One of the nation’s top officials on policies affecting colleges and universities, James Kvaal, undersecretary at the Department of Education, will be a plenary speaker for NAICU’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day, February 6-9, 2022 in Washington, DC.  Registration for the Association’s first in-person annual meeting in two years is now open.

Kvaal will discuss the Biden Administration’s higher education agenda during the session A View from the Administration on Feb. 8. The former president of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Kvaal served in the Obama Administration as the deputy domestic policy adviser at the White House and deputy undersecretary at the Education Department. 

During another plenary session, Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales and an analyst for CQ Roll Call, will offer detailed electoral forecasting and his view of the political landscape in Washington. 

In addition to the higher education and political landscapes, the meeting will cover many social and health issues that will impact your students, faculty, staff, and campus community, including sessions focused on: 

• Restorative Justice and the Role of Faith: A session devoted prison reform and the positive role higher education can play in changing live.
• The Arc of Progress: Title IX at 50: A celebratory look at the past, present and future of the groundbreaking law prohibiting sex discrimination in education as the 50th anniversary of its passage approaches.
• Effects of the Pandemic on College Student Mental Health: An exploration of the ongoing research into the mental health effects of the pandemic on young people.

Given NAICU’s emphasis on doubling the maximum Pell Grant award, the annual meeting will also include several opportunities to discuss and celebrate the importance of this vital federal student aid program and its 50 years of providing support to low- and middle-income students and families.  The centerpiece will be a special dinner celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Pell Grant, which was introduced in June of 1972. 

NAICU’s traditional Advocacy Day, held on Feb. 8, will provide opportunities for campus leaders to meet with their elected officials to discuss the most pressing policy issues affecting their campus communities and concludes with the 6th Annual Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus Reception. 

Join presidents and other leaders of the private, nonprofit higher education sector by registering today for NAICU’s 2022 Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day.  Watch for additional program updates in the coming weeks.