Cases & Developments

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from February 6-12, 2024. This summary highlights the recent decision by Region 01 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that Dartmouth College’s men’s basketball team are employees eligible to unionize; the Department of Education’s allocation of $50 million to provide direct funding for technical and other tools in FAFSA assistance to help institutions process student records and deliver financial aid packages; and the latest update to the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) FAFSA tracker showing that only 16.3% of the high school class of 2024 has submitted a FAFSA, a 56.6% decrease compared to the 2023 academic year. 

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from January 30-February 5, 2024. This summary highlights NACUBO’s coverage of the legislative landscape relating to higher education reform in the run-up to the presidential election; ED’s announcement of a delay in sharing FAFSA information and the efforts of higher education associations to provide resources to help institutions manage the challenges this brings; ED’s submission of the new Title IX rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review; the decision of the Supreme Court not to review a lower court’s denial of a preliminary injunction in the challenge brought by Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. to the admissions policies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; and recent research by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) on the state of endowments at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.   

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from January 9-29, 2024. This summary highlights the introduction of the College Cost Reduction Act (H.R. 6951) by Representative Virginia Foxx, chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; oral arguments in the Supreme Court in cases considering whether it should overrule Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council; NACUBO’s updated student account policy manual advisory; the NCAA’s newly approved disclosure and transparency rules addressing student-athlete protections related to name, image, and likeness (NIL); a new report on undergraduate enrollments from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center; and NACUBO’s advocacy with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding its NPRM on “Unfair and Deceptive Fees” and with the Public Finance Network (PFN) outlining areas where Congress can strengthen tax-exempt bonds. 

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from December 19, 2023-January 8, 2024. This summary highlights the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) annual report on agreements between colleges and universities and banks to provide accounts and credit cards to students and other campus stakeholders; the “soft launch” of the 2024-25 FAFSA and the technical issues that have accompanied it; the reminder from the Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid about the January 31, 2024 deadline for reporting foreign gifts and contracts under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act; NACUBO’s updated Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual (FARM); NACUBO’s comment letter on the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) exposure draft, “Disclosure and Classification of Certain Capital Assets,” and the requirement that capital assets held for sale, intangible assets, and lease assets be disclosed separately by major class; and NACUBO’s advocacy along with other higher education associations in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security on its proposed rule “Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers.”  

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred between December 12-18, 2023. This summary highlights the recommendation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that institutions maintain a ratio of one School Certifying Official to every 125 GI Bill students; ED’s reminder that the next deadline to report foreign gifts and contracts under Section 117 of the HEA is January 31, 2024; a publication from the IRS to help taxpayers navigate the new online tool to facilitate direct pay for credits under the Inflation Reduction Act or the CHIPS Act; a new statement from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) providing guidance on “disclosure of risks relating to concentrations and constraints that may result in reduced service levels and/or the inability to meet obligations as they come due;” NACUBO’s comments, with the American Council on Education (ACE) and other organizations, to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of its recent NPRM on “Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet;” and NACUBO’s member webinar to equip business officers to engage in effective advocacy with their elected officials.   

Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from November 28-December 11, 2023.  This summary highlights the hearing on antisemitism on campus in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; ED’s updated regulatory agenda for Fall 2023, which notes a delay in the anticipated publication of final rules related to Title IX; ED’s announcement of negotiated rulemaking to address institutional eligibility for Title IV funds and related topics; ED’s publication of FAQ on institutions’ reporting obligations for foreign gifts and contracts under Section 117 of the HEA; NACUBO’s advocacy with the American Council on Education (ACE) and other groups opposing the DETERRENT Act; NACUBO’s advocacy with ACE in favor of interstate telehealth flexibilities; NACUBO’s endorsement of comments from the Council on Government Relations on the effort from the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposal to rewrite its Uniform Grants Guidance; NACUBO’s advocacy in support of the Charitable Act to restore the charitable deduction for individual and joint tax filers who do not itemize their deductions; and a survey NACUBO is conducting with ACE on ED’s final regulations on transcript hold policies, financial responsibility, finance value transparence, and related regulations.