Federal Friday

• Department of Justice: Justice Department Sues Harvard University for Antisemitism
• Wisconsin Department of Justice: AG Kaul Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Holding Hostage Billions in Critical USDA Funding
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Opens Two New Probes into Harvard University for Continued Discrimination on Campus
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Issues Letter of Impending Enforcement to San Jose State University on Title IX Compliance
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of the Treasury Announce Historic Federal Student Assistance Partnership
• Department of Education: Victories for Higher Education, Making College More Affordable and Expediting Workforce Readiness
• White House: President Trump Announces Appointments to President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education to Downsize Footprint in Washington, D.C. and Save Taxpayers Over $4.8 Million Annually

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

• White House: Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Announce First Grant Competition Under Postsecondary Education Partnership
• Education and Workforce Committee: Education & Workforce Committee Releases Bombshell Report on Antisemitism in Higher Ed
• Department of Education: Victories for Higher Education: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of the Treasury Announce Historic Federal Student Assistance Partnership
• Department of Education: Federal Student Assistance Partnership Fact Sheet

Committee on Education and Workforce Hearing

The House Committee on Education and Workforce will hold a hearing titled, “U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat” on March 26, beginning at 9:15AM Central Time. As witnesses are announced, you will be able to read their written testimony here, and if interested in tuning in, you can watch via 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

• Select Committee on the CCP: Moolenaar Demands the National Science Foundation Suspend Award Funding for Texas A&M and the University of Washington
• Federal Student Aid: (APP-26-02) One Big Beautiful Bill Act FAFSA Processing Updates
• Secretary McMahon: Colleges Can’t Shirk This Essential Obligation
• Wisconsin Department of Justice: AG Kaul Sues Trump Administration to Stop Unlawful Data Demand to Colleges And Universities
• Senate HELP Committee: Chairman Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Hearing on Protecting American Universities from Foreign Influence

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: Proclaiming February 2026 as National Career and Technical Education Month
• Department of State: Resources and Support for U.S. Citizens Overseas
• Select Committee on the CCP: Chairmen Moolenaar, Mast, Walberg Ask Rubio to Act on the Chinese Students and Scholars Association
• Department of Education: Secretary McMahon and Secretary Kennedy Celebrate Medical School Commitments to Increase Nutrition Training for Future Doctors
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Rules to Implement Working Families Tax Cuts Act’s Workforce Pell Grants

Federal Register Comment Update

In late January, the Department of Education posted a notice of proposed rulemaking stemming from the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee. The comment period closed on March 2, 2026, and if interested, you can review the comments in the Federal Register here.

Working together with our national associations and through the multi-state group, the following letters have been submitted and may be of interest.

• APLU: RISE NPRM Response
• ACE Led Multi-Sector Letter: RISE NPRM Response
• Multi-State Attorneys General: RISE NPRM Response

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Partnerships to Break Up the Federal Education Bureaucracy
• Department of State: State Department Improves Transparency of Foreign Funding in U.S. Higher Education
• Department of Education: Secretary McMahon Celebrates Golden Age of Education
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Interpretive Rule to Reduce Barriers for New and Emerging Accrediting Agencies
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Receives Recommendations to Reform the Institute of Education Sciences

Resource from the American Council on Education (ACE)

For those tracking immigration issues, ACE has released the following issue brief, which may be of interest.

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 Justice: Justice Department Sues Harvard University for Withholding Race-Related Admissions Documents
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Probes Louisiana Board of Regents Over Alleged Race-Based Priority in Executive Budget
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Takes First Step to Develop the 2027–28 FAFSA Form
• Department of Labor: US Department of Labor announces availability of $65M in grants to help community colleges increase access to in-demand, high-quality training
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Urges Institutions of Higher Education to Implement Best Practices to Reduce Default Rates
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Secures 31 Agreements with Colleges and Universities to End Partnerships with The Ph.D. Project
• Select Committee on the CCP: Chairman Moolenaar, Chairman Grassley Alert NASA, FBI to CCP-Linked Research Collaboration

Website and Guidance Updates

The Universities of Wisconsin Federal Updates Page continues to be updated with new communications and guidance across the various topic areas. Most recently, these updates include Information Regarding Agents Visiting Universities. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your university’s liaison.

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 War: War Department Cuts Ties With Harvard University
• US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: EEOC Commission Votes to Rescind 2024 Harassment Guidance
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Releases Latest Foreign Funding Disclosures from Federally-Funded American Universities
• Department of Education: U.S. Departments of Education, Interior, and Labor Host Tribal Consultation on Indian Education Partnership
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Interpretive Rule to Eliminate the Use of “Regional” by Accrediting Agencies

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 Homeland Security: ICYMI – General Counsel James Percival’s Wall Street Journal Op-Ed on Administrative Warrants
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Takes Actions to Protect Integrity of U.S. Elections

Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations

On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed H.R. 7148, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026″ into law. For more, you can review the bill summary, but importantly, with passage of this legislation and following President Trump’s signature, the partial government shutdown ended and the Department of Education is now funded through the duration of the federal fiscal year. Looking ahead, further action will be necessary to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which, if interested, you can track via the following appropriations status table.

Federal Friday

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Announces Negotiated Rulemaking to Reform and Strengthen America’s Higher Education Accreditation System
  • Federal Register: Intent to Establish Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
• Department of Education: U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services Refer Minnesota Case to U.S. Department of Justice for Title IX Non-Compliance
• Departments of Education and Treasury: U.S. Departments of Education and Treasury Release Joint Fact Sheet on Historic Education Freedom Tax Credit
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Finds San José State University Violated Title IX
• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Finds California Department of Education Violated Federal Law by Hiding Students’ “Gender Transitions” from Parents
• Education and Workforce Committee: Walberg Releases Documents Alleging Evanston Mayor Endangered Jewish Students’ Safety to “Shore Up…Progressive Credentials”

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Rule to Make Higher Education More Affordable and Simplify Student Loan Repayment
  • Federal Register: Reimagining and Improving Student Education

FY26 Funding Update

The Senate continues to work to advance the remaining FY26 appropriations bills in advance of the January 30, 2026, expiration of the current Continuing Resolution.

The situation remains fluid and updates will continue to be shared with university stakeholders as appropriate.

For more on the status of all FY26 appropriations legislation, you can review the following  Appropriations Status Table.

Reimagining and Improving Student Education Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

The Department of Education’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) following the Reimagining and Improving Student Education Negotiated Rulemaking Committee was released for pre-publication on January 29 with formal publication expected on January 30, 2026. Once the NPRM is published, there will be a 30-day comment period.

If interested, you can review the NPRM and information from the Department of Education at the links below.

• Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Rule to Make Higher Education More Affordable and Simplify Student Loan Repayment
• Federal Register: Reimagining and Improving Student Education

Please continue to share feedback with your  university’s liaison.

Website and Guidance Updates

Please know the Universities of Wisconsin Federal Updates Page continues to be updated with new communications and guidance across the various topic areas.

For any questions, please continue to reach out to you  university’s liaison.

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. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Celebrates President Trump’s Historic First Year

FY26 Appropriations Update

On January 22^nd, the House of Representatives passed the remaining FY26 appropriations bills. H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, was agreed to via a vote of 341 to 88, and H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2026, was agreed to via a vote of 220 to 207. For bill summaries and more on the House action, you can review the House Appropriations Committee Press Release.

The bills now head to the Senate for further consideration in advance of the expiration of the current continuing resolution on January 30, 2026.

For more on the status of all FY26 appropriations legislation, you can review the following  Appropriations Status Table.