Compliance Alert – March 2024

• March 26th, 2024
• in Uncategorized

Final Rules

Management of Federal Agency Disbursements

On January 10, 2023, the Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend Fiscal Service’s Management of Federal Agency Disbursements rule, which implements a statutory mandate requiring the Federal Government to deliver non-tax payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless Treasury determines that a waiver of the requirement is appropriate. Fiscal Service is now issuing this final rule (Final Rule) to adopt the amendments as proposed, with one minor change. Among other things, the Final Rule strengthens the EFT requirement by narrowing the scope of existing waivers from the EFT mandate or requiring agencies to obtain Fiscal Service’s approval to invoke certain existing part 208 waivers. The use of electronic payments has expanded significantly since the waivers from the EFT mandate were first published in 1998, and the Final Rule appropriately updates part 208’s waiver provisions, given the broad availability of safe and secure electronic payment options currently available. In doing so, the Final Rule leverages Treasury’s growing profile of electronic payment options, which are faster, less expensive, and safer than paper checks. The strengthening of the EFT requirement with these changes is also consistent with Treasury’s commitment to reducing check payments.

Federal Agency: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Treasury

Affected Area: Finance and Accounting

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Effectiveness in Serving Employers Performance Indicator

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) establishes six primary indicators of performance and defines five of those performance indicators. With this final rule, the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education (Departments) define the sixth performance indicator—effectiveness in serving employers—as Retention with the Same Employer and require it be reported by one WIOA core program on behalf of all six WIOA core programs within each State. This final rule incorporates two changes from the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM): the final rule does not limit the type of wage information that must be used, thereby permitting the use of supplemental wage information in the definition of the effectiveness in serving employers performance indicator, and it specifies that the definition is measuring retention in unsubsidized employment.

Federal Agency: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Department of Education; Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Department of Labor

Affected Area: HR

Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

This final rule makes regulatory changes to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). These changes lower childcare costs for families participating in CCDF, improve the program’s child care provider payment rates and practices, and simplify enrollment in the child care subsidy program. The final rule also includes technical and other changes to improve clarity and program implementation.

Federal Agency: Office of Child Care (OCC), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Affected Area: RISE, CDRC

Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act; Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending its Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations as a result of Agency review. The revisions include several changes and amplifications to the accident prevention program requirements, enhancements to the emergency preparedness requirements, improvements to the public availability of chemical hazard information, and several other changes to certain regulatory definitions or points of clarification. As major and other serious and concerning RMP accidents continue to occur, the record shows and EPA believes that this final rule will help further protect human health and the environment from chemical hazards through advancement of process safety based on lessons learned. These amendments seek to improve chemical process safety; assist in planning, preparedness, and response to Risk Management Program-reportable accidents; and improve public awareness of chemical hazards at regulated sources. While many of the provisions of this final rule reinforce each other, it is EPA’s intent that each one is merited on its own, and thus severable.

Federal Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Affected Area: EHS, Emergency Management

Management of Federal Agency Disbursements; Correction

The Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), Bureau of the Fiscal Service (“Fiscal Service”) is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2024, to amend Fiscal Service’s Management of Federal Agency Disbursements regulation. The regulation implements a statutory mandate requiring the Federal Government to deliver non-tax payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless Treasury determines that a waiver of the requirement is appropriate. The final rule strengthens the EFT requirement by narrowing the scope of existing waivers from the EFT mandate or requiring agencies to obtain Fiscal Service’s approval to invoke certain existing waivers.

Federal Agency: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Treasury

Affected Area: Tax Office, Finance

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Proposed Rules

Expanding Opportunities To Appear Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

As part of its initiatives to expand access to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office), the USPTO proposes to amend the rules regarding admission to practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) in proceedings under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA proceedings) to give parties the option to designate non-registered practitioners who are recognized pro hac vice ( i.e., granted recognition in a specific PTAB proceeding) as lead counsel; excuse parties from the requirement to designate back-up counsel upon a showing of good cause such as a lack of resources to hire two counsel; establish a streamlined alternative procedure for recognizing counsel pro hac vice that is available when counsel has previously been recognized pro hac vice in a different PTAB proceeding; and clarify that those recognized pro hac vice have a duty to inform the Board of subsequent events that render inaccurate or incomplete representations they made to obtain pro hac vice recognition.

Federal Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce

Affected Area: Patent and Trademark Office

Comments Due: 5/21/2024

Highway Safety Improvement Program

The purpose of this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) is to update the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) regulations to address provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” (BIL)) and reflect current priorities and state-of-practice. Specifically, FHWA proposes to amend the regulatory language to incorporate the Safe System Approach, clarify the scope of the HSIP to focus on the safety of all road users on the entire public road network, improve evaluation practices, streamline reporting efforts, and ensure States are collecting Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) fundamental data elements. The proposed changes would clarify provisions regarding the planning, implementation, evaluation, and reporting of HSIPs that are administered in each State. These changes would further strengthen and advance the safety and equity priorities of the DOT National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) and assist States with making safety gains designed to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the Nation’s roads.

