{"id":5199,"date":"2025-10-31T09:35:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admitted.nacacnet.org\/wordpress\/?p=5199"},"modified":"2025-10-31T09:35:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:35:03","slug":"advocacy-update-october-31-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admitted.nacacnet.org\/wordpress\/index.php\/2025\/10\/31\/advocacy-update-october-31-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocacy Update – October 31, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sean Robins, NACAC’s director of advocacy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Welcome to this issue of the Advocacy Update on NACAC\u2019s Admitted<\/em> blog. As the federal shutdown stretches into its fifth week, the impact across education, childcare, and public service continues to grow. From canceled TRIO grants and delayed Head Start funding to deepening uncertainty around college access and affordability, these disruptions underscore the importance of informed, engaged advocacy \u2014 especially as national policy decisions increasingly shape the future of students and institutions alike.<\/p>\n

As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, Nov. 4<\/strong>, we encourage everyone to make a plan to vote and to review the nonpartisan resources shared during our recent webinar. Participating in elections \u2014 local, state, and national \u2014 is one of the most meaningful ways to support our communities and the students we serve. Whether you vote early, by mail, or in person on Election Day, please take time to ensure your voice is heard. Every vote helps shape the future of education and advances our shared mission to expand access and opportunity for all students.<\/p>\n

Policy & Legislative Updates<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The federal government shutdown has entered its fifth week, with escalating consequences across education, child care, and public service. In the Senate, efforts to ensure federal workers are paid have stalled, as both Republican and Democratic proposals failed to advance<\/a>. While Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have begun bipartisan talks, the administration continued to pay military personnel under uncertain authority and has suggested that back pay for furloughed workers may not be required \u2014 contradicting existing law. The ongoing stalemate has already cost the economy at least $7 billion in lost productivity, according to the Congressional Budget Office<\/a>, with losses potentially reaching $14 billion if the shutdown continues through November.<\/p>\n

The shutdown\u2019s ripple effects are spreading across schools and colleges. K\u201312 leaders are bracing for steep cuts to federal support, with many districts preparing budgets that assume the elimination of Titles II, III, and IV-A next year. More than three-quarters of school and district leaders<\/a> expect funding to decline, and some have already reduced staff or delayed academic initiatives. The uncertainty follows the administration\u2019s summer freeze on billions in federal education dollars and proposals to eliminate key K\u201312 programs.<\/p>\n

In higher education, the Trump administration\u2019s anti-DEI campaign has led to the cancellation of 120 TRIO programs<\/a> \u2014 cutting off more than 43,000 low-income, first-generation, and veteran students from vital college access resources such as tutoring and FAFSA support. The move marks a significant departure from decades of bipartisan commitment to TRIO\u2019s mission. Meanwhile, a new Quinnipiac poll<\/a> shows that nearly 60 percent of Americans oppose the administration\u2019s plan to expand federal control over higher education through its proposed \u201ccompact,\u201d underscoring broad public resistance to political interference in colleges and universities.<\/p>\n

The administration\u2019s actions are also fueling economic insecurity for families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)<\/a> reversed earlier guidance, announcing it lacks authority to sustain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the shutdown \u2014 putting food benefits for more than 42 million Americans at risk. Food banks nationwide are preparing for increased demand, and bipartisan groups of lawmakers have urged USDA to use all available funds to prevent a lapse in benefits.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers from both parties are urging USDA to reconsider. More than 200 House Democrats<\/a> and 46 Senate Democrats<\/a> sent letters calling on Secretary Brooke Rollins to use the contingency fund and transfer authority to prevent a lapse in benefits. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine)<\/a> joined them in a separate letter, urging USDA to \u201cconsider all available options\u201d to sustain benefits, including partial payments or fund transfers.<\/p>\n

Education and childcare programs face similar strain. Starting Nov. 1, more than 65,000 children in 134 Head Start centers<\/a> are expected to lose funding, while districts reliant on Impact Aid<\/a> will miss payments that offset lost tax revenue. Twenty-five states<\/a> have now sued USDA over its SNAP decision, warning of widespread harm to students and families.<\/p>\n

