Below is RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up from Wednesday. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.

August 28, 2024

CONGRESS

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued six subpoenas to Columbia University, mandating the university’s submission of documents as part of the Committee’s ongoing investigation into antisemitism in postsecondary institutions.

Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) wrote a letter in support of the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) proposed rules regarding distance education, return of Title IV Higher Education Act funds and Federal TRIO programs.

COURTS
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Biden Administration’s request to partially lift two injunctions that block ED from enforcing most of its Title IX rule.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]

How States Are Working to Narrow FAFSA Completion Gaps [Inside Higher Ed]

Just 29% of families say the updated FAFSA was easier to complete, survey finds [Higher Ed Dive]

‘Institutional neutrality’: How one university walks a fine line on Gaza protests [NPR]

Cutting race-based scholarships blocks path to college, students say [The Hechinger Report]

Colleges Must Accommodate Pregnant Students Under New Title IX [Inside Higher Ed]

House Republicans press colleges on protest policies for fall [Higher Ed Dive]

The AI Hiring Spree [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Caltech’s latest STEM breakthrough: Most of its new students are women [Los Angeles Times]

In Bid to Deter Misconduct, U.S. Releases New Data on Financial Aid Enforcement [Inside Higher Ed]

UT San Antonio to merge with academic health center to create ‘powerhouse university’ [Higher Ed Dive]

A ‘Transformational’ Investment in Maine Workforce Training [Inside Higher Ed]

Common App data shows substantial rise in minority student college applications [Higher Ed Dive]

Boston U Grad Worker Strike Now Longest in a Decade [Inside Higher Ed]

MIT blames Supreme Court decision for decreased diversity in incoming class [Higher Ed Dive]

Report Finds Higher Ed Sector Shrank by 2 Percent [Inside Higher Ed]

University of Kentucky disbands DEI center, will reassign employees [Higher Ed Dive]

Columbia University Subpoenaed for Records in Antisemitism Investigation [Inside Higher Ed]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:

House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Press Release: Did Cardona Violate the Hatch Act?

Press Release: Foxx, Good: “Bidenomics is not working, and Americans are hurting”

Press Release: Foxx Urges Education Department to Halt its Rule that Puts Illegal Aliens Ahead of American Students

Press Release: Foxx and Kiley Slam EEOC for Mismanaging Taxpayer Funds

Press Release: Scott Supports ED’s New Proposal for Stronger Protections for Students

Press Release: Foxx, Smith Demand Universities Detail Preparations to Prevent Disruptions, Antisemitic Harassment, and Intimidation on Campus this Fall

Press Release: Foxx, Comer Renew Information Request to Treasury Related to Suspicious Activity Reports Associated with Antisemitic Groups

Press Release: Chair Foxx Subpoenas Columbia University in Ongoing Antisemitism Investigation

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

ED Press release: U.S. Department of Education Releases Framework for 2025–26 FAFSA Testing Period and Interest Form for First Beta Period

ED Media Advisory: U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to Travel to Puerto Rico to Participate in Ponce’s First Decentralization Summit

DOL Press Release: Department of Labor awards more than $1.1M to support disaster recovery employment, training as Florida recovers from severe May, June storms

IES Press Release: Postsecondary Institutions and Cost of Attendance in 2023-24; Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2022-23, and 12-Month Enrollment: 2022-23 (Provisional)

HHS Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $65.7 Million in Prevention, Treatment, and Workforce Enhancement Awards and Funding Opportunities to Advance President’s Unity Agenda for the Nation

Legislative Movement in Congress:

H.R.9403 — To support a broad and diverse interdisciplinary research community for the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-powered innovation through partnerships and capacity building at certain institutions of higher education and other institutions to expand AI capacity in populations historically underrepresented in STEM, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4] (Introduced 08/23/2024) Cosponsors: (1)

Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

Latest Action: House – 08/23/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

H.R. 7643 — Veterans Congressional Work Study Act of 2024

Sponsor: Takano, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-39] (Introduced 03/12/2024) Cosponsors: (2)

Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Action: Senate – 08/27/2024 Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Comment Request: National Center for College Students With Disabilities (NCCSD) Database of Disability Services and Activities in Higher Education. Comments due on or before September 9, 2024.

DOD Grant Notice: Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Consortium. Applications due on or before September 12, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Regarding Ways To Support the Successful Completion and Submission of the 2025-2026 FAFSA Form. Comments due on or before September 13, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I, II and III Data Collection Form. Comments are due on or before September 13, 2024.

ED Grant Notice: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education-Tribal Controlled Colleges or Universities (TCCUs) Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) Grant Program. Applications due on or before September 16, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Performance Reports for Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program. Comments due on or before September 16, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Federal Student Loan Program: Internship/Residency and Loan Debt Burden Forbearance Forms. Comments due on or before September 18, 2024.

ED Comment Request: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) Promissory Notes and Related Forms. Comments due on or before September 19, 2024.

Bureau of Indian Affairs Comment Request: Bureau of Indian Education Adult Education Program. Comments are due on or before September 27, 2024.

ED Comment Request: Federal Student Aid (FSA) Partner Connect System and User Access Management. Comments due on or before September 30, 2024.

ED Notice: Notice Inviting Publishers To Submit Tests for a Determination of Suitability for Use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education. Applications are due on or before October 1, 2024.

NSF Grant Notice: Advanced Technological Education. Applications due on or before October 3, 2024. 

ED Grant: Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity: Building Evidence of Effectiveness of Strategies To Increase Postsecondary Student Success. Applications due on or before November 14, 2024.

HHS Grant Forecast: Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership Program Grants. Estimated due date is on or before January 6, 2025.

ED Notice: Postsecondary Student Success Grant

ED Notice: President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

ED Notice: Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Fixed-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program