Federal Agency: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Affected Area: Campus

Comments Due: 4/22/2024

Proposed Priority and Requirements-Technical Assistance on State Data Collection-National Technical Assistance Center To Improve State Capacity To Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data

The Department of Education (Department) proposes a priority and requirements for a National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data (Center) under the Technical Assistance on State Data Collection program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.373Y. The Department may use this priority and these requirements for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2024 and later years. We take this action to focus attention on an identified national need to provide technical assistance (TA) to improve the capacity of States to meet the data collection requirements under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This Center would support States in collecting, reporting, and determining how to best analyze and use their data and would customize its TA to meet each State’s specific needs.

Federal Agency: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education

Affected Area: College of Education

Comments Due: 5/20/2024

Key Information and Facilitating Understanding in Informed Consent; Draft Guidance for Sponsors, Investigators, and Institutional Review Boards; Availability

The Office for Human Research Protections, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OHRP), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are announcing the availability of a draft guidance entitled “Key Information and Facilitating Understanding in Informed Consent.” This draft guidance provides recommendations related to two provisions of the revised Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (the revised Common Rule) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and identical provisions in FDA’s proposed rule “Protection of Human Subjects and Institutional Review Boards.” FDA’s proposed rule, if finalized, would harmonize certain sections of FDA’s regulations on human subject protections and institutional review boards (IRBs), to the extent practicable and consistent with other statutory provisions, with the revised Common Rule, in accordance with the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). The guidance addresses the provisions of the revised Common Rule that require informed consent to begin with key information about the research and to present information in a way that facilitates understanding and identical provisions in FDA’s proposed rule.

Federal Agency: The Office for Human Research Protections, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, and the Food and Drug Administration, HHS

Affected Area: ORED

Comments Due: 4/30/2024

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Notices

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Foreign Institution Reporting Requirements Under the CARES Act

The Department of Education (the Department) is requesting a new information collection, 1845–NEW, Foreign Institution Reporting Requirements under the CARES Act, be made available for full clearance with public comment. Section 3510(a) of the CARES Act, Public Law 116–136 (March 27, 2020), authorized the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to permit a foreign institution, in the case of a public health emergency, major disaster or emergency, or national emergency declared by the applicable government authorities in the country in which the foreign institution is located, to provide any part of an otherwise eligible program to be offered via distance education for the duration of such emergency or disaster and the following payment period for purposes of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.). Additionally, under section 3510(d) of the CARES Act, the Secretary may allow a foreign institution to enter into a written arrangement with an institution of higher education located in the United States that participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program under part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.) for the purpose of allowing a student of the foreign institution who is a borrower of a loan made under such part to take courses from the institution of higher education located in the United States. The CARES Act requires foreign institutions that use either type of authority described above to report such use to the Secretary. Institutions are required to report use of either distance education or written arrangements to the Department no later than 30 days after it begins offering coursework online to Direct Loan recipients. The Department must also collect specific information from a school that requests a waiver in order to determine if the school is eligible to receive the waiver. On May 12, 2020, Federal Student Aid, an Office of the Department, notified foreign institutions of the new authority and requested that any foreign institution who wished to utilize this new authority to respond with information specified in the email. This information collection was discontinued following the discontinuation of the national COVID–19 emergency status. However, due to other global situations we are now requesting a new collection to allow for the on-going use of the CARES Act waiver.

Federal Agency: Department of Education

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Comments Due: 3/21/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Health Professions Student Loan Program, Loans for Disadvantaged Students Program, Primary Care Loan Program, and Nursing Student Loan Program Administrative Requirements, OMB No. 0915-0047-Revision

This clearance request is for approval of the HPSL Program, LDS Program, PCL Program, and NSL Program Administrative Requirements. The HPSL Program, authorized by Public Health Service (PHS) Act sections 721–722 and 725–735, is a grant program where recipients provide long-term, low-interest loans to students attending schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, and pharmacy. The LDS Program, authorized by PHS Act sections 721–722 and 724–735, is a grant program where recipients provide long-term, low interest loans to certain students attending schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. The PCL Program, authorized by PHS Act sections 721–723 and 725–735, is a grant program where recipients provide long-term, low interest loans to students attending schools of allopathic medicine and osteopathic medicine to practice primary health care. The NSL Program, authorized by PHS Act sections 835–842, is a grant program where recipients provide long-term, low-interest loans to students who attend eligible schools of nursing in programs leading to a diploma degree, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, or a graduate degree in nursing. These programs have a number of recordkeeping and reporting requirements for academic institutions and loan applicants. The applicable program regulations are found in 42 CFR 57.201–218 and 57.301–318. HRSA proposes revisions to the Annual Operating Report (AOR)-HRSA Form 501 completed by institutions participating in the HPSL, LDS, PCL, and NSL Programs to obtain additional information about those institutions and their student borrowers.

