This week, nearly 600 private, nonprofit higher education presidents and senior leaders have gathered virtually for NAICU’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day.  As Congress debates much-needed COVID relief funding, considers the nomination of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, and tackles other key higher education priorities, NAICU members are meeting in record numbers with their federal elected leaders.
 
The following is a statement from NAICU President Barbara Mistick, D.M. on the importance of continued COVID-related federal funding relief for private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
 
“During the course of the next two days, NAICU member presidents and state leaders will be meeting with over 250 members of the House and nearly 80 Senators.  These meetings come at a critical time.  Today, the House Committee on Education and Labor will mark up a COVID relief bill that provides $40 billion for higher education, including all private, nonprofit colleges.  This is significant funding, along with the previous relief provided by Congress last year.  However, it does not come close to meeting the needs of colleges and universities.  According to data from the Association of Governing Boards, the higher education sector has suffered $183 billion in losses as a result of the pandemic.
 
“We appreciate that Congress has included the 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities and the more than 5 million students who attend those institutions in this next round of critical COVID relief funding.  This awful virus does not distinguish among types of colleges and we are glad Congress is treating the nation’s public and private colleges and universities, and their students and communities, equally, as it did in the two previous relief packages. 
 
“Private, nonprofit colleges and universities, which are playing important roles in leading the nation’s recovery from the pandemic, are committed to ensuring their students, faculty, and staff are teaching and learning in safe, secure, and healthy environments.
 
“As colleges continue to work with their local communities and regions to help overcome the challenges presented by the pandemic, we look forward to discussing these issues over the next two days and working with Congress on this critical funding as the legislation moves through the House and Senate committees to a final passage in the weeks to come.”
   
NAICU serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education and reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S.  Our member institutions include major research universities, faith-based colleges, historically black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, 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.  With more than 5 million students attending 1,700 independent colleges and universities in all 50 states, and more than 1 million employees, the private sector of American higher education has a dramatic impact on our nation’s larger public interests.