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 Executive Actions

• Federal judge temporarily stops President Trump’s federal funding freeze
• Foreign college students focus of President Trump Executive Order reports Protect Our Campus
• Sex and gender terminology federal definition and interpretation Executive order (EO 14168) issued
• College antisemitism and pro-Hamas protests on campuses subject of Executive order signed by President Trump reports The Hill
• Tribal and Hispanic-serving colleges lose federal support as President Trump rescinds Executive orders reports USA Today
• Higher education being reshaped by President Trump’s early policy actions reports Higher Ed Dive

Federal Education

• Title IX Rule 2020 version to be enforced according to press release from the US Dept. of Education
• College accreditation system faces overhaul as President Trump targets DEI and immigration policies reports Higher Ed Dive
• College sports spending impact on student tuition and fees examination requested by House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI)
• College and K-12 leadership prepare for Trump Administration’s immigration policy changes reports USA Today
• College student federal immigration enforcement protocols advised by Southern California universities reports LAist

Federal Health

• College Student Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Government Accountability Office report published using ACHA data

Federal Legislation

• College student federal food assistance information provision as determined by FAFSA submission bill (HR 777) introduced

State and Local Government

Florida

• Florida public university admission and fee waivers for undocumented students prohibiting bill introduced

Missouri

• Missouri K-12 school and college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill has hearing
• Missouri school and college antisemitic discrimination bill introduced

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire child immunization objection by parents or legal guardians documentation requirement changing bill introduced

New York

• New York college student’s sexual harassment in the workplace training bill awaiting committee action
• New York college resident assistant training for using opioid antagonists updating bill introduced
• New York college “green” employees requiring bill introduced
• New York college and college student group/organization funding restrictions for the permitting of terrorism establishing bill introduced
• New York college student mental health and mental health literacy bill introduced
• New York colleges’ fitness facility membership for disabled veterans establishing bill introduced

North Dakota

• North Dakota gender defining bill introduced

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma vaccination informed consent form, materials, healthcare provider violations, and confidentiality establishing bill introduced
• Oklahoma college employee paid parental leave providing bill introduced
• Oklahoma college policies for pregnant students establishing bill introduced
• Oklahoma COVID-19 vaccination requiring prohibiting bill introduced

Oregon

• Oregon school and college athletic competitions, bathrooms, and locker rooms designated by gender assigned at birth requiring bill introduced
• Oregon college basic needs grant and student housing task force establishing bill introduced

Wyoming

• Wyoming school and college female-designated sports participation by those male-designated at birth prohibiting bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Wyoming college sport participation by sex assigned at birth requiring bill, “Fairness in sports – intercollegiate athletics,” passes the state senate and now in the state house

Other News – Education

• College campus polarization and civil discourse the focus of college leadership and higher education experts’ discussions reports Higher Ed Dive
• College sustainability commitment pilot program announced by the Carnegie Foundation and the ACE
• College student free speech lawsuit settled by University of Tennessee reports Inside Higher Ed

Other News – Education – DEI

• Healthcare workers, companies, and institutions prepare for impact of Trump Administration’s Executive orders on DEI and gender identity reports Fierce Healthcare
• California Polytechnic State University eliminates DEI office reports local news source
• Missouri State University to eliminate DEI programs and office reports local news source
• College DEI ban reasons reported on by The Chronicle of Higher Education

Other News – Health & Wellness

• First-year college students’ use of mobile mental health interventions subject of study

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.