Federal Friday
- Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Celebrate Successful Implementation of Workforce Development Partnership
- Office of Management and Budget: M-26-03 President’s Management Agenda
- Federal Student Aid: (GENERAL-25-45) FSA Partner Connect –E-App Enhancements Planned for December 2025 (Updated Dec. 8, 2025)
- Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Launches New Earnings Indicator to Support Students and Families in Making Informed College Decisions
- As detailed by the Department’s release, for more details on the earnings indicator, you can review Under Secretary of Education Kent’s Homeroom Blog, Federal Student Aid’s Electronic Announcement, and the FSA Data Center.
- Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Agreement with Missouri to End Biden Administration’s Illegal SAVE Plan
- Wall Street Journal Op-Ed from Nicholas Kent, Undersecretary of Education, and Catherine Hanaway, Attorney General of Missouri: The Era of Illegal Student Loan Forgiveness Is Over
- Department of Justice: Department of Justice Rule Restores Equal Protection for All in Civil Rights Enforcement
- Federal Register Notice: Rescinding Portions of Department of Justice Title VI Regulations to Conform More
- Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education to Update Accreditation Handbook to Support High-Quality, High-Value Education
- Federal Register Notice: Request for Information: Updates to the Accreditation Handbook
- Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Prevents More Than $1 Billion in Federal Student Aid Fraud This Year, Additional Crackdowns Expected in 2026
AHEAD Committee Meeting
The Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) negotiated rulemaking committee began meeting this week with discussions focused on Workforce Pell. This committee is the second negotiated rulemaking committee focused on implementing provisions contained within H.R. 1 – “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
If interested, you can review the materials distributed by the Department of Education in advance of the meeting below:
- Committee Member List* Updated Committee List*
- Committee Protocols*
- Committee Agenda*
- Discussion Draft and Amendatory Text*
Additional materials are available on the Department of Education website. The second session of the AHEAD committee, which is expected to focus on accountability measures, is set to occur the week of January 5, 2026.
Political Activity Guidance Reminder
As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the emerging federal landscape, Universities of Wisconsin employees should be mindful of political activity and public advocacy guidelines.
Activities such as sharing a petition or contacting a legislator for political purposes using your university email address or state resources to engage in political campaign activities at any time or engaging in political activities during work time are prohibited.
In your capacity as private citizens, on non-work time, and without use of university resources (including the use of university email addresses) employees may circulate or sign a petition or letter of support advocating for public policy or a political candidate. However, if using your name and official title, it should be made clear that an individual’s endorsement indicates neither support nor endorsement by the university of a particular policy position or candidate, and that you are acting solely in your role as a private citizen.
For more information, you can read the Guidance on Political Activities Frequently Asked Questions document. Importantly, these FAQs should be treated as general guidelines and not legal advice.
Please direct specific questions regarding political campaign issues to the Office of General Counsel or your university’s Office of Legal Affairs.