News from NAICU

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) announced today that it has named Emmanual A. Guillory as director of student and institutional aid policy. Guillory joins NAICU after spending the past two years as the director of public policy and government affairs at UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.).
 
“We are pleased to welcome Emmanual to NAICU’s team of government relations experts,” said NAICU President Barbara K. Mistick, D.M. “His experiences at UNCF, which is a member of NAICU, and on Capitol Hill allows him to step right into the student aid policy arena and continue to provide in-depth analysis and strategy that is so important to our members and the students they serve.”
 
As director of student and institutional aid policy, Guillory will be the lead policy expert on Title IV federal student assistance programs and institutional aid programs found in Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act (HEA). He will be responsible for developing NAICU’s policy positions on student and institutional aid, in conjunction with the association’s member college, university, and association presidents. Guillory will also represent those positions and NAICU’s viewpoints to Congress, the White House, the Department of Education, and other agencies as warranted.
 
“NAICU, like UNCF, is dedicated to ensuring that all students have access to the college or university that best meets their needs, especially low-income and first-generation students,” said Guillory. “I am excited to bring my experience with institutional aid to NAICU, which is critical to ensuring that qualifying institutions, such as HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions, receive equitable funding to better serve students. Being a person who is a first-generation college student from humble beginnings, I know the importance of financing an education all too well, and look forward to focusing on federal student aid, which is so important to ensuring that students are able to fulfill their educational aspirations. Public service and advocacy have always been important to me, and I’m drawn to the opportunity to continue serving as a voice and advocate for policies that positively impact students, families, and under-resourced institutions while also promoting the importance of private, nonprofit higher education.”
 
In his role at UNCF, Guillory served as a primary advocate on the organization’s education policy agenda in the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch. His focus was on federal postsecondary education policy, legislation, and regulatory issues. Guillory also served as UNCF’s lead analyst of education policies, legislation, and regulations to assess the impact on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and on educational opportunities for underrepresented students.
 
Prior to joining UNCF, Guillory served in several roles while working in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 10 years. Most recently, he was a professional staff member for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce where he served as the lead staff member on borrower defense regulations, gainful employment, college access programs, cash management regulations, and all of Titles III, V, VI, and VII of the HEA. Additionally, having worked to reauthorize the HEA, Guillory is intimately familiar with the law and its provisions.
 
Prior to his committee work, Guillory served in many roles for then-Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), most recently as the senior policy advisor. He began his public policy work as an intern in Rep. Bob Latta’s (R-OH) district office in Bowling Green, OH.
 
“Emmanual has been a friend to and colleague of NAICU for several years. We have worked side-by-side in our shared pursuits of advocating on behalf of our members and students,” said Sarah Flanagan, NAICU’s vice president for government relations and policy development. “He brings a depth of experience, creativity, and energy that will be felt across the association and will benefit our entire membership.”
 
Guillory, who will begin in his new position on August 24, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a professional certificate in Leadership Studies from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. Following Texas A&M, he earned a Master of Arts degree in College Student Personnel (Higher Education Administration) from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH.

Yesterday the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a new temporary final rule, prohibiting international students from staying in the United States if they are enrolled in an American college or university that implements an online-only platform for instruction. This guidance also applies to an institution that moves to exclusively online midsemester in response to rising COVID-19 cases on campus, and to students who are living on campuses that are open, but offering classes online only to protect the health and safety of their faculty and campus community.

NAICU President Barbara Mistick, D.M. issued the following statement:

“This policy is not only extremely punitive to international students, it also threatens the safety of other students and the communities surrounding college campuses. It is the exact opposite of what the higher education community, including NAICU, recommended last week to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf requesting extended flexibility for international students."

"This move doesn’t appear to be very well-thought out. The new policy puts undo pressure on campuses to stay open when it is unsafe to do so. Transporting international students who may have been exposed to the coronavirus to other campuses (which would be the only way they could remain in the country to continue their education), or to airports to fly back to their home countries, assuming those countries are allowing flights from the United States, pose a myriad of health risks."

