Higher Education Updates

The following are federal, state, and other higher education regulatory updates.  Updates are provided as they occur and are for the benefit of MTSU’s faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, regulators, and visitors, as well as the University’s surrounding community constituents.

• U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State Important Announcement on F, M, and Academic J Visas (September 14, 2021).
• U.S. Department of Education, Update on Court Ruling About the Department of Education’s Title IX Regulations (Aug. 24, 2021).
• U.S. Department of Labor, Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID–19 in the Workplace (Aug. 12, 2021).
• Office of Civil Rights, Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment (July 2021).
• Office of Civil Rights, Dear Educator Letter Regarding Title IX and Sexual Misconduct (June 23, 2021).
• National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston et al., S.Ct., No 20-512 (June 21, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Ed., Office of Civil Rights, Federal Register Notice of Interpretation: Enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 with Respect to Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Light of Bostock v. Clayton County (June 16, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Ed., ED COVID-19 Handbook: Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff, Vol. 3 (June 2021).
• National Collegiate Athletic Assn., Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: 2021 Summer Activities (June 8, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Education, Notice of Public Hearings on Title IV of the Higher Education Act, 86 F.R. 28299 (May 26, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Ed., Implementation of updated clock-to-credit conversion regulations (EA ID: GENERAL-21-34) (May 25, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Ed., Questions and Answers on School Reopening in the COVID-19 Environment, Office of Civil Rights (May 13, 2021).
• United States Dept. of Ed., U.S. Department of Education Makes Available $36 Billion in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students and Institutions (May 11, 2021).
• Student and Exchange Visitor Program, Broadcast Message: ICE Continues March 2020 Distance Learning Guidance for 2021-22 Academic Year (April 26, 2021).
• United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland (April 26, 2021).
• United States Department of Labor, US Department of Labor Announces New Cybersecurity Guidance for Plan Sponsors, Plan Fiduciaries, Record-Keepers, Plan Participants (April 14, 2021).
• U.S. Dept. of Ed., Office of Civil Rights, Letter to Students, Parents, and Stakeholders re: Title IX (April 6, 2021).
• United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Memorandum re: Application of Bostock v. Clayton County to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (March 26, 2021).
• Exec. Order No 14021, 86 FR 13803 – 13804, Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free From Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity (Mar. 8, 2021).
• HHS Office for Civil Rights, Extension of the Public Comment Period for Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule (Mar. 9, 2021).
• U.S. Dept. of Ed., Student Privacy Update (Jan. 12, 2021).
• U.S. Dept. of Ed., OCR Releases Title IX Technical Assistance Materials (Jan. 15, 2021).
• U.S. Dept. of Ed., Office of Civil Rights, Questions and Answers Regarding OCR’s Interpretation of Title IX and Single Sex Scholarships, Clubs, and Other Programs (Jan.14, 2021).
• United States Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIC Update: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Dec. 7, 2020).
• United States Department of Labor, DOL Announcement Regarding Compliance with Court Ruling on H-1B Rules (Dec. 3, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Federal Register, Final Rule: Reporting Alleged Violations of 34 CFR 75.500(d) and 34 CFR 76.500(d) – Equal Treatment of Religious Student Organizations at Public Institutions of Higher Education (Nov. 25, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Federal Register, Notice of Interpretation on Enforcement Authority for Failure to Adequately Report Under Section 117 (Nov. 13, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office of General Counsel, Institutional Compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Oct. 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Rescission of and Replacement for the 2016 Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, Federal Student Aid Office (Oct. 9, 2020).
• United States Department of Labor, Temporary Regulations Regarding Paid Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (September 16, 2020). 
• United States Department of Education, ED Announces Free Inquiry and Religious Liberty Final Rule (September 9, 2020).
• Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, Supplemental Frequently Asked Questions Under Section 18004 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (September 8, 2020). 
• United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Questions and Answers Regarding the Department’s Final Title IX Rule (September 4, 2020).
• United States Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS Issues Guidance Regarding Implementation of DACA Policy Change (August 21, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Federal Register, Final Rule: Title IV Eligibility of Faith-Based Institutions and Clarifications reTEACH Grant Program (August 14, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, The Department’s Title IX Rule Provides Flexibility to Schools with Respect to Decision-Makers (August 5, 2020).
• United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements (August 3, 2020).
• United States Student and Exchange Visitor Program, Broadcast Message Follow-Up: ICE Continues March Guidance for Fall School Term (July 24, 2020)
• United States Student and Exchange Visitor Program, Broadcast Message: COVID-19 and Fall 2020 (Regarding nonimmigrant students) (July 6, 2020).
• Department of Education, Secretary DeVos Unveils Enhanced Online Portal for Higher Education Institutions to Report Foreign Gifts and Contracts (June 22, 2020).
• Department of Labor, Fluctuating Workweek Method of Computing Overtime, 85 FR 34970 (June 8, 2020).
• United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (June 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, The New Title IX Rule: Excluding Reliance on A Party’s “Statements” When the Sexual Harassment at Issue Consists of Verbal Conduct (May 22, 2020).
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education (May 21, 2020).
• American Council on Education, Title IX Final Rule Outline of Key Provisions (May 14, 2020).
• American College Health Association, ACHA Guidelines: Considerations for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era (May 7, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Questions and Answers for Post-Secondary Institutions Regarding the COVID-19 National Emergency (May 12, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, 34 CFR 106, Title IX Unofficial Final Rule (May 6, 2020).
• U.S. Department of Education, Title IX Final Rule Summary of Major Provisions (May 2020).
• Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, Frequently Asked Questions about the Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under Section 18004 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (April 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Allocations for Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to Higher Education Institutions for Emergency Financial Aid Grant to Students (April 2020).
• United States Department of Education, CARES Act Grant Funding for Institutions of Higher Education (April 9, 2020).
• United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, COVID-19 and HIPAA: Disclosures to law enforcement, paramedics, other first responders and public health authorities (Mar. 24, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Student Privacy Policy Office, FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (Mar. 2020).
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Mar. 18, 2020).
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education with Students Participating in International Travel or Study Abroad Programs (Mar. 9, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Decennial 2020 Census (Jan. 29, 2020).
• United States Department of Education, Secretary DeVos Announces New, Proactive Civil Rights Compliance Center within Office for Civil Rights (Jan. 21, 2020)