November policy & legislation updates for campus recreation

Policy Pages help NIRSA and several other student affairs associations stay up-to-date on policy and legislative news happening at the federal and state levels that has the potential to impact their work.

Updates from the November 2025 Policy Pages

The bullets below are highlights of the past several Policy Page issues that could impact the campus recreation field. See the full Policy Pages in full the NIRSA Connect Community library under the “Member Benefits” folder in a subfolder titled “Federal and State Policy Pages.”

Federal Policy Shifts

1. Student Loan Reform finalized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—affects affordability and retention.
2. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) updated with new employer restrictions.
3. GI Bill Distance Learning Rules revised—impacts veterans using recreation facilities.

Mental Health & Student Wellbeing

1. Student mental health remains a top challenge: Only 27% rate their mental health as above average; 43% of those considering withdrawal report poor mental health.
2. Pennsylvania recognizes 26 colleges for suicide prevention and mental health support.
3. Study shows 22% of young adults use cannabis or alcohol as sleep aids.
4. AI chatbots increasingly used for mental health support.

Title IX & Civil Rights

1. Women’s Media Center shares alternative resources for Title IX complaints.
2. Universities continue to merge former-DEI offices under new names amid national rollbacks
3. States continue anti-DEI legislation; Kansas and New Hampshire advance restrictions.

Enrollment Trends:

1. Undergraduate enrollment rises for third straight year; community colleges see biggest gains
2. International student enrollment drops 17%

About the Policy Pages

NIRSA’s Government Affairs Committee monitors federal and state policy developments using several scanning tools, including the weekly Policy Pages from Active Policy Solutions. These updates capture key issues at a moment in time, are not exhaustive, and typically change from one issue to the next unless new developments arise. The Committee encourages NIRSA members to stay informed about policies affecting higher education, physical activity, and NIRSA’s strategic value areas. Members with campus-specific concerns are invited to contact the Committee. All Policy Page documents are available in the NIRSA Connect Community library under the “Member Benefits” folder in a subfolder titled “Federal and State Policy Pages.” 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.