Federal Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid, College of Nursing

Comments Due: 3/21/2024

Intent To Request Revision From OMB of One Current Public Collection of Information: TSA PreCheckTM Application Program

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites public comment on one currently approved Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652–0059, abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for a revision in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This ICR is being revised to inform the public of the official launch of new TSA PreCheck^TM enrollment providers, which has led to multiple price points for enrollments and renewals and additional enrollment locations; exploration of new enrollment capabilities to include remotely proctored enrollment; acceptance of Mobile Drivers Licenses and other Digital Identities upon TSA approval; and, revised customer experience surveys to better service the public. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection involves the voluntary submission of biographic and biometric information that TSA uses to verify identity and conduct a security threat assessment (STA) for the TSA PreCheck^TM Application Program. The STA compares an applicant’s information against criminal history, immigration, intelligence, and regulatory violations databases to determine if the person poses a low risk to transportation or national security and should be eligible for expedited screening through TSA PreCheck^TM lanes at airports.

Federal Agency: Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Affected Area: Campus

Comments Due: 4/22/2024

Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators Standards; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements

OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists, and Elevators.

Federal Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor

Affected Area: Campus

Comments Due: 4/26/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Campus Safety and Security Survey

The collection of information through the Campus Safety and Security Survey (CSS) is necessary under section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, with the goal of increasing transparency surrounding college safety and security information for students, prospective students, parents, employees and the general public. The survey is a collection tool to compile the annual data on campus crime and fire safety. The data collected from the individual institutions by the Department of Education (ED) is made available to the public through the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis and Cutting Tool as well as the College Navigator.

Federal Agency: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: UAPD

Comments Due: 5/3/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; US Department of Education Pre-Authorized Debit Account Brochure and Application

The Pre-authorized Debit Account Brochure and Application (PDA Application) serves as the means by which an individual with a defaulted federal education debt (student loan or grant overpayment) that is held by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requests and authorizes the automatic debiting of payments toward satisfaction of the debt from the borrower’s checking or savings account. The PDA Application explains the automatic debiting process and collects the individual’s authorization for the automatic debiting and the bank account information needed by ED to debit the individual’s account.

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Comments Due: 4/29/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Advanced Nursing Education Program Specific Form OMB No. 0915-0375-Revision

HRSA provides advanced nursing education grants to educational institutions to increase the supply, distribution, quality of, and access to advanced education nurses through the ANE Programs. The ANE Programs are authorized by section 811 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296j), as amended. This clearance request is for continued approval of the information collection OMB No. 0915–0375 with revisions. This revision request seeks to add the ANE-Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program and the Maternity Care Nursing Workforce Expansion Program to the ANE Program Specific Form, and to remove programs that have closed, which include the ANE-Nurse Practitioner Residency Program and the ANE-Nurse Practitioner Residency Integration Program. The activities previously supported under the ANE Nurse Practitioner Residency Program and the ANE-Nurse Practitioner Residency Integration Program are now supported under the ANE-Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program.

Federal Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services

Affected Area: College of Nursing

Comments Due: 4/8/2024

Submission for OMB Review; Certain Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 36 Construction Contract Requirements

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a revision of a previously approved information collection requirement regarding certain Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 36 construction contract requirements.

Federal Agency: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Affected Area: Campus Development

Comments Due: 4/10/2024

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Items of Interest

Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern

The continuing effort of certain countries of concern to access Americans’ sensitive personal data and United States Government-related data constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Access to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or United States Government-related data increases the ability of countries of concern to engage in a wide range of malicious activities.

Request for Nominations of Experts to the EPA Office of Research and Development’s Human Studies Review Board Advisory Committee

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates with expertise in the areas of toxicology, bioethics, and statistics to be considered for appointment to its Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) Federal advisory committee. Submission of nominations will be made via the HSRB website at: https://www.epa.gov/​osa/​human-studies-review-board.

Comments Due: 3/29/2024

Request for Nominations to the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)

The CASAC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, established pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1977, codified at 42 U.S.C. 7409(d)(2), to review air quality criteria and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and recommend to the EPA Administrator any new NAAQS and revisions of existing criteria and standards as may be appropriate. The CASAC shall also: advise the EPA Administrator of areas in which additional knowledge is required to appraise the adequacy and basis of existing, new, or revised NAAQS; describe the research efforts necessary to provide the required information; advise the EPA Administrator on the relative contribution to air pollution concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic activity; and advise the EPA Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS. Members of the CASAC constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA scientists and engineers who are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective fields. Members are appointed by the EPA Administrator and serve for a two to three-year term as Special Government Employees who provide independent expert advice to the agency. Additional information is available at https://casac.epa.gov.

Comments Due: 4/3/2024

Colleges, Education Department at Odds Over Inclusive Access Changes

The department is sticking by its plan to prohibit colleges from automatically billing students for course materials despite strong opposition from publishers and university leaders.

