Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from May 16-22, 2023. This summary highlights the Department of Education’s new proposed rules on Gainful Employment and Financial Responsibility; ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA)’s new webpage on Section 117 Foreign Gift and Contract Reporting, which includes information, guidance, and training related to Section 117; and the Department of Energy’s new Funding and Incentives Resource Hub.
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act
U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Gainful Employment (GE), Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, Ability to Benefit (ATB). In addition to requirements for certificate programs and degree programs at private for-profit institutions, the new regulations would also collect and report information from all institutions on costs, typical borrowing amounts, earnings, and licensure data where applicable. Comments will be due 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.
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Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Higher Education Act (HEA) | Program Integrity & Gainful Employment
Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from May 2-15, 2023. This summary highlights the Department of Education’s call for institutions to use Federal Work-Study Program money to increase the number of college students supporting K-12 students as tutors and mentors; ED’s recommendation that colleges and universities “ban the box” by no longer asking questions about criminal history in the admissions process; and NACUBO’s advocacy with other higher education associations in a letter to members of Congress recommending repeal of the taxability of Pell Grants and elimination of an interaction that might make Pell Grant recipients unable to access the full value of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC).
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Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Updated Guidance on Justice System Involved Students. With the upcoming reinstatement in July 2023 of federal Pell Grants for individuals who are incarcerated, the Department released an updated “Beyond the Box” guide for institutions addressing barriers to education for formerly incarcerated individuals.
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Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Students
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announcement of Letter to Presidents, Chancellors, and CEOs on Changes to Federal Student Aid and 2024-25 FAFSA Process. FSA’s Chief Operating Officer emailed institution leaders to highlight the potential impacts of implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act (FUTURE Act), noting that “[t]he successful implementation of both laws will greatly alter the current systems and procedures your school uses to award federal student aid.” Anticipated impacts include the need for more resources and training for financial aid leaders and staff; review of current admissions and financial aid deadlines and practices; increased staffing to support an increased number of students eligible for federal aid; impacts on enrollment and/or retention strategies; resources and training for updates for software, security, and systems updates; and increased risks associated with non-compliance, such as audit findings, fines, and/or liabilities. All changes will be fully implemented beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.
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Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act | Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Student Loans | Students
Summary from the National Association of College & University Business Officers on legislative and regulatory actions that occurred from April 18-May 1, 2023. This summary highlights the Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) selection of five companies under its Unified Servicing Data Solution (USDS) plan to streamline servicing and borrower experience for federal student loans; FSA’s announcement of an email to IHE leaders about upcoming changes in federal student aid processes; and the American Council on Education’s (ACE) letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) encouraging regulators to consider the time and effort required for institutions to update data systems to comply with proposed changes to data collection on race and ethnicity across government agencies, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Topics:
Accreditation, Authorizations, & Higher Education Act
