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 Education

• College student loan debt forgiveness new plan by the Biden Administration subject of article from CNBC 2 College student loan borrower employer-matching contributions for repayment are allowable under interim rules according to the IRS
• College student federal financial aid allowed at Christian colleges finds federal court
• Federal support program for disadvantaged and first-time college students being challenged in court over its race-connected eligibility criteria reports Higher Ed Dive
• Title IX (sexual harassment, gender, and sports) Rule school and college injunction status tracked
• College antisemitism complaint against University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign resolved by US Dept. of Education
• College FERPA and NLRA requirement clarification memorandum published by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Federal Legislation

• College DEI funding prohibition bill, “Eliminate DEI in Colleges Act” (HR 8708), text becomes available
• College alcohol and substance misuse program updating bill, “Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act” (HR 9214), text becomes available

State and Local Government

California

• California college sex discrimination complaints status updates requiring bill signed into law

Kentucky

• Kentucky college to dissolve its DEI office amid legislative pressure and diversity officer’s resignation reports Kentucky.com

New York

• New York public college menstrual products requirement bill signed into law

Virginia

• Virginia college campus food insecurity survey requiring bill signed into law
• Virginia College Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program establishing bill fails to pass the state legislature
• Virginia first-year guaranteed college admission study requiring bill carried over to the 2025 legislative session

Funding

• College migrant assistance program funding available from the US Dept. of Education

Other News – Education

• Indiana University’s new expressive activity policy results in another ACLU lawsuit reports local news source
• College diversity program cuts at UNC cause faculty concern following policy overhaul reports ABC News 5 College students with disabilities inclusion tips for campus administrators provided by American Council for Education (ACE)
• Colleges expect capital needs costs in the hundreds of billions over the next 10 years according to Moody’s Ratings reports Higher Ed Dive
• Colleges and K-12 schools subjected to record number of ransomware attacks in 2023 reports K-12 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.