Courts have begun to intervene as well. A federal judge<\/a> has indefinitely blocked the Trump administration\u2019s attempt to lay off thousands of federal workers during the shutdown, calling the move unlawful and retaliatory. Another judge reinstated<\/a> nearly $1 billion in Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) mental health grants that the Education Department had abruptly discontinued, ruling the decision \u201carbitrary and capricious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within higher education policy, negotiations continue<\/a> over graduate loan limits under OBBBA. The department has proposed a narrow set of professional programs eligible for higher loan caps, raising concerns that students in high-need fields like mental and physical health could lose access to necessary financing.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, new details have emerged about the administration\u2019s broader efforts to reshape higher education through punitive enforcement. Newly released documents<\/a> reveal sweeping demands placed on UCLA \u2014 including a $1.2 billion fine, restrictions on gender-affirming care and trans athletes, limits on foreign student enrollment, and bans on overnight protests. Faculty leaders have condemned the proposal as \u201cideological extortion,\u201d warning that it threatens academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and global competitiveness.<\/p>\n

Across the country, institutions are grappling with the implications of these federal actions. College leaders remain uncertain about the administration\u2019s Compact for Academic Excellence<\/a>, with some voicing opposition but others hesitating to formally reject it amid confusion over potential funding consequences. As political pressure mounts, Texas Christian University<\/a> announced plans to dissolve its race and gender studies departments, citing low enrollment. Faculty members say the move reflects growing political pressure on diversity, equity, and inclusion-related programs and signals a retreat from decades of progress toward equity and inclusion.<\/p>\n

Even as the federal climate grows more restrictive, new research highlights alternative paths to equity. A report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP)<\/a> examines California\u2019s nearly three decades of experience expanding access under a race-neutral framework. After the state\u2019s 1996 ban on affirmative action, California invested in K\u201312 to higher education pathways, holistic admissions, and integrated data systems linking education and workforce sectors. While equity gaps persist, recent gains in enrollment show how race-neutral strategies \u2014 if paired with intentional investment \u2014 can expand opportunity in a post-SFFA landscape.<\/p>\n

In Congress, a small group of Hispanic Republican lawmakers<\/a> are breaking ranks with the administration\u2019s anti-DEI agenda, urging the restoration of $350 million in funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Their push underscores the tension between opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion and recognition of the programs that expand opportunity for diverse student populations.<\/p>\n

The administration has also finalized a rule restricting eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program<\/a>, barring employees of organizations deemed to have a \u201csubstantial illegal purpose.\u201d Critics warn the policy could be used to target nonprofits that disagree with the administration\u2019s views, raising significant First Amendment concerns.<\/p>\n

With negotiations stalled, education funding uncertain, and key social supports at risk, the shutdown continues to deepen its impact on students, families, and federal workers alike \u2014 threatening both short-term stability and long-term recovery.<\/p>\n

NACAC Advocacy<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This week, NACAC continued its work to defend college access and opportunity through both federal engagement and member mobilization. NACAC joined higher education partners in opposing a proposed Department of Homeland Security rule<\/a> that would prioritize H-1B visa petitions based on wage levels\u2014a change that would severely limit post-graduation work opportunities for international students. The proposed rule threatens to deter international enrollment, restrict pathways for early-career professionals educated in the U.S., and weaken the diversity and competitiveness of U.S. campuses and the broader economy.<\/p>\n

At the same time, NACAC shared an action alert as part of the Student Aid Alliance, urging members to contact Congress and oppose proposed cuts to critical student aid programs<\/a>. The House has advanced a funding bill that would eliminate the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and reduce Federal Work-Study (FWS) by nearly 40 percent \u2014 cuts that would disproportionately harm low-income students and undermine college affordability nationwide. NACAC continues to advocate for preserving these essential investments that make higher education accessible for millions of students each year.<\/p>\n

Ways You Can Take Action<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We are continuously updating our <\/span>Take Action<\/span><\/b> page<\/span><\/b><\/a> 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n