to expand gender-affirming care services at University of California, Santa Barbara
  • College students at Clemson University can file misconduct reports via new text messaging app according to The College Fix
  • College student free speech lawsuit against university allowed to proceed by Alabama Supreme Court reports local news
  • ACE and other college advocacy groups seek to protect the rights of DACA college students according to press release

Health & Wellness

  • New COVID-19 booster shot reduces the risk of symptoms according to new data from the CDC reports Roll Call
  • Yale University defends mental health policies amidst ongoing student and alumni backlash
  • College students’ anxiety increasingly linked to finances according to a new survey

About NIRSA’s partnership with Active Policy Solutions

As an association, NIRSA strives to monitor and track policy and legislative issues with the potential to impact our members or the campus communities they serve. These issues are wide ranging and may pertain to higher education, employment law, physical fitness, or our strategic values areas.

NIRSA has joined with a subset of SAHEC members (ACUHO-I, ACPA, ASCA, NASPA, and NIRSA) in hiring Active Policy Solutions to assist with monitoring, tracking, analyzing, and determining appropriate action on issues relevant to our associations. Through our partnership with SAHEC, NIRSA continues to monitor policy, legislation, and advocacy work that affects both the higher education and physical activity space. Active Policy Solutions provides government relations and advocacy support to NIRSA and the Association’s SAHEC partners.

  • For more information, please contact NIRSA Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships Erin O’Sullivan.
Headshot of Erin O'Sullivan
Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at  | NIRSA Profile

Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.