Introduction by Barbara K. Mistick

The adjournment provides a sigh of relief for our sector, since the House did not act on the College Cost Reduction Act or the Workforce Pell Act, both of which would have put a substantial student loan risk-sharing burden on our institutions. Many thanks to those who worked so hard to keep these bills from coming to the floor before they are more carefully constructed. I ask you to continue your advocacy during October, so neither passes in the upcoming lame duck session.

Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus. This week we harnessed the reach of the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus (CICC) to brief dozens of congressional staff on the real-world impact of the delayed FAFSA rollout on campuses. I am pleased to report that Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), outgoing co-chair of the CICC, and Deborah Ross (D-NC), incoming CICC co-chair, attended and participated in the briefing. Additionally, I’d like to thank Rider University President Greg Dell’Omo for participating and sharing his perspectives and detailing the direct impact the FAFSA delays caused on his campus. The seminar also featured NAICU’s Director of Student and Institutional Aid Justin Monk, presenting findings from the first wave of our FAFSA survey, conducted this summer.

FAFSA Follow-up Survey. There has been considerable interest among policy makers in the results of the first round of our FAFSA survey and what we might uncover in our follow-up. I urge you to ensure your campus completes the follow-up survey by October 4. A reminder that we are conducting this follow-up survey so we can gather additional feedback and compare the situation before and after the start of the academic year.

On a mixed note, NAICU’s long-serving Government Relations Assistant, Cynthia Moore, will be retiring this Monday after nearly 29 years at NAICU. Cynthia’s grace, organizational skills, and professionalism in her support for our advocacy efforts will be irreplaceable. Her political savvy was well honed from 18 years as the personal assistant and scheduler for former Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut. She also served in his Washington office when he became Connecticut’s governor. During her tenure at NAICU, she not only kept our government relations staff organized and on schedule, she was responsible for securing an endless number of speakers for our Annual Meeting and policy conferences through her expert understanding of how decisions on speaking invitations are made on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. She will be sorely missed, but we are happy she will now have the freedom to enjoy some well-deserved time off.

Soundbites

• Stop Campus Hazing Act. Less than two weeks after sailing through committee markup unopposed, the Stop Campus Hazing Act (H.R. 5646) passed the full House of Representatives in a unanimous vote. Among other things, the bill would establish a federal definition of hazing, require campuses to adopt statements of hazing policies and prevention, and require institutions to collect and report information on hazing incidents. It is unclear whether the bill will advance in the Senate, but the broad bipartisan support for the bill increases the chances it will be considered in a post-election lame duck Congress.

• New Mental Health Resources. The Department of Education released several new resources reminding educational institutions, including colleges and universities, of their obligation under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to treat students with mental health disabilities the same as other students with disabilities. The new guidance specifically addresses protections for students with anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.
  
  
• Voter Registration Deadlines. While there are only 40 days until Election Day, in many states there is considerably less time for students to register to vote and request absentee ballots. As a reminder, under the Higher Education Act, institutions are required to distribute voter registration information to students. NAICU’s Your Vote Your Voice initiative has multiple resources to assist in this regard, from an interactive map with key state deadlines to trusted third-party sources for nonpartisan information and voter registration portals.
  
  
• NAICU Board of Directors Elections. Member presidents from 30 states and Puerto Rico are voting on their regional representatives to the NAICU Board. If you are in one of the regions with a contested election for a seat on the board, you have received an email message with a link to the ballot from NAICU President Barbara Mistick. All ballots are due on Friday, Oct 4, 2024.

I hope you have a pleasant weekend.