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 this 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 Government News

  • Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) guidance issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury Department
  • College stimulus funding per college projection provided by the American Council on Education (ACE)

Federal Education

  • Secretary DeVos resigns following insurrection sparked by outgoing President Trump
  • Office for Civil Rights (OCR) video on how to file a complaint released by the U.S. Department of Education (DoE)
  • Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to be led by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
  • Higher-ed Congressional priorities with Democratic majority explored in article
  • President-elect Biden’s college student loan plan explored in article
  • Title IX homosexual and transgender US Department of Education memorandum published in response to Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia Supreme Court decision

Federal Health

  • Biden/Harris transition team releases COVID-19 survey on public health and vaccine hesitancy

Federal Legislation

  • Federal Pell Grant program to certain trade schools eligibility bill (HR 177) introduced
  • College athlete federal policy implications of Democrats winning Georgia Senate races explored in article

State and Local Government News

  • State budget projections explored by National Council of Nonprofits (NCNP) report

California

  • California student loan employer repayment tax exemption bill introduced

Florida

  • Florida public K-12 and college epinephrine auto-injectors bill introduced

Maryland

  • Maryland college athlete omnibus bill introduced
  • Maryland sports official assault bill introduced

Massachusetts

  • Massachusetts sexual assault climate survey at colleges passed the state legislature and sent to the governor

Michigan

  • College athletes in Michigan to be eligible for compensation under new laws (HB 5217) (HB 2518)

Missouri

  • Missouri concealed carry on college and university campuses bill introduced

Montana

  • Montana gender by birth interscholastic athlete sports participation bill introduced and hearing scheduled

New York

  • New York child abuse and maltreatment college staff and camp staff reporting bill introduced

South Carolina

  • South Carolina college and grade “Student Identification Card Suicide Prevention Act” bill introduced
  • South Carolina gender by birth school sports participation bill introduced
  • South Carolina concealed weapon permit carry on college property bill introduced

Other News

  • College COVID-19 updates
  • College reopening guidelines outlined by American College Health Association (ACHA)
  • College student COVID-19 cases increase during in person instruction according to CDC weekly report
  • COVID-19 spread among fraternity and sorority activities at an Arkansas college explored in CDC weekly report
  • Colleges increasingly outsource services to for-profit companies, article reports
  • Activities and other COVID-19 updates
  • Youth athlete mask mandate sparks lawsuit in Minnesota
  • Football coach at University of Tennessee fired after offensive tweet
  • Interscholastic athletes impacts from school closures explored in article
  • Federal judge to give final approval in USC sexual assault settlement, article reports

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.