"Congress should take immediate action to help roll back this unnecessary and harmful rule.”

The U.S. Department of Education today released  its final Title IX regulations offering sweeping changes in definitions, responsibilities and procedures regarding sexual assault with an August 14, 2020 effective date.  NAICU President Barbara K. Mistick, D.M., issued the following statement on the new regulations:
 
“After three years of study and nearly 125,000 public comments the Department of Education today has issued a 2,033-page set of complex rules and far-reaching regulations with an effective date of August 14, 2020, upending the entire process colleges and universities use to adjudicate sexual harassment and sexual assault claims on campus.
 
“College and university leaders are committed to providing a safe environment and fairness to all students.  However, in the best of times, it would be extremely difficult for colleges and universities to implement this wholesale change in rules and procedures in less than three months.  In the middle of a global pandemic and national economic collapse, when higher education leaders must be singularly focused on the health and safety of their students and campus communities and the survival of their institutions, this wholesale change is unconscionable.  
 
“We are extremely disappointed that the Department is imposing such a short implementation timeline at a time when the global pandemic has created a crisis for institutions and students alike, and when officials are not able to be on campus to prepare to implement the new rules.
 
“Many will be very concerned that these regulations will have a chilling effect on victims of sexual assault. In addition, the overly legalistic nature of the regulations will turn campuses into courtrooms and impose an expensive and burdensome process on institutions and students.”
 
 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $2 trillion CARES Act this afternoon providing relief resources to colleges and universities and the millions of students and communities they serve.  The bill, expected to be signed by the president, provides nearly $14 billion for all sectors of higher education.
 
NAICU President Barbara Mistick, D.M. released the following statement regarding the passage of the CARES Act:
 
“Members of Congress deserve significant credit for coming together and passing legislation that provides critical relief for so many sectors of our society.  I know they received significant input from their constituents, including hundreds of private, nonprofit college and university presidents.  What Congress has done today is provide important economic relief for our country to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act will also help ensure that students, who have had their academic year turned upside down, have a path to complete their education and institutions have the capacity to meet the changing needs of delivering that education.
 
“The CARES Act recognizes the important contributions that private, nonprofit colleges and universities make to their communities, regions, and states.  It also clearly illustrates the important role these institutions have within all of higher education.  Private, nonprofit colleges and universities educate more than 5 million students and provide more than 1.2 million jobs to the economy.  While the funding amount is important, more support will be needed for institutions to address the enormity of the crisis on their campus and continue serving their students and communities.
 
“The coronavirus emergency is historic in nature.  Colleges and universities, with help from federal, state, and local policy makers and, most importantly, their own communities, will persevere as they have previously through national emergencies.  On behalf of the more than 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities, we look forward to continuing to work with Congress to help the nation recover and get through this crisis together.”
 
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With more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and associations as members, NAICU serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education and reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the United States.  Our member institutions include major research universities, church-related colleges, historically black colleges, art and design colleges, traditional liberal arts and science institutions, women’s colleges, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business, and other professions. 
 

	NAICU President Barbara K. Mistick presents a framed photo of a CICC Member Spotlight to Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH).

U.S. Representative Bob Latta (R-OH), a member of the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus (CICC), was recognized today for his leadership and support of independent colleges and universities by Barbara K. Mistick, D.M., president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
 
“Through five terms in Congress, Rep. Latta has worked to further economic prosperity and job creation in Ohio and nationwide,” Mistick said. “He has worked closely with the independent colleges and universities in his district to advocate for higher education, including supporting academic research and the federal student aid programs which ensure students and families from all economic backgrounds have access to a range of educational options and the financial aid necessary to achieve their goal of a college degree.”
 