Liberty University Fined $14 Million for Clery Violations

The historic fine was part of a settlement agreement with the Department of Education for numerous violations of campus crime-reporting requirements.

Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Players Vote to Unionize

Vote could contribute to undermining of amateur model in college athletics.

The SAT Enters the 21st Century

The College Board’s ubiquitous standardized test is now exclusively digital and significantly shorter. It’s a big change at a decisive moment for the testing industry.

Millions of Scholarly Articles Are Not Being Archived: Report

A study published in the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication in January reviewed more than seven million documents with digital object identifiers (DOIs). The DOIs are unique identifiers given to most—but not all—scholarly articles, acting as a digital fingerprint. Of the 7,438,037 articles, roughly 28 percent, or more than two million works, did not appear in the reviewed archives despite having a DOI. A little more than half the works (4.3 million articles) were in more than one archive, according to the study. Fewer than 1 percent of institutions preserve 75 percent of their works in three or more archives, which Martin Paul Eve, the head researcher on the study, called “alarming.”

Congress Passes FAFSA Formula Fix

Congress moved Thursday to fix an error in the legislation overhauling the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, days after the Education Department announced it was updating the formula for aid eligibility to comply with the law.

Teaching Tip: Navigating AI in the Classroom

Generative artificial intelligence tools continue to grow in popularity. Here are four ways faculty members in higher education are teaching about or with AI.

Facial Recognition Heads to Class. Will Students Benefit?

Innovators plow forward with this technology in a largely unregulated ecosystem. Ethicists and a new National Academies report urge caution.

The Future of Testing Is Anything but Standardized

Colleges are beginning to solidify their post-pandemic testing policies. Conclusions on the best path forward have been disparate and, at times, contradictory.

Civil Rights Groups Push Back Against Wave of Anti-DEI Bills

So far this year, at least five state legislatures have passed bills seeking to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. This year’s batch may seep more into the classroom.

The Politics of College Choice

Research shows that students care a great deal about the policies of the state in which they attend college, especially on issues like gun control and abortion.

How OpenAI’s text-to-video tool Sora could change science – and society

The release of OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video AI tool last month was met with a mix of trepidation and excitement from researchers who are concerned about misuse of the technology. The California-based company showcased Sora’s ability to create photorealistic videos from a few short text prompts, with examples including clips of a woman walking down a neon-lit street in Tokyo and a dog jumping between two windowsills.

House Republicans Warn Against College Athlete Unions

In a hearing Tuesday, GOP representatives argued that labor unions would disrupt college sports and lead to program cuts. Democrats said student-athletes deserve a seat at the bargaining table.

Low Grade? Arizona Bill Would Let Students Allege ‘Political Bias’

Legislation that’s near passage in Arizona would create a “grade challenge department” for public universities. It could force professors to change students’ marks.

Policies

Posting Date	Department	Contact	Name	Effective Date	Summary
3/5/2024	Student Life	Stacy Jones	Medical Emergency Assistance Policy	5/31/2017	Revised Policy:  Minor edit to reflect the name change from MPACT to CRIS.
3/5/2024	Public Safety	Ralph Clayton	Public Safety and Emergency Policy	9/15/2020	Revised Policy:  The purpose of this policy update is to incorporate the role of the Director of Communications for the Department of Public Safety.

Compliance Alert – December 2023

• December 20th, 2023
• in Uncategorized

Legislative Updates

The 2023 Legislative Session is now complete, and the 2024 Legislative session will begin in February 2024.

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Final Rules

Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Nine Specific Fentanyl-Related Substances in Schedule I

With the issuance of this final rule, the Drug Enforcement Administration places nine fentanyl-related substances, as identified in this final rule, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. These nine fentanyl-related substances are currently listed in schedule I pursuant to a temporary scheduling order. This action makes permanent the imposition of the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess), or propose to handle these nine specific fentanyl-related controlled substances.

Federal Agency: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice

Affected Area: UMC, UAPD

Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of MDMB-4en-PINACA, 4F-MDMB-BUTICA, ADB-4en-PINACA, CUMYL-PEGACLONE, 5F-EDMB-PICA, and MMB-FUBICA into Schedule I

The Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing this temporary order to schedule six synthetic cannabinoids and their optical and geometric isomers, salts, and salts of isomers, whenever the existence of such isomers and salts is possible, in schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act. This action is based on a finding by the Administrator that the placement of these six substances in schedule I is necessary to avoid imminent hazard to the public safety. As a result of this order, the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle these six specified controlled substances.

