As reported in our lede story below, we received encouraging news on the regulatory front this week. In a major reversal, the Department of Education announced significant changes to its guidance governing third-party servicers. Acknowledging the concerns raised by the higher education community, the Department announced that it would extend the compliance deadline and clarified exemptions for an array of services. 

I know many of you submitted comments to the Department on this issue, and your advocacy has paid off now that the agency is providing significant relief on the third-party servicer regulations. Thank you for lending your voices to this important topic.

The work is not yet finished on these regulations or others that are on the horizon. We are still anticipating more regulations from the Biden Administration, including ones on FERPA, Title IX sexual discrimination, the overtime rule, Section 504 disability discrimination, and national origin discrimination. 

So, it could be a busy spring on the regulatory front.

• The Department of Education released two new guidance documents reiterating existing policies regarding institutional obligations governing student education records and student health records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. One document provides guidance to school officials, while the other is directed toward students.
• Leadership at all institutions of higher education will be receiving a letter this week from the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) alerting recipients to the changes and potential campus impacts due to the implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the FUTURE Act. The letter was originally posted as an Electronic Announcement on Wednesday. As a reminder, and for additional information, NAICU hosted a webinar with Melanie Storey, director of policy implementation and oversight at FSA that covered the changes to the FAFSA and federal need analysis formula and the impact they could have on campus.

This week’s Washington Update also reports on proposed Title IX rules on transgender sports participation, new bills introduced in the House and Senate that would increase the overtime pay rules and requirements, and available grants from the Departments of Education and Labor.

Regards,
  
Barbara
   
Barbara K. Mistick, D.M.
President, NAICU