Rep. Latta has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007. In the 116th Congress, he serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is a member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Subcommittee on Energy and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
 
“Our colleges are inspiring the next generation of leaders in many different industries, and it’s noticeable,” he said.  “While I crisscross the 5th District, I meet farmers, business owners, teachers, and other leaders who are alumni of our great colleges and universities. They’re taking what they’re learning in the classroom and transforming the workforce and the way we do business. It’s incredible to see.”
 
He has seen firsthand the contributions of the colleges in his district.
 
“Our colleges in Ohio are at the forefront of research,” Rep. Latta said. “We’re seeing the development of cures to horrible diseases. We’re seeing them shape the way we care for patients and run our farms. These institutions play a major role in workforce development, partnering with the private sector to place students in good jobs right out of college.”
 
Rep. Latta has taken a holistic approach to supporting higher education.
 
“We assist colleges and universities with access to research funding so they can continue to be at the forefront of research and development” he added. “We maintain open lines of communication between Capitol Hill and our college presidents. And finally, we work to ensure that when they graduate, our students are entering a booming economy with job opportunities, and finding the career and technical support they need to fill the millions of skilled openings available across the country.”
 
Located in the Northwest corner of Ohio, Rep. Latta’s district borders both Michigan and Indiana, and is comprised of 14 counties and includes the cities of Bowling Green, Defiance and Findlay. 
 
Ohio is home to 50 independent higher education institutions enrolling more than 165,000 students.  Five independent colleges and universities are in Rep. Latta’s district, including: Defiance College, Lourdes University, Ohio Northern University, University of Findlay, and Winebrenner Theological Seminary.
 
Ohio Northern University President Dan DiBiasio, Ph.D., lauded the Congressman for his advocacy of private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
 
“All of us at Ohio Northern University deeply value Rep. Latta’s strong and sustained advocacy for higher education, especially his appreciation for private higher education and particularly for ONU,” DiBiasio said.  “His support for federal student aid benefits thousands of our students and his recent enthusiastic endorsement of our successful USDA award has led to the transformation of engineering education at Northern.”
 
Lourdes University President Mary Ann Gawelek, Ed.D., cited the Congressman for his strong support of higher education in Ohio.
 
“Rep. Latta has been a champion for higher education in Ohio for over a decade,” Gawelek said. “He appreciates and supports independent colleges and universities as critically important for meeting the needs of Ohio post-secondary learners.  Through his friendship and support, Lourdes University is particularly able to provide excellent and relevant education to students through the TRIO Support Services Program.”
 
University of Findlay President Katherine Fell, Ph.D., praised the Congressman for his understanding of the educational needs of his district.
 
“Rep. Latta understands and supports the people he represents. He is present in his district, and he knows the issues we face,” Fell said. “I have seen first-hand his support of education in all its facets: pre-school, K-12, skills training, two-year colleges, public and independent universities.  Rep. Latta serves his constituents well, and we are fortunate to have him in Congress.”
 
Defiance College President Richanne C. Mankey, Ed.D., lauded the Congressman and his local staff for their presence on campus.
 
“Rep. Latta is engaged with Defiance College in mind and deed,” Mankey said. “He is often on campus for discussions and holds periodic meetings on our campus, including an Opioid Town Hall with local and national figures. His support of the independent sector is fueled by his willingness to seek understanding as the conversations about post-secondary education and work-force development ensue. We appreciate Rep. Latta and his very supportive Defiance office staff.” 
 
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio (AICUO) President and General Counsel C. Todd Jones applauded the Congressman for his support of independent colleges and their students across Ohio.
 
“Rep. Latta has always been a friend to independent higher education,” Jones said. “Throughout his entire public service career, Rep. Latta has always been a supporter of independent college students and values the importance higher education has on their lives.”
 
The Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus (CICC), launched in February 2017, offers Members of Congress an opportunity to both celebrate and advance the diversity of the nation’s independent colleges and universities, and learn about the challenges and issues these institutions face.  The Caucus, led by co-chairs Rep. Martha Roby (AL-2) and Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-6), has grown to 87 members.