Federal Agency: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice

Affected Area: UMC, ORED, UAPD

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Systematic Processes for Disposition or Repatriation of Native American Human Remains, Funerary Objects, Sacred Objects, and Objects of Cultural Patrimony

This final rule revises and replaces definitions and procedures for lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, museums, and Federal agencies to implement the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. These regulations clarify and improve upon the systematic processes for the disposition or repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony. These regulations provide a step-by-step roadmap with specific timelines for museums and Federal agencies to facilitate disposition or repatriation. Throughout these systematic processes, museums and Federal agencies must defer to the Native American traditional knowledge of lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

Federal Agency: Office of the Secretary, Interior

Affected Area: University Museums

Comments Due: 1/12/2024

Specific Listing for Three Currently Controlled Schedule I Substances

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is establishing a specific listing and DEA Controlled Substances Code Number (drug code) for three substances: N -(1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-butyl-1 H -indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as ADB–BUTINACA); 4-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one (also known as α-PiHP or alpha -PiHP); and 2-(methylamino)-1-(3-methylphenyl)propan-1-one (also known as 3–MMC or 3-methylmethcathinone) in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Although ADB–BUTINACA, α-PiHP, and 3–MMC are not specifically listed in schedule I of the CSA with their own unique drug codes, they are schedule I controlled substances in the United States because they are positional isomers of AB–PINACA (controlled January 30, 2015), α-PHP (controlled July 18, 2019), and mephedrone (controlled as a hallucinogen July 9, 2012), respectively, each of which are schedule I hallucinogens. Therefore, DEA is simply amending the schedule I hallucinogenic substances list in its regulations to separately include ADB–BUTINACA, α-PiHP, and 3–MMC.

Federal Agency: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice

Affected Area: UMC, UAPD

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Proposed Rules

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2025; Updating Section 1332 Waiver Public Notice Procedures; Medicaid; Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program; and Basic Health Program

This proposed rule includes payment parameters and provisions related to the HHS-operated risk adjustment program, as well as 2025 user fee rates for issuers offering qualified health plans (QHPs) through Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) and State-based Exchanges on the Federal platform (SBE–FPs). This proposed rule also includes proposed requirements related to the auto re-enrollment hierarchy; essential health benefits; failure to file and reconcile; non-standardized plan option limits and an exceptions process; standardized plan options; special enrollment periods (SEPs); direct enrollment (DE) entities; Insurance Affordability Program enrollment eligibility verification process; requirements for agents, brokers, web-brokers, and DE entities assisting Exchange consumers; network adequacy; public notice procedures for section 1332 waivers; prescription drug benefits; updates to the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO–OP) Program; State flexibility on the financial methodology used for Medicaid eligibility determinations for non-modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) populations; and State flexibility on the effective date of coverage in the Basic Health Program (BHP). A summary of this proposed rule may be found at https://www.regulations.gov/​.

Federal Agency: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Department of the Treasury

Affected Area: UMC, Capstone Village

Comments Due: 1/8/2024

Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) in Schedule I

The Drug Enforcement Administration proposes placing two phenethylamine hallucinogens, as identified in this proposed rule, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. This action is being taken, in part, to enable the United States to meet its obligations under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances for one of these substances 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine. If finalized, this action would impose the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess), or propose to handle these two specific controlled substances.

Federal Agency: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice

Affected Area: UMC, UAPD

Comments Due: 1/12/2024

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Notices

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Direct Loan, FFEL, Perkins and TEACH Grant Total and Permanent Disability Discharge Application and Related Forms

The Department of Education (Department) is requesting a renewal as revision of the information collection, 1845–0065, Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge Application and Related Forms. The regulations governing TPD discharges of federal student loans and TEACH Grant service obligations are contained in 34 CFR 685.213 for the Direct Loan Program, 34 CFR 682.402(c) for the FFEL Program, 34 CFR 674.61(b) for the Perkins Loan Program, and 34 CFR 686.42(b) for the TEACH Grant Program. A final rule published on November 1, 2022 (87 FR 65904) made changes to the TPD discharge regulations, including an expansion of the types of Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determinations that qualify a borrower or TEACH Grant recipient for TPD discharge; elimination of the requirement for borrowers who receive TPD discharges based on SSA determinations or a physician’s certification to provide documentation of their annual earnings from employment during the 3-year post-discharge monitoring period; and expansion of the categories of medical professionals who may certify an individual’s TPD discharge application which necessitate the updating of this information collection. We have also revised the form based on public comment and internal review for ease of use and clarity. We have moved definitions to the front to allow users to know if their loans can be included on this form. We have moved forward where the completed form is to be sent and how to get assistance in completing the form. Further explanation of changes are in the attached comment response table.

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Comments Due: 12/27/2023

Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Fixed-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans (collectively referred to as “Direct Loans”) may have either fixed or variable interest rates, depending on when the loan was first disbursed or, in the case of a Direct Consolidation Loan, when the application for the loan was received. Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2006, and Direct Consolidation Loans for which the application was received on or after February 1, 1999, have fixed interest rates that apply for the life of the loan. Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans first disbursed before July 1, 2006, and Direct Consolidation Loans for which the application was received before February 1, 1999, have variable interest rates that are determined annually and are in effect during the period from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the following year. This notice announces the fixed interest rates for Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans with first disbursement dates on or after July 1, 2023, and before July 1, 2024, and provides interest rate information for other fixed-rate Direct Loans. Interest rate information for variable-rate Direct Loans is announced in a separate Federal Register notice.

