Colleges see support from new COVID-19 stimulus law
LEXOLOGY — President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan–his first major legislative proposal since taking office–on Thursday, just one day after the final version of the bill cleared Congress. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 marks the nation’s third COVID-19 stimulus relief package.
Read More about Colleges see support from new COVID-19 stimulus lawCOVID-19 relief bill contains $40 billion in aid to colleges and universities
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Congress is poised to send another $40 billion in aid to the nation’s colleges and universities after the Senate approved a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill Saturday. The House is expected to pass the measure as soon as Tuesday, sending it to President Biden for his signature.
Read More about COVID-19 relief bill contains $40 billion in aid to colleges and universitiesColleges race to announce fall campus reopenings
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Good news about the COVID-19 vaccine couldn’t have come at a better time for college admissions officers. Dozens of colleges and universities have recently announced that they’ll be open in person this fall after waiting weeks or months to go public with fall plans. Colleges’ fall announcements started a few weeks ago.
Read More about Colleges race to announce fall campus reopeningsNew advocacy organization launched in defend faculty academic freedom
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Two hundred professors launched the nonpartisan Academic Freedom Alliance this week to advocate for free speech in academe and, in some cases, legally defend professors’ academic freedom. Membership is currently by invitation only, but the group plans on opening up to all academics.
Read More about New advocacy organization launched in defend faculty academic freedomDepartment of Education to review Title IX campus sexual assault policies
INSIDE HIGHER ED — President Biden on Monday ordered Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to re-examine his predecessor Betsy DeVos’s controversial rule strengthening the rights of those accused of sexual harassment or assault on the nation’s campuses. Biden said that Cardona should consider “suspending, revising, or rescinding” it.
Read More about Department of Education to review Title IX campus sexual assault policiesUndergraduate enrollment falls nationwide in spring 2021
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Enrollment across all institution types fell by 2.9 percent this term compared with last spring, according to new preliminary data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. These early numbers reveal similar declines to fall 2020, when enrollment fell by 3.3 percent year over year across the board.
Read More about Undergraduate enrollment falls nationwide in spring 2021Federal income-driven loan repayment program serves few students
INSIDE HIGHER ED — For more than 25 years, student loan borrowers have had the option to base their monthly payments on their income. But throughout the entire history of the program, only 32 borrowers have ever qualified for full forgiveness from the federal income-driven loan repayment program.
Read More about Federal income-driven loan repayment program serves few studentsIowa bill seeks to force state universities into holding in-person graduation ceremonies
THE GAZETTE — Although the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa already announced their upcoming commencement ceremonies will be virtual — and are well into planning them — a Republican lawmaker is sponsoring a bill requiring Iowa’s public universities to hold in-person spring graduations.
Read More about Iowa bill seeks to force state universities into holding in-person graduation ceremoniesUS Senate confirms Miguel Cardona as education secretary
AP NEWS — The Senate voted Monday to confirm Miguel Cardona as education secretary, clearing his way to lead President Joe Biden’s effort to reopen the nation’s schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. Cardona, 45 was approved on a 64-33 vote.
Read More about US Senate confirms Miguel Cardona as education secretaryCommon Application finds most college applicants not submitting admission test scores
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Only 44 percent of those who applied to college through the Common Application through Feb. 15 submitted SAT or ACT scores. That represents a substantial decline from last year, when the total through Feb. 15, 2020, was 77 percent.
Read More about Common Application finds most college applicants not submitting admission test scores