ED Concludes Negotiated Rulemaking on State Authorization, Accreditation, and More

This week, the Department of Education concluded its third and final negotiated rulemaking session on Program Integrity and Institutional Quality, concerning state authorization, distance education, accreditation, return of title IV funds, cash management, and the TRIO programs. The committee only reached consensus on opening up some of the federal TRIO programs to undocumented students. Thus, ED may put forward its own regulatory language on the various topics.

From Inside Higher Ed:

“The Biden administration can now move forward with its plans to give states greater authority over online programs after an advisory rule-making committee rejected a compromise proposal Thursday.

The Education Department said last week that it wants to change the terms of state authorization reciprocity agreements to give state regulators more authority to enforce their own laws on out-of-state institutions that enroll their residents. Currently, reciprocity agreements allow colleges to enroll out-of-state students online without getting direct approvals from the individual states—and they exempt institutions from some laws in the states where the students are located.

Department officials have said that the current structure fails to protect students and taxpayers by limiting states’ oversight.”

Details are here. Coverage from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here. NC-SARA provides a “Status of State Authorization Reciprocity at Conclusion of 2023-2024 Negotiated Rulemaking Session 3”, here.

House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee Hearing on DEI

On Thursday, the House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), held a hearing entitled, “Divisive, Excessive, Ineffective: The Real Impact of DEI on College Campuses”. The hearing was starkly partisan. Republicans primarily directing questions to their three witnesses, while Democrats primarily directed questions to their sole witness, Dr. James Murphy of Education Reform Now. More details are here, the House Republican recap is here, and a recording of the hearing may be viewed here.  

2024 ASAHP Election: Call for Candidates

ASAHP's annual election will be conducted this summer. The following positions are open for the 2024 election:

Board of Directors (three-year term) - 3 open positions

Treasurer (two-year term) - 1 open position

Nominations & Elections Committee (two-year term) - 3 open positions

Applications must be submitted here no later than Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Voting will begin Summer 2024.

ED Negotiated Rulemaking on Student Debt Relief Reaches Consensus

The Department of Education (ED) held a virtual negotiated rulemaking session last week regarding student loan forgiveness for those with financial hardship. The negotiated rulemaking session was the fourth and final round of negotiated rulemaking on student debt relief, following three rulemaking sessions on student loan debt relief last year, aimed at debt relief for several categories of borrowers.

Ahead of this week’s session, the Department of Education released draft regulatory text on Thursday, February 15. The proposal listed numerous factors that the Secretary could use to determine if a borrower is eligible for forgiveness due to hardship. It also included language allowing ED to offer immediate relief for those at least 80 percent likely to default within the next two years.

Some language from the proposal was tweaked, and ED added language clarifying that an application for debt relief is not required. Consensus was reached, as there was no dissent among members of the negotiated rulemaking committee. While most representatives on the negotiated rulemaking committee gave a thumbs up, the representative for for-profit institutions gave a sideways thumb, and the representative for servicers abstained.

The Department has previously said it aims to release the plans for public comment in May. Rules finalized by November 1 go into effect July 1 of the following year. ED could take action to implement provisions of the final rule earlier, using its authority under the Higher Education Act (HEA). Legal challenges are expected. ED’s negotiated rulemaking page may be accessed here.

Webinar: The Changing Landscape for Health Professions Education: Part 1 – Upheaval in Higher Education

This is part 1 of a 2-part webinar series looking at the challenges health professions education programs face as the higher education landscape changes.  In this session, we explore the history of disruptive change in higher education and the disruptive forces currently at play.  We provide real-world examples of these disruptive forces in health professions education colleges and provide suggestions to help leaders prepare for the future. In part 2 (fall 2024) we will focus on the changing student population and their needs, challenges, and opportunities.

Speakers

Stacy Jaffee Gropack, PT, PhD, FASAHP
Dean, School of Health Professions
Stony Brook University

Susan Gordon-Hickey, AuD, PhD, FASAHP
Dean, Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions
University of South Alabama

Moderator: Mark Merrick, PhD, AT, ATC, FNATA, FNAP
Dean, College of Health and Human Services
University of Toledo

Register Here

AMRPA's 2024 Fall Conference Call for Abstracts

The American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) is currently accepting submissions for both oral and poster presentation abstracts for the AMRPA Educational Conference & Expo taking place on October 27-30, 2024, in Miami, Florida.   

More details may be accessed here.

Revealing Disparities: Health Care Workers’ Observations of Discrimination Against Patients

An Issue Brief from the Commonwealth Fund discusses how discrimination against patients in health care settings on the basis of race, ethnicity, or language can negatively impact quality of care and health outcomes. 

The Brief can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/Fernandez_AARC_health_workers_survey_discrimination_PR_2024-02-15.pdf.

Call for Proposals - Interprofesional Innovation Grant Program

The Interprofessional Committee (IPC) of the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) developed the Interprofessional Innovation Grant (IIG) Program to provide support for interprofessional collaboration research among the ASAHP membership. The intent is to provide recipients a competitive edge in securing additional funding by supporting pilot projects and further developing grantsmanship skill sets. The intent of the IIG Program is that proposals submitted can be used to develop larger, more extensive interprofessional research projects that further engage faculty and ASAHP members in research endeavors.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Faculty at ASAHP Institutions in good standing

AWARD AMOUNT: We expect to fund 3 awards up to $2,000 per award

PROJECT PERIOD: September 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

GRANT PERIOD: Up to 9 months

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  June 3, 2024

Learn more and apply here.