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Variable-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the Federal Family Education Loan Program Prior to July 1, 2010

The FFEL Program includes loans with variable interest rates that change each year and loans with fixed interest rates that remain the same for the life of the loan. For loans with a variable interest rate, the specific interest rate formula that applies to a particular loan depends on the date of the first disbursement of the loan or, in the case of a Consolidation Loan, the date the application for the loan was received. If a loan has a variable interest rate, a new rate is determined annually and is in effect during the period from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the following year. This notice announces the interest rates for variable-rate FFEL Program loans that will be in effect during the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Interest rates for fixed-rate FFEL Program loans may be found in a Federal Register notice published on September 15, 2015 (80 FR 55342).

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Variable-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Interest rates for variable-rate Direct Loans are determined in accordance with formulas specified in section 455(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1087e(b)). The formulas vary depending on loan type and when the loan was first disbursed or, for certain Direct Consolidation Loans, when the application for the loan was received. The HEA specifies a maximum interest rate for these loan types. If the interest rate formula results in a rate that exceeds the statutory maximum rate, the rate is the statutory maximum rate.

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of a Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Means of Compliance, Declarations of Compliance, and Labeling Requirements for Unmanned Aircraft With Remote Identification

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The collection involves information necessary to submit a Means of Compliance or Declaration of Compliance for Unmanned Aircraft with Remote Identification to the FAA. The collection also involves information necessary to label Unmanned Aircraft that have an FAA-accepted Declaration of Compliance. The information to be collected will be used by the FAA to determine compliance with the requirements for submission of a Means of Compliance or Declaration of Compliance, as well as determine compliance with the Unmanned Aircraft labeling requirements.

Federal Agency: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT

Affected Area: EHS, UAPD

Comments Due: 1/22/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Income Driven Repayment Plan Request for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and Federal Family Education Loan Programs

The Department of Education (Department) is requesting an extension of the information collection, 1845–0102. This collection was approved under an emergency clearance on July 27, 2023, and the Department is now requesting the 30-day public comment period. The Department updated the Income Driven Repayment (IDR) Request Form used by a borrower to enroll, recertify, or change their IDR plan to support the provisions identified for early implementation in the final rule published July 10, 2023, and the provisions in the FUTURE ACT related to borrower consent to use tax information for IDR participation. Specifically, the form was updated to include a new section related to the borrowers consent to use tax information for this application and on an ongoing basis and to reflect the name change of the REPAYE Plan to the SAVE Plan. The form was also updated to remove the need for spousal income information in the situation where a borrower files taxes separately from their spouse. This removes the need to collect the signature of the spouse as the spouse’s information is no longer necessary to participate in any IDR plan. Other updates were made to improve readability and the borrower experience. There have been no further changes to the form since the emergency clearance was approved.

Federal Agency: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED)

Affected Area: Student Financial Aid

Comments Due: 1/10/2024

Review; Comment Request, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), New Collection

The Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) intends to design and conduct an evaluation to assess the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program. WOTC is a provision of the Internal Revenue Code (title 26 of the U.S. Code) that provides employers a tax credit as an incentive to hire people with barriers to employment in 10 Target Groups (including veterans, recipients of certain public benefits, people with disabilities and others). DOL is responsible for certification of WOTC participant eligibility, and the Internal Revenue Service in the Department of Treasury issues the tax credits to employers. The goal of this project is to build knowledge about the effectiveness and implementation of the program. CEO, in collaboration with the Office for Workforce Investment (OWI) in the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), seeks to better understand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), how it is administered amongst state workforce agencies, how it serves job seekers and employers, the effectiveness and efficiency of its current design, potential improvements in structure and operations, and potential future research in this area. This initial request pertains to an implementation evaluation of WOTC. An outcome and impact evaluation are anticipated in the future.

Federal Agency: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation Office, Department of Labor

Affected Area: HR

Comments Due: 2/12/2024

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Items of Interest

Solicitation of Nominations for Membership on the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections

The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), a program office in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is seeking nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP). SACHRP provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary, HHS (Secretary), through the Assistant Secretary for Health, on matters pertaining to the continuance and improvement of functions within the authority of HHS directed toward protections for human subjects in research. SACHRP was established by the Secretary on October 1, 2002. OHRP is seeking nominations of qualified candidates to fill three positions on the Committee membership that will be vacated during the 2024 calendar year.

