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 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

Education

  • Senators seek to break impasse on higher education bill
  • Office for Civil Rights opens investigations against several colleges based on the colleges holding female only programs
  • S. Department of Education finalizes repeal of ‘gainful employment’ rule, POLITICO reports
  • S. Treasury Department unveils rules for university endowment tax, POLITICO reports
  • College budgets suffer as international enrollment slows, Politico reports

Immigration/DACA/Dreamers

  • Supreme Court to decide whether administration can end DACA program

Federal Legislation

  • Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of Students (PROTECT Students) Act (HR 3512) introduced
  • Respond, Innovate, Succeed and Empower (RISE) Act (HR 3086) reintroduced
  • PHIT Act (HR 1679/S 680) reintroduced
  • Exposing Discrimination in Higher Education Act (HR 3555) introduced
  • Higher Education Mental Health Act (HR 3489) introduced
  • Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act/Title IX (HR 3513/S 1964) reintroduced
  • Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft Act (HR 3071/S 1701) introduced
  • Student Loan Tax Elimination Act (S 1696) introduced
  • Student Loan Borrowers’ Bill of Rights Act (HR 3027) introduced
  • The College Data Access Act (HR 3026) introduced
  • Fostering Success in Higher Education Act (HR 2966/S 1650) introduced
  • Parren Mitchell Minority Business Education and Empowerment Act (HR 2981) introduced
  • Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act (HR 2875/S 1572) introduced
  • Terrorism Survivors Student Loan Deferment Act (S 1796) introduced
  • Protecting Our Students & Taxpayers (POST) Act (S 1775) introduced
  • Equal Campus Access Act (HR 3243) introduced
  • Go to High School, Go to College Act (S 1888) introduced
  • Time for Completion Act (HR 3354) introduced
  • To Offer Refugees College Help (TORCH) Act (HR 3391) introduced
  • Hold Accountable and Lend Transparency (HALT) on Campus Sexual Violence Act (HR 3381) introduced
  • Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act (HR 3418) introduced
  • Competency-Based Education (CBE) Act (HR 3422) introduced
  • College for All Act (S 1947) introduced
  • Exposing Discrimination in Higher Education Act (HR 3555) introduced
  • Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act (HR 3591) introduced
  • GI Bill Work Study Improvement Act (HR 3535) introduced
  • Federally Requiring Earned Education-Debt Discharges (FREED) for Veterans Act (HR 3598) introduced
  • Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights (S 1354) adds a new co-sponsor

State & Local Government

Alaska

  • Alaska governor makes unexpectedly large higher education cuts

California

  • California legislation could override NCAA regulations regarding college athlete pay for use of their name, image, likeness
  • California campus rape bill moving through legislature despite legal opposition
  • California bill targeting for-profit colleges is gutted

Florida

  • Florida governor signs “Andrew’s Law” to better protect hazing victims in Florida

Illinois

  • Illinois governor signs order protecting transgender students

Other News

  • Fraternity banned after hazing death sues Penn State claiming due process violations
  • Legal experts concerned that campus speech codes will be endangered by Supreme Court ruling
  • College revenue growth lagged in 2018 according to Moody’s report
  • Few U.S. higher education campuses have gone completely smoke and/or tobacco-free, study shows
  • Title IX, gender equity in education, call to action issued by the American Association of University Women (AAUW)
  • Individuals with disabilities increased participation in sports, new TD Bank survey finds
  • S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Collegiate Advisory Council recommends NCAA reforms to strengthen National Team pathway for student-athletes

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.
  • Want to share with your colleagues how this proposed legislation might impact your campus? Pitch us your ideas.
Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at | NIRSA Profile

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