NC-SARA to Host Webinar on U.S. Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking

On Thursday, March 21, from 2-3pm Eastern, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) will host a webinar on the implications for SARA-participating institutions as well as SARA member states and territories of the 2021-2022 negotiated rulemaking final regulations published by the U. S. Department of Education in October 2023, with a particular focus on certification procedures related to institutional closure. Presenters will also provide an update on the 2023-2024 negotiated rulemaking, again focusing on topics that may have the greatest impact on SARA. 

More details and a link to register may be accessed here.

Call for Proposals: 2024 ASAHP Interprofessional Collaboration Grant

The Interprofessional Collaboration Grant, created by ASAHP’s Research, Discovery, and Innovation Committee, supports innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration. Projects should involve at least two and preferably more health professions. The most competitive applications will be designed as scalable projects with potential outcomes which can be broadly applied and implemented by ASAHP member institutions.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty in an ASAHP member institution. Applicants may serve as PI on only one grant application. Only one application may be submitted per ASAHP Member Institution.

AWARD AMOUNT: We expect to fund 2-3 awards up to $30,000 per award

GRANT PERIOD: September 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 3, 2024

Learn more and apply here.

House Education Committee Democrats Announce their HEA Reauthorization Roadmap

Today, House Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) announced Committee Democrat’s Roadmap to College Student Success, their legislative blueprint for Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization. Currently, the roadmap consists of six previously introduced bills addressing college affordability, access, and student support. Committee Democrats plan to introduce additional related legislation in the coming months. Tomorrow, the Committee, under Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will markup the College Cost Reduction Act, an HEA reauthorization bill from Committee Republicans.

The announcement may be accessed here. 

ASAHP Joins HPNEC Joint Letter to Congressional Appropriators on FY 24 Funding

ASAHP joined the HPNEC coalition in a letter sent today to congressional appropriators, urging them to work in a bipartisan manner to provide the highest possible funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. At a minimum, HPNEC members recommended that appropriators start with the $877.8 million funding level proposed in the Senate's FY 24 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill.

The letter may be accessed here.

Department of Education Request for Information Regarding Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Needs in Higher Education

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education released a request for information in the form of written comments that may include information, research, and suggestions regarding supporting student mental health and/or substance use disorder (behavioral health) needs in higher education. Comments must be received no later than February 25.

The request may be accessed here.

College Cost Reduction Act House Committee Markup Scheduled for Wednesday

The House Education and the Workforce Committee has scheduled a markup of the College Cost Reduction Act for Wednesday, January 31 at 10:15am Eastern. The bill addresses accreditation, Pell grants, student loans, regulatory relief, and more. The bill is one of several expected in the Committee to address Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization. It was introduced by House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) earlier this month.

The markup may be viewed live here.

Applications Now Open for ASAHP's Annual Interprofessional Award

Through the Award for Institutional Excellence and Innovation in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Health Care, ASAHP looks to recognize a member institution and/or industry member for outstanding achievement in IPE and IPCP. In addition to the award, several institutions will also be recognized as “Programs of Merit” by ASAHP.

Candidates for this award must be ASAHP members and should demonstrate outstanding achievement in the following areas:

1. Initiatives are inclusive and comprehensive in scope in the preparation of collaboration-ready health professionals.

2. Initiatives are strongly committed to assessment of outcomes and dissemination of scholarship.

3. Initiatives are strongly connected to their Institution’s mission and culture.

4. Initiatives are connected to external stakeholders in the community.

5. Initiatives promote personal, community and population health.

6. Initiatives advocate for social justice and address social determinants of health.

Learn more about the award and view the application here.

College Cost Reduction Act Introduced in the House

On Thursday, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced The College Cost Reduction Act, a bill that addresses accreditation, Pell grants, student loans, regulatory relief, and more. The bill is one of several expected in the Committee to address Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization.

The Committee press release, and links to the bill text, fact sheet, and summary may be accessed here. A summary from ACE may be accessed here and a summary from NAICU may be accessed here.

ASAHP Urges Congressional Leaders to Adopt Senate Funding Framework

ASAHP was one of 850 organizations to urge Congressional leadership finish the FY24 appropriations process and adopt the bipartisan Senate funding framework as a starting point for final negotiations.

The letter may be accessed here.

Department of Education Takes Next Steps on Negotiated Rulemaking for State Authorization, Distance Education, and Accreditation

On Tuesday, the Department of Education released six issue papers on topics for negotiated rulemaking. The topics include the following issue areas: Cash management, Return of Title IV Funds, Accreditation, State Authorization, Distance Education, and TRIO. Negotiators will meet virtually on January 8-11, February 5-8, and March 4-7. Sessions will be open to the public and include opportunities for public comment. ED also announced the list of the individuals who will serve on the negotiating committee and subcommittee.

The Department of Education’s press release may be accessed here. More details may be accessed here. An article from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here.

ASAHP and CDC Coalition Urge Robust CDC Funding for FY 24

ASAHP was one of 139 organizations that are members of the CDC Coalition and joined in sending a letter to congressional appropriators urging at least $11.581 billion in funding for the CDC’s programs in FY 2024.

The letter may be accessed here.