Comments Due: 1/19/2024

Announcement of Intent To Establish Federal Advisory Committee on Long COVID

The Committee will consist of up to 20 members, including any Chair, Vice Chair, or Co-Chairs. Factors to be considered in selecting individuals to serve on the Committee include expertise in the issues to be examined by the Committee, as well as statutory obligations under FACA and desire for a balanced and diverse membership. To the extent possible, composition of the Committee will reflect the experience of an inclusive and diverse cross-section of persons with Long COVID and multidisciplinary expertise of those supporting and caring for those affected as well as specific clinical, medical, public health, behavioral health, human services, employment, data science, and research expertise. The membership of the Committee will reflect diverse individuals or organizations including underserved populations, with a focus on health equity.

Comments Due: 1/16/2024

Agency Information Collection Activities: USSS Citizens Academy Application, Electronic Form

The Agency has initiated a Citizens Academy to inform the public about its mission, focused on participation from local community leaders. The academy will take place in local Agency field offices. Prior to participating, applicants will need to provide information as their community leadership role and provide PII so that a background investigation can be conducted to check for criminal history, open warrants, etc. The application allows for the Agency to gather the information necessary for each applicant to determine if they are eligible for participation. Authority to collect the information sought on this form is derived from title 28 U.S.C. 599A, 28 CFR 0.130, and 18 U.S.C. 3056.

Comments Due: 1/16/2024

Request for Candidates Interested in Appointment to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee

The United States Mint, pursuant to United States Code, title 31, section 5135(b), is accepting applications for appointment to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) as the member specially qualified to serve on the CCAC by virtue of the candidate’s education, training, or experience in Medallic Arts or Sculpture.

Comments Due: 1/3/2024

U.S. Lags in AI Use Among Students, Surveys Find

Students and university leaders in the United States are lagging behind their peers elsewhere in use of artificial intelligence, two new reports suggest. According to a report by the education technology firm Anthology, 38 percent of students reported using AI at least monthly, with only the United Kingdom having a lower usage rate. Chegg, another ed-tech firm, conducted its own global study with similar results: 20 percent of students in the United States reported using generative AI, followed only by the U.K. with 19 percent. However, in the U.S., more than 30 percent of the university leaders surveyed by Anthology are concerned that AI is unethical and could result in plagiarism—a higher degree of suspicion than leaders in any country but the U.K.

The College Tour That Comes to You

The University of South Alabama has hit on a new recruitment strategy: send the president on a bus to pick up high schoolers for a campus tour.

Florida Looks to Remove Sociology From Gen. Ed.

The Florida Board of Governors voted on Nov. 9 to remove the Principles of Sociology from the list of core courses that the state’s public college students can take to fulfill their general education requirements. The news shocked sociology professors across the state, who say the ripple effects of such a decision could be disastrous.

Biden Administration to Take Another Swing at Accreditation Rules

The Education Department says it will update the regulations for accreditation agencies, state authorization and the definition of distance education. The spring 2024 round of rule making could be the Biden administration’s final chance to make changes to federal higher education policy in its first term.

Let’s Play a Game: College STEM Meets Gamification

Badges, leaderboards, and other game elements are familiar in K-12 classrooms, but more university courses are embracing learning through gaming.

Biden Administration Refines Student Debt Relief Plans

Borrowers who started repaying their undergraduate loans at least 20 years ago and still have a balance will see their remaining debt discharged under an updated proposal for one-time student loan forgiveness released Monday. All other borrowers, including those with graduate school loans, would be eligible for forgiveness on debt that entered repayment at least 25 years ago.

COGR Responds to OMB’s NPRM on Guidance for Grants & Agreements “Uniform Guidance”

COGR Response to Federal Register Notice, 88 FR 69390 2 CFR Chapter 1, Parts 25, 175, 180, 182, 183; and 2 CFR Chapter 2, Part 20

 

New Title IX Regulations Pushed to March (Inside Higher Ed)

The Education Department has pushed back the date for finishing its updated regulations for Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to March, according to the agency’s  latest regulatory agenda.  The final regulations, which would  overhaul how colleges and universities respond to reports of sexual harassment and assault and create  new protections for transgender students, were slated for release in May but then were pushed back to October.

 

The Fallout: What the Antisemitism Hearing Could Mean for Higher Education

After Republicans grilled three university presidents on Capitol Hill, experts weigh in on the broader implications for public opinion and the politics of colleges and universities.

 

ACE, Higher Ed Groups Oppose the DETERRENT Act (American Council on Education Press Release

ACE and 17 other organizations  sent a letter Monday to House leadership opposing the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, which the House is scheduled to vote on this week.  The DETERRENT ACT would amend Section 117 of the Higher Education Act by lowering the reporting threshold for foreign gifts or contracts from $250,000 to $50,000 for most countries and to $0 for “countries of concern” (China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea), and creating massive new reporting requirements for institutions. The bill would prohibit public institutions from signing contracts with countries of concern unless the secretary of education issues a waiver, require some institutions to create and maintain public facing databases of foreign gifts and contracts to individual researchers and staff, and require some private institutions to report investments or holdings with countries of concern. The bill also would create large new fines for non-compliance, some of which would be tied to an institution’s Title IV funding.

