Introduction by Barbara K. Mistick

Dear Colleagues:

With the Cherry Blossoms blooming and the temperatures in the 70s and 80s, spring is in the air in Washington. This is also the time when the president releases his FY 2027 budget, which we are expecting to see later today.

As soon as we have the details, NAICU will communicate the totals included in the budget for the key higher education programs. After further analysis, we will provide additional details on the budget and our advocacy recommendations. NAICU’s next member-only webinar, “Breaking Down President Trump’s FY 2027 Budget; Addressing the Pell Shortfall,” will provide a deeper dive into the budget request and the next steps in the FY 2027 appropriations process. The webinar will be held on April 13, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT [register]. I hope you can attend.

As a reminder, the FY 2027 budget will fund higher education programs for AY 2027-28, which begins on July 1, 2027.

There are also several updates on the negotiated rulemaking front. NAICU is preparing comments to submit to the Department of Education regarding the initial issues considered by the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee. NAICU’s comments will be focused on workforce Pell and the changes to Pell Grant eligibility related to external scholarships. Once the comment period closes on April 8, and following the Department’s review of submissions, the agency will issue final rules.

The proposed regulations for the new program-level accountability metrics, the other major proposal considered by the AHEAD Committee, have not yet been released. Once those proposed regulations are released and we’ve had the opportunity to assess their impact, we will be offering substantive comments to the Department.

Remember that July 1, 2026, is the target implementation date for both policy areas covered under the AHEAD Committee, as well as the student loan changes proposed and considered under the Reimagining and Improving Student Education Committee.

Finally, we expect to see the initial documents from the Department for the upcoming Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking next week, including the list of negotiators, which has not yet been made public. NAICU will be attending the negotiations and has been in conversations with the negotiators who are representing private, nonprofit higher education.

Spring also means the celebration of several significant holidays. To those who celebrated Passover this week, I hope you had a meaningful and joyful holiday. And Happy Easter to those celebrating on Sunday. 

I hope you have a pleasant weekend.

Regards,

Barbara

Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.
President, NAICU

For more information, please contact:
Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.