SA Weekly: February 24
Policy and Advocacy
February 24, 2020
Welcome to SA Weekly, your destination for higher ed news, NASPA research and policy, constituent blogs, and more.
Title IX Complicates Hill Negotiations on Higher Ed “Final Title IX rule from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is expected to set off a fight on Capitol Hill, and one of the casualties could be reauthorizing the Higher Education Act.”
Foreign Gift Investigations Expand and Intensify “With investigations of Harvard and Yale, Education Department steps up its inquiry into reporting of foreign gifts to universities -- and sends a message to other institutions.”
White House to Promote Alternatives to the Degree “New Ad Council campaign will tout alternatives to the four-year degree. Led by CEOs of Apple and IBM, the project comes from a White House-convened task force on workforce policy.”
A Shared Responsibility “Colleges and students are trying to find a middle ground between the increasing demands for mental health services and the rising costs of providing it.”
Visa Obstacles Thwart Renowned Foreign Scholars “A German professor invited to Virginia to teach about far-right politics faces visa delays, and a British professor focused on human rights can't travel to Florida in the latest cases of scholars facing heightened scrutiny by U.S. immigration authorities.”
How Much Are Most Colleges Paying in Endowment Tax? “Colleges and universities generally aren't happy about the endowment tax, but many are paying less than the tens of millions of dollars reported by the country's wealthiest universities, a review finds. And even those ultrawealthy universities might end up paying substantially less.”
Facial Recognition Surveillance on Campus “UCLA was the first university to openly consider facial recognition technology for security surveillance. The university abandoned that plan, but other colleges may be using the software.”
Policy Update
Comments to the Education Department on Free Speech NPRM submitted by the American Council on Education and other higher education groups, including NASPA, February 18
Balance of Powers: Exploring the Congressional Review Act by Teri Lyn Hinds, Director for Policy Research and Advocacy
Relevant Bills
Universities Brace for Lasting Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak by Joyce Lau and John Ross, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, February 17
Secretary DeVos Expands Earn and Lean Opportunities for Students at 190 Schools through Federal Work-Study Reform Initiative, Department of Education Press Release, February 19
H.R. 2339- Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Latest Action: Placed on the Union Calendar on February 21, 2020
This bill that the House is scheduled to vote on this week would ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, and cigar flavors. The bill would also limit e-cigarette advertising and impose new fees on e-cigarette companies.
Upcoming Hearing; Department of Education Budget Request for FY 2021
Subcommittees: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, February 27, 2020
Relevant Regulations
Agencies: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), Department of Education (ED)
Public Comment: Open comment period that ends on April 21
Want to submit comments of your own? Check out NASPA’s Q&A on submitting public comments
Around NASPA
With over 7,000 attendees coming to the 2020 NASPA Annual Conference, it can seem overwhelming. Our constituent groups created guides for you to mix-and-match to customize your perfect conference experience. Explore the #NASPA2020 Constituent Guides.