Introduction by Barbara K. Mistick
Dear Colleagues:
Next week marks the end of the lame-duck session in Congress. As I have alerted you, the College Cost Reduction Act (CCRA) remains front and center in our advocacy efforts through next week. Our team is hearing some of the same rumors you may be hearing about the fate of the bill, authored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC).
Here’s what we know. Rep. Foxx is only a few votes shy of the number she needs to pass the CCRA. She is still actively lobbying her colleagues and wants to get this bill through before the term ends on December 20. It’s essential to keep the advocacy pressure on your representative and urge them to oppose the CCRA’s risk-sharing proposals, which includes a formula that has a particularly negative effect on private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
Here are several tools to help with your outreach:
- The CCRA Action Alert I sent on Dec. 4, with details on the bill
- Talking points and a sample letter you can use and tailor for your conversations
- Our two-page analysis of the impact of the risk sharing proposals
- A link to the Committee on Education & the Workforce blog that contains the database you can use to determine the specific impact of the CCRA on your institution
- A recording of our recent webinar (presentation slides) on the policy outlook ahead for private, nonprofit higher education
Thank you to those who have already had conversations with their representatives. I have been hearing from many of our members about the feedback they are getting during these meetings, and I know the conversations are having an impact.
While CCRA is a high priority right now, we will soon be asking you to turn your attention to the upcoming 119th Congress. At the same time we are gathering in Washington for our Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day, Congress will be considering or starting to frame its thinking on: appropriations priorities, including federal student aid funding; student loan risk sharing for institutions; items for inclusion in a large-scale tax bill, like new taxes on nonprofits and an expansion of the endowment tax; deregulation; and other proposals that will impact independent higher education for years to come. So, these meetings and conversations will be both timely and critical to our efforts.
If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to register for our annual meeting and join your colleagues in Washington at this pivotal moment early next year.
This week I had the opportunity to meet with another member of the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus (CICC). Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), who was recognized as a Member in the Spotlight, has four private, nonprofit colleges and universities in his district. I also met with Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC) who will replace the retiring Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) as co-chair of the CICC next year. We had a great conversation about expanding the caucus and potential activities for the coming year.
Soundbites
- ED Sends Final Rules to OMB. The Department of Education has sent final rules on return to Title IV (R2T4), distance education, and the federal TRIO programs to the Office of Management and Budget for review. As a result, the regulations, which resulted from a negotiated rulemaking earlier this year and have been awaiting final approval for a number of months, are likely to be finalized before the Biden Administration leaves office.
- FAFSA Deadline Act Becomes Law. President Biden signed the FAFSA Deadline Act into law this week. The bill, which sailed through Congress with unanimous support, requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to be made available each year by October 1, beginning in 2025.
I hope you have a pleasant weekend.
Regards,
Barbara
Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.
President, NAICU