Introduction by Barbara K. Mistick
Dear Colleagues:
As I write this on Thursday there are still votes being counted and elections to be called that will determine the ultimate makeup of the House of Representatives and the Senate. While certain results across the country may have been surprising to some and not so surprising to others, what matters most is that our system of democracy has prevailed once again.
As we navigate the implications of the election outcomes on our work and on our faculty, staff, students, and families, we can draw strength and determination from knowing that higher education played, and will continue to play, a vital role in the core tenets of our nation’s civic discourse. In fact, there was significant national media coverage reporting live from college campuses throughout the day on Tuesday showing long lines of students waiting and eager to cast their ballots.
Higher education’s impact on our democracy should continue to give us strength.
As the make up of the House and Senate are finalized, NAICU will be assessing and analyzing these results to determine their impact on our advocacy strategies and tactics. As we work on that analysis, there are also some things you can do to keep our momentum going forward:
- Reach out to newly elected policy makers, introduce them to your institution and campus community and offer to help in their transition, if appropriate.
- Remember to put students first and remind newly elected officials and incumbents about the importance of SEOG, Federal Work-Study and the Pell Grant.
- Register for our 2025 Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day. We are already dissecting what we know about the next Congress and working those findings into our plans for the meeting.
Every four years, even if there is no turnover in the White House and the leadership in Congress stays the same, there is always change. We’ve been here before and have continued to make our voices heard and our priorities understood. We will continue to do so during the next several weeks of the lame-duck Congress, through the transition, and into the next Administration and 119th Congress.
In other news, a hearing is being held today in the Eastern District of Texas on summary judgement in the business community’s challenge to the Department of Labor’s final overtime rule. I know many NAICU members are preparing for the upcoming January 1, 2025, increase to the overtime threshold amount and are concerned about the impact it will have on budgets and employees. The judge in Texas could rule on the case from the bench or quickly after the hearing. While it’s uncertain how he’ll rule, I’ll update you as soon as he does.
This week’s Washington Update reports on our post-enrollment FAFSA survey, which showed, among other findings, that three-quarters of private, nonprofit colleges and universities said the delays with the rollout of the new form changed the composition of their fall class.
Soundbites
- FVT/GE Reporting. The Department of Education released a new training resource on the Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment reporting requirements. The resource provides additional guidance on how institutions use the reporting forms the Department has created to comply with the new rules.
- FAFSA Guidance. The Department of Education issued new guidance for state grant agencies and higher education institutions on the access, disclosure, and use of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) non-federal tax information (FTI) data. This guidance provides greater detail on how these FAFSA data can be used in the process of awarding financial aid to students. Additional guidance on the usage of FTI data is expected soon.
NAICU’s office is closed on Monday to celebrate Veterans Day and honor and thank those who serve in our military and work so hard to preserve and protect our democracy … the one we saw on vivid display again this week.
I hope you have a pleasant weekend.
For more information, please contact:
Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.