Introduction by Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.

Dear Colleagues:

In a mad dash toward its August recess, the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 4, a budget resolution to begin the FY 2027 reconciliation process, and the National Defense Authorization Act authorizing a $1.15 trillion defense budget. The Senate remains in session until August 7, giving it additional time to consider these measures.

If these measures are passed in the Senate and signed into law, Congress is expected to spend September focused on a third reconciliation package, while action on annual appropriations bills would likely occur after the midterm elections. 

Also in the Senate, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions scheduled a markup for next week and plans to consider several bills that will affect our institutions, including the College Transparency Act, which would establish a student unit record system, and is a bill NAICU has long opposed due to concerns about student privacy. (See story for more details.)

Meanwhile, at the Department of Education this week, the agency, in a rare move, published final regulations eliminating the disparate impact provisions of its Title VI regulations, which address policies and practices that have a discriminatory effect based on race, color, or national origin. (See story for more details.)

While another busy week is expected here in Washington next week, I’m looking forward to joining several members of our team at the National Association of Independent College and University State Executives’ (NAICUSE) annual summer workshop.  This convening is always a valuable opportunity to collaborate with our state association partners on the issues that matter most to our students and institutions. My thanks to NAICUSE Chair Jenna Colvin, president of the Georgia Independent College Association, and her team for putting together a strong program that addresses many key issues facing our students and institutions. 

I’ll provide highlights and key takeaways from our discussions and speakers in next week’s issue!

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.