Federal Friday

• Department of Education: (GENERAL-26-42) Update to List of Professional Degree Programs Due to Court Order
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Final Rule to Hold All Colleges and Universities Accountable for Low-Earning Programs
• Department of Justice: The Department of Justice Files Complaints Against Massachusetts and Rhode Island Challenging State Laws that Provide In-State Tuition to Illegal Aliens
• Department of Education: U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Issues Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision in West Virginia v. B.P.J.
• Department of Education: Fact Sheet: The Trump Administration is Making Higher Education More Affordable, Expanding Opportunity, and Simplifying Student Loan Repayment
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Marks End of Second Annual Title IX Month with Major Enforcement Recap
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Holds First-of-its-Kind Higher Education Fraud Summit
• National Science Foundation: Prohibition on Collaborations with Restricted Entities

Electronic Announcement 

On June 29, 2026, the Department of Education released an Electronic Announcement titled, (GENERAL-26-42) Update to List of Professional Degree Programs Due to Court Order.

Please take time to review the announcement and know that further updates will be shared as appropriate.

Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand- Driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability

On July 1, 2026, the Department of Education published the final Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand- Driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability rule.

At the time of the announcement, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent, said, “The Trump Administration is hitting the hard reset button on higher education and implementing commonsense reforms that will drive down the cost of higher education and hold all institutions, regardless of sector, accountable for low earnings outcomes. If a program cannot show that it leaves its graduates financially better off than if they had never enrolled, it should not be underwritten by federal taxpayers. Amid rising rates of default and delinquency in the $1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio, this new accountability framework is a responsible policy that will safeguard American taxpayer dollars and protect students from taking on unmanageable debt for programs that cannot demonstrate a reasonable return on investment.”

For more from the Department, including changes from the NPRM, you can review the Department’s press release and summary document.

Supreme Court of the United States Update

On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court issued an opinion in West Virginia vs. B.P.J. You can read the opinion at the preceding link, and if interested, you can review Secretary McMahon’s statement following the ruling here.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

Note: There will not be a new Federal Friday Newsletter on Friday, July 3, 2026.  Regular publication will resume during the week of July 6, 2026.

• White House: Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation
• White House: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ushers in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Approves Vermont’s Returning Education to the States Waiver

House Committee on Science Space and Technology Hearing

The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science Space and Technology held a hearing titled, “Safeguarding Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act’s Role in Combating Grant Fraud” on June 24.

Witnesses included:

• Robert Steinau, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of the Inspector General
• Jennifer Springmann, Special Agent in Charge, National Science Foundation Office of the Inspector General
• Brenna Jenny, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Commercial Litigation Branch, Department of Justice

To review the hearing, you can watch the archived coverage on the committee website and via the hearing charter.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Approves Indiana’s Returning Education to the States Waiver, Freeing Up Millions to Invest in Students
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Partnerships to Strengthen Coordination for Individuals with Disabilities Programs, Bolster Civil Rights Enforcement
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Student Loan Interest Rate Reduction

Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures

The Department of Education’s Proposed Revisions to Information Collection Request (ICR) on Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures closed for comments on June 15, 2026.

If interested, you can review the following comment submissions from several national associations:

• Higher Education Stakeholder Letter:  Comments on Education Department’s Proposed Revisions to Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosure
• Association of American Universities: Response to ED’s Proposed ICR on Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures

$100,000 H-1B Fee Update

Currently, a coalition of state Attorneys General, including Wisconsin, is suing the federal government in Massachusetts regarding a $100,000 fee imposed on certain H-1B workers pursuant to a Presidential Proclamation on September 19, 2025. Although a federal judge struck down the fee on June 8, 2026, a stay of that ruling was granted until the appeals court can rule on a motion filed by the federal government.

Therefore, the federal government might require a $100,000 H-1B fee for certain H-1B petitions at this time.

We will continue to monitor the legal challenges to the H-1B payment policy and provide updates.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: S. Department of Education Announces Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge Semifinalists
• Department of Education: Fact Sheet: The Trump Administration Is Simplifying Student Loan Repayment
• Wisconsin Department of Justice: Wisconsin DOJ and Coalition Secure Summary Judgment in Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful $100k Fee for H-1B
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Finds University of California Davis Medical School Discriminates Based on Race in Admissions

• Department of Education: U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Issues Statement on Passage of the ‘No Aid for Ghost Students Act’

• Wisconsin Department of Justice: Wisconsin DOJ Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful New Federal Contractor Terms

House Appropriations Committee Update

On June 9, the House Appropriations Committee marked up the FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill. The bill was approved via a vote of 34-28 and can now be considered on the House Floor.

The House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriators will continue to work to advance FY27 legislation in advance of the end of the federal fiscal year, September 30th.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Celebrates June as Second Annual Title IX Month
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Launches Title VI Investigation into DEI Programs at Arizona State University
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Expands Admissions Investigations into 15 Additional Medical Schools

House Appropriations Committee Updates

On June 4, the House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2027Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill  in advance of the subcommittee markup on June 5.

As included in the linked release, you can review the following resources if interested in reading more:

• A summary of the bill is available here.
• Bill text is available here.

