Higher Ed Leaders Chime In on the Education Department’s Regulatory Agenda

The U.S. Department of Education began a series of virtual meetings Tuesday to hear feedback on its expansive regulatory agenda, which could include reworks to college accreditation, federal student aid and distance learning policies. The public hearings, which are scheduled through Thursday, serve as a precursor for what will likely be a months-long process of negotiating over new rules starting in the fall. Several speakers Tuesday urged the Education Department to beef up student consumer protections and better hold poorly performing institutions accountable. Others criticized the agency’s recently expanded definition of third-party vendors that service colleges. Colleges have argued that this policy, which takes effect in September, would impose onerous oversight on areas like study abroad programs and online program management.