Federal and state policy and legislative updates

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 NIRSA 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 Budget

• Update – no shutdown

Federal Education

• College student loan repayment gainful employment finalized rule announced by Biden Administration
• College student loan forgiveness additional efforts, including support for borrowers with disabilities, announced by Biden Administration
• College diversity and opportunity strategy announced by Biden Administration
• College affirmative action hearing held by House Education and Workforce Committee
• College campus freedom of speech focus of op-ed by House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) in The Washington Examiner

Federal Health

• COVID-19 vaccine coverage problems discussed in open letter from US Secretary of Health and Human Services

Federal Legislation

• College student enrollment protocols data collection effort held by US Dept. of Education
• College Title IX Rule information collection provision extension public comment period open

State and Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona Title IX lawsuit found by Ninth Circuit in favor of college student claiming college failure to appropriate act on harassment reports Courthouse News Service

Michigan

• Michigan college foreign gifts from countries of concern prohibiting bill introduced

Oregon

• In Oregon, treatment of women’s sports comes to a head in a University of Oregon lawsuit reports The Oregonian

Texas

• Texas public colleges DEI ban guidance from Texas A&M University subject of article in Higher Ed Dive

Education

• College shooting incidents and states’ gun laws have impact on prospective students’ decision where to attend school reports Newsweek

Health & Wellness

• Community college mental health study topic of ACHA webinar
• College student mental health survey reported on by Inside Higher Ed

Civil Rights

• New College of Florida complaint of disability discrimination settled by US Department of Education reports Higher Ed Dive

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.