ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Congressional appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, new proposals on international students and visas, accreditation, and colleges' tax-exempt status are all on the agenda as Congress returns to Washington for a short stretch before the midterms.
Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer break down what happened during the August recess and what to expect leading up to the election on the season opener of dotEDU.
Here are some of the links and references from this week's show:
Secretary McMahon's Call to Action
Secretary McMahon's Call to Action Department of Education Issues National Call to Action for CampusesACE | August 10, 2026 https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/ED-Issues-National-Call-to-Action-for-Campuses.aspx
Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Commit to Education OverhaulPolitico | August 3, 2026https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/03/trump-admin-asks-colleges-to-sign-on-to-their-priorities-01022271
McMahon Sends Reform 'Questionnaire' to Colleges Inside Higher Ed | August 3, 2026https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2026/08/03/mcmahon-sends-reform-questionnaire-colleges
Appropriations & Federal Agencies
White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants The New York Times | September 20, 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/science/nih-omb-grants-bhattacharya-vought.html
Researchers Accuse NIH of Viewpoint Discrimination in New Class Action Lawsuit Inside Higher Ed | September 18, 2026 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/science-research-policy/2026/09/18/researchers-accuse-nih-viewpoint-discrimination
ED, NSF Move to Implement Elements of Pending OMB Grant Proposal ACE | August 27, 2026 https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/ED-NSF-Move-to-Implement-Uniform-Guidance.aspx
International Updates
International Students Face More New Hurdles This Year ACE | September 10, 2026 https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/International-Students-Face-New-Immigration-Hurdles-This-Year-.aspx
Judge blocks DHS rule limiting foreign students to four-year stays The Washington Post | September 14, 2026 https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/09/14/judge-blocks-dhs-rule-limiting-foreign-students-four-year-stays/
Colleges Dodge Trump's $103K H-1B Visa Fee Politico | August 24, 2026 https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/08/colleges-dodge-trumps-103k-h-1b-visa-fee-01048239?site=pro∏=alert&prodname=alertmail&linktype=article&source=email
Accreditation
ACE Comments on Proposed Accreditation Rule ACE | September 16, 2026 https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Comments-ED-Draft-Rule-Accreditation-091726.pdf
Will Trump's Accreditation Revamp Force Campus Changes? Inside Higher Ed | September 16, 2026 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/accreditation/2026/09/16/will-trumps-accreditation-revamp-force-campus-changes
Quick Hits – Tax-Exempt Status, Section 117, & Athletics
IRS Proposes Rules to Strip Tax Exemptions From Colleges Using Race in Policies The Wall Street Journal | September 3, 2026 https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/irs-proposes-rules-to-strip-tax-exemptions-from-colleges-using-race-in-policies-774a32af?mod=education_news_article_pos1
Trump Administration Aims to Strip Schools' Tax Exemption if They Consider Race The Washington Post | September 3, 2026 https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/09/03/trump-administration-aims-strip-schools-tax-exemption-if-they-consider-race/
Letter to the Editor | The Debate Over Foreign Money in Higher Education The Wall Street Journal | September 7, 2026 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-debate-over-foreign-money-in-higher-education-b4923e88?mod=letterstoeditor_article_pos2
College Sports Bill Moves Forward in Senate with Democratic Support Politico | September 15, 2026 https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/09/15/congress/college-sports-bill-advances-01078084
Republican Bill Aims to Cap Numbers of International Student Athletes Inside Higher Ed | September 15, 2026 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/09/15/gop-bill-aims-cap-international-student-athletes
