By Sean Robins, NACAC’s director of advocacy

Welcome to this issue of the Advocacy Update on NACAC’s Admitted blog. As we enter the fourth week of the federal government shutdown, questions about when the stalemate will end are growing more urgent. This shutdown is now the second-longest in U.S. history, surpassed only by the 35-day shutdown during the previous Trump administration from December 2018 to January 2019. Beyond the political standoff, the closure has real consequences for millions of Americans, including federal employees missing paychecks, students and families facing delays in benefits, and disruptions to the Education Department’s critical oversight functions. In the midst of this uncertainty, institutions and students continue to navigate challenges ranging from federal policy proposals affecting academic freedom and international enrollment to declining federal support for postsecondary affordability, highlighting the ongoing importance of NACAC’s advocacy in protecting access, equity, and opportunity across higher education.

Policy & Legislative Updates 

The federal government remains in a prolonged shutdown, now extending into its fourth week, with little progress toward resolution. As millions of Americans face delayed paychecks and benefits, the shutdown has become both a political standoff and a policy test case for the Trump administration’s stated goal of permanently scaling back what it calls “Democrat programs.” The Senate has held repeated votes to reopen the government without success, while agencies like the Energy Department’s nuclear division prepare widespread furloughs.

The shutdown’s effects on education have been especially severe. The Education Department has largely ceased operations, leaving critical enforcement functions suspended. Recent layoffs — more than 460 employees in the past month — have further weakened oversight of special education, civil rights laws, and billions in federal grants. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has argued that this proves the department’s elimination is viable, while advocates warn that students with disabilities and other vulnerable populations are losing essential protections. The Trump administration’s exploration of a plan to move oversight of the $15 billion Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to another agency further signals its intent to dismantle the department. However, because both the IDEA and the Education Department itself were established by acts of Congress, relocating the program or closing the department would require new legislation — making this more a political signal than an imminent policy change.

At the same time, the administration continues its broader push to reshape higher education policy through the proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. The compact would tie priority federal funding to a series of politically driven conditions — including limits on international enrollment, tuition freezes, and restrictions on campus speech — drawing strong backlash from higher education leaders. This week the University of Virginia, Dartmouth College, the University of Arizona, and Washington University in St. Louis have all publicly declined to sign, citing threats to academic freedom, institutional governance, and the integrity of scientific research. No institutions have agreed to the compact by the administration’s stated deadline.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has also pursued investigations into diversity, equity, and inclusion practices on college campuses. The University of Virginia recently reached a settlement with DOJ, agreeing to pause investigations and comply with federal directives prohibiting the use of race in admission, hiring, and scholarships. The agreement allows UVA to avoid active enforcement actions for now, though it must provide data on compliance moving forward.

Across states and campuses, related policy shifts continue to emerge. The University of Illinois system has directed its campuses to end consideration of race, sex, or national origin in hiring, promotion, and financial aid decisions — effectively eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion statements and affirmative action practices. Faculty groups have criticized the decision as abrupt and made without shared governance. Meanwhile, new research from Education Reform Now finds a decline in the number of selective institutions publicly releasing racial enrollment data this fall — down from 34 to 16 year over year — amid increased federal scrutiny and political pressure. Early reporting indicates continued declines in Black student enrollment at most institutions.

Equity concerns are also reflected in new research on affordability. A joint report from the University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center and the Southern Education Foundation highlights a decade-long decline in Pell Grant funding, linking it to significant enrollment losses among Black students — particularly across the South. Between 2011–12 and 2021–22, federal Pell funding fell by nearly $8 billion, and the number of recipients declined by more than a third. Southern community colleges and majority-Black campuses were hardest hit, underscoring the need for Congress to stabilize and expand federal student aid. Complementing that call, the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs reported that states collectively awarded $18.6 billion in aid during the 2023–24 academic year, a 12 percent increase from the prior year, with the vast majority directed toward need-based grants.

International education and workforce policy remain areas of contention as well. The Trump administration recently issued guidance exempting international graduates already in the U.S. from the $100,000 H-1B visa fee, following strong opposition from higher education and employer groups. The exemption applies to recent graduates seeking H-1B status and to current visa holders extending or changing status, but not to applicants abroad, leaving ongoing uncertainty for international hiring pipelines.

Finally, a new EdTrust brief underscores the urgent need for equity-centered strategies to meet state postsecondary attainment goals. While enrollment among Black and Latino students pursuing bachelor’s degrees has risen modestly in recent years, completion gaps remain wide, and community college enrollment continues to lag below pre-pandemic levels. As states adapt to the post–affirmative action landscape, the report calls for aligning funding and policy frameworks with student realities to ensure that all learners — especially those historically underserved — can access and complete high-quality educational pathways.

NACAC Advocacy 

This week, NACAC continued its advocacy to protect educational opportunity, transparency, and federal oversight in higher education. In response to the Department of Education’s request for information on modernizing the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), NACAC joined the Postsecondary Data Collaborative and partner organizations in urging the department to strengthen — rather than privatize — the federal postsecondary data infrastructure. The coalition emphasized the essential role of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in maintaining accurate, comprehensive, and publicly accessible data, calling for sustained federal oversight, adequate staffing, and continued investment in key collections such as IPEDS, NPSAS, and BPS.

NACAC also joined a broad coalition of higher education associations in opposing the Trump administration’s proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. The coalition warned that the compact would impose political and ideological litmus tests on colleges and universities in exchange for vaguely defined federal funding benefits — undermining academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and the open exchange of ideas that define U.S. higher education. The joint statement called on the administration to withdraw the proposal and instead support collaborative policymaking that strengthens, rather than constrains, higher education’s mission.

NACAC endorsed a congressional letter opposing mass layoffs at the Education Department, including within the Offices of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Civil Rights, and Elementary and Secondary Education. The letter urges Secretary Linda McMahon and OMB Director Russell Vought to reverse the terminations, warning that these cuts erode federal enforcement of disability and civil rights protections and leave millions of students without critical support — just weeks before the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

In addition, NACAC joined the American Council on Education and other higher education associations in urging the Department of Homeland Security to exempt colleges and universities from the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee established under the Sept. 19 Presidential Proclamation. The coalition emphasized that faculty, researchers, and staff on H-1B visas play a critical role in preparing students for high-demand fields such as healthcare, engineering, education, and computer science. The letter notes that institutions of higher education — already exempt under the H-1B lottery cap — are central to workforce development and national competitiveness and should not be subject to additional financial burdens that could impede their missions.

Ways You Can Take Action 

We are continuously updating our Take Action page with opportunities to make your voice heard. If you have not already, I encourage you to advocate on the urgent issues below. You can also view all active advocacy campaigns in the yellow column of the Take Action page. 

• Tell Congress: Save TRIO and Support College Access
• Tell Congress: Prioritize Visa Appointments for International Students and Scholars 
• Urge Congress to Protect Postsecondary Pathways 
• Tell Congress: International Students are Essential to America’s Safety, Economy, and Global Strength
• Tell Congress to Not Abandon Our National Commitment to Education
• Urge Congress to Protect Disabled Students 
• Don’t Flunk the Future Advocacy Toolkit 

This week’s developments underscore both the challenges and the opportunities facing higher education. Our collective advocacy demonstrates how coordinated, principled action can protect students, institutions, and the broader mission of education — even in the face of political gridlock, funding uncertainty, and federal policy shifts.

As Desmond Tutu reminds us, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Each effort — whether defending academic freedom, ensuring access for international students, or supporting federal protections — adds to a collective impact that safeguards opportunity and strengthens the future of education for all learners.