The letter, dated November 18, 2020, is addressed to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris by a coalition of higher education associations, representing a wide range of academic institutions and professional organizations. The signatories express broad support for the new administration's intent to reverse several Trump-era policies and urge swift action on issues critical to students, educators, and academic institutions. Among their top priorities is the reinstatement and permanent protection of DACA, addressing restrictive and controversial Title IX regulations, and rolling back expanded reporting requirements imposed by the Department of Education that exceed statutory authority.
The letter further recommends that the incoming administration terminate politically motivated investigations within the Department of Education, revise rules that limit student eligibility for federal relief funds, and restore Obama-era guidance on race in admissions. The associations advocate for repealing executive orders they view as harmful to free inquiry and diversity training, and they highlight the necessity of making U.S. institutions more welcoming to international students and scholars by reversing recent visa and work authorization restrictions. Collectively, these proposals reflect the higher education community’s commitment to upholding academic integrity, diversity, fairness, and global engagement, while seeking constructive collaboration with the Biden administration to improve federal higher education policy.