The full committee markup is scheduled for June 9 beginning at 10:00AM Central Time. If interested, you can watch live on the Committee website.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: (GENERAL-26-30) Assistance in Implementation of Final Regulations for the Working Families Tax Cuts Act
• USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Sues University of California for Antisemitic Hostile Educational Environment
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Cruz, Cantwell, Schmitt, Coons Strike Agreement to Save College Sports
• House Select Committee on the CCP: ICYMI: Select Committee Releases Report on NASA’s Research Security and Enforcement of the Wolf Amendment

Department of Labor NPRM

The comment period for the Department of Labor’s NPRM titled, “Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States,” closed on May 26.

If interested in reading more, you can review several association comment letters below:

• APLU: Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States Comments
•  CUPA-HR: Improving Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Foreign Nationals in the United States Comments

The Department of Labor must now review the submitted comments prior to a final rule being released.

Appropriations Subcommittee Markup

On June 5 at 7:00AM Central Time, the House Appropriations Committee will hold a subcommittee markup of the FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill and the FY27 Homeland Security Bill.

Information about the legislation will be available closer to the date of the subcommittee markup; if interested, you can watch live on the committee website.

The full committee markup is currently scheduled for later this month.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Final Rule to Create New Workforce Pell Grant Program
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Measures to Reduce Federal Burden on States
• WI Department of Justice: Wisconsin DOJ Sues U.S. Department of Education Over Student Loan Rule Limiting Access to Student Loans for Professional Degree Programs
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Make Historic Grant Investments in Programs that Bolster Postsecondary Outcomes
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Reaches Consensus to Reform and Strengthen America’s Higher Education Accreditation System

Workforce Pell Final Rule

On May 19, the final rule for the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Pell Grant Exclusion Relating to Other Grant Aid and Workforce Pell Grants was published in the Federal Register.

If interested, you can read more from the Department of Education on the final rule here.

Professional Degree Program Update

On May 19, the Wisconsin Department of Justice “joined a coalition … in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over a new rule that unlawfully limits full access to federal student loans for students pursuing professional degree programs, including many healthcare and other critical workforce fields.”

As further quoted in the Department’s press release, Attorney General Kaul said, “We should be supporting the development of the health-care workforce. But this rule would make it harder for some to be able to pay for certain degree programs, including those for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.”

Joining Wisconsin DOJ in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, as well as the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee 

On May 21, the Department of Education announced that the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee reached consensus on changes to the regulatory framework that guides the accreditation process.

At the time of the announcement, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said, “President Trump tasked us with implementing some of the most critical higher education reforms in history – and we are proud to once again deliver resounding and lasting results for American students and taxpayers. The work of the AIM Committee continues to build on the broader transformation of our higher education system: lowering costs, simplifying repayment, connecting education to workforce needs, strengthening accountability, and restoring confidence in our accreditation system. We appreciate the negotiators for their hard work in helping make the President’s vision a reality.”

If interested in reading more, you can review the Department’s press release. Additional information will be shared as the NPRM is released.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education & Department of Labor Announce Additional Grant Competitions Under Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership to Promote Career Pathways
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Grant Competition to Empower States Through a Reimagined Comprehensive Centers Program
• Select Committee on the CPP: Moolenaar Unveils Legislation to Protect Taxpayer Funded Research From China
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Investigation Determines Yale’s Medical School Discriminated Based on Race in Admissions
• House Committee on Education and Workforce:  Walberg Joins Chairs Warning Chinese Communist Party Is Infiltrating American Universities, Threatening National Security

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Opens Title IX Investigation into All-Women’s Smith College for Admitting Men
• Select Committee on the CCP: Select Committee Supports NSF Reforms to Protect U.S. Supercomputing
• Department of Education: Fact Sheet: The Trump Administration is Making College More Affordable
• Department of Justice: Justice Department Investigation Determines UCLA’s Medical School Discriminated Based on Race in Admissions

House Committee on Education and Workforce Hearing

On May 14, the House Committee on Education and Workforce will hold a hearing titled, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” Secretary McMahon is scheduled to testify. The hearing will begin at 9:15 AM Central and can be live-streamed on the Committee’s YouTube Page.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Launches Comprehensive, Nationwide Federal Student Aid Fraud Prevention Effort
• Department of Education: Secretary McMahon Testifies on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Initiates Investigation into Stanford for Allegedly Discriminating Against Students on the Basis of Race
• Department of Education: Task Force Publishes Report on Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias and Restoring Religious Liberty
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Finalizes Landmark Rule to Lower College Costs and Simplify Student Loan Repayment

Reimagining and Improving Student Education: Federal Student Loan Program

On May 1, the Department of Education issued the final rule stemming from the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) negotiated rulemaking committee. The final rule is effective July 1, 2026, and implements many of the student loan components of H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The final rule is available at the following link:

• Reimagining and Improving Student Education: Federal Student Loan Program

The Department of Education also issued a press release on the final rule, which includes additional information for review.

Political Activity Guidance Reminder

As a reminder, as uncertainty continues around the 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.