The letter, dated November 18, 2020, is addressed to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris by a coalition of leading higher education associations, represented by Ted Mitchell, President of the American Council on Education. The authors express their readiness to collaborate with the incoming administration and present a comprehensive set of policy recommendations aimed at reversing or amending key executive actions and regulations enacted during the Trump administration that, in their view, adversely affect students, educators, and institutions of higher learning.
The letter's primary requests include the prompt reinstatement and permanent protection of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, coupled with swift action in several other domains. Specific recommendations span revising Title IX regulations to better address campus sexual assault, halting expanded and, they argue, unauthorized institutional reporting requirements, and terminating what are described as politically motivated federal investigations targeting academic institutions. Additional priorities include revoking certain executive orders related to campus speech and diversity training, restoring Obama-era guidance on race-conscious admissions, ensuring broad eligibility for emergency federal aid under the CARES Act, and reaffirming support for the integrity of student aid programs through fair rulemaking. The letter also urges renewed efforts to make U.S. colleges welcoming to international students and scholars by rescinding restrictive visa and employment rules and reestablishing stability for international student programs. The signatories, comprising a broad spectrum of higher education organizations, underscore their commitment to partnering with the Biden administration to create federal policies that advance the interests of the nation’s diverse higher education community.