 

Bipartisan Progress on Pell Grant Expansion, but Hurdles Remain

The House wants to expand the Pell Grant to shorter career training programs. To pay for it, a new bill would cut off federal student loans to the nation’s wealthiest private colleges, starting in July.

The Future of Flexible Work in Higher Ed: A Compilation

“Shaping the Future of Flexible Work in Higher Education” is a new print-on-demand compilation of articles and essays from Inside Higher Ed. The free booklet explores how limited remote work options have become a driver of staff turnover in higher education, how some institutions are adapting (or not) in response to employee expectations and the differing perspectives of various campus constituencies.

You may download a copy of the booklet here.

Expansion of Foreign Funding Disclosure Requirements in Academia Passed by House (AIP)

A bill introducing new reporting requirements for universities and academics receiving foreign financial support passed the House yesterday by a vote of  246-170.  Though some Democrats raised concerns the bill would have a chilling effect on international collaboration, 31 Democrats ultimately joined Republicans to approve the measure.

Future of OPMs in Flux as Regulations Loom

University relationships with online program managers could be turned on their heads in 2024, as the government considers more oversight into OPM contracts.

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Policies

Posting Date	Department	Contact	Name	Effective Date	Summary
10/30/2023	Equal Opportunity Programs and Title IX	Beth Howard	Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy	10/30/2023	Revised Policy:  Updated the policy’s name and added clarifying information in the Affirmative Action section.
10/30/2023	Equal Opportunity Programs and Title IX	Beth Howard	Harassment Policy	10/30/2023	Revised Policy:  Updated to reflect changes in processes and to be consistent with similar language in other UA policies.
11/3/2023	Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs	Cheryl Mowdy	Anti-Retaliation Policy	11/3/2023	New Policy: Retaliation against members of the University community who make good faith reports regarding potential University-related violations of laws, regulations or University policies is prohibited.
11/3/2023	Environmental Health and Safety	Gene Holcomb	Fire Drill & Evacuation Policy	11/3/2023	New Policy: The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the University of Alabama (UA) is in compliance with the International Fire Code (IFC), state ordinances, and local ordinances. Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) is responsible for conducting all code required fire drills.
11/3/2023	Public Safety	Ralph Clayton	Multipurpose Storm Shelter Policy	11/3/2023	New Policy: This policy defines the terms for use of multipurpose storm shelter facilities on the UA campus based on the requirements of the State of Alabama Act 2012-554 and the ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC 500-2008) adopted by the State of Alabama Building Commission.
11/3/2023	Environmental Health and Safety	Juliette Botoklo	Safety Training Policy	11/3/2023	New Policy: The purpose of The University of Alabama (University) Safety Training Program and Policy is to provide employees and students with general knowledge and information necessary to recognize risks associated with their work or course and take necessary steps to reduce the risk to the lowest possible level while performing the job or action safely. Most often, safety training courses are developed in response to federal, state, and local regulations. Additionally, safety training is often required by accreditation agencies to meet institutional needs. Failure to successfully complete or participate in training exposes the individual to risk of injury and could place the University in a state of non-compliance with various safety regulations.

Introducing PolicyStat

• December 4th, 2023
• in Uncategorized

The University of Alabama has adopted PolicyStat as the primary policy management system for our University! 

The PolicyStat Public Policy Library provides users with more flexibility at their fingertips.  The new system features new and recently revised policies right on the homepage to keep our faculty and staff up-to-date with any policy changes.  The advanced search engine makes it quick and easy to find a specific policy, but policies can also be displayed in by title or area, if you would rather browse the list.   The policy template has also been updated to add a clickable Table of Contents, the ability to link directly to sections within a policy, and the ability to create a printable PDF version complete with watermark and retrieval information.

We have updated our Resources for Policy Writers webpage to provide reference material for those who are involved in drafting, reviewing, approving, or maintaining policies.

Departments should review their websites for any links to policies and update them to the new PolicyStat links by December 15.  Please review our tips for Linking to Policies.

Report Data Privacy Breaches!

• March 31st, 2023
• in Privacy, Uncategorized

Data privacy breaches can come in many different forms and can have serious consequences for both individuals and the University. There are many different types of data privacy breaches, including:

1. Hacking: This occurs when someone gains access to a computer system or network without permission and steals or alters sensitive data. For example, a hacker may break into your email account to obtain information and credentials.
2. Physical theft or loss: This happens when someone physically steals or loses a device that contains sensitive data, such as your laptop or USB drive.
3. Phishing: This involves manipulating individuals to gain access to sensitive information. For example, someone may pretend to be IT support or a University Official to ask you to open a strange link or provide your login credentials to obtain access to your accounts and devices.
4. Unauthorized access: This is when someone intentionally or unintentionally exposes sensitive data to another person unauthorized to access such information. For example, you may accidentally send personal or private information to the wrong person in an email.
5. Third-party breaches: This happens when a vendor or partner company that has access to any information suffers a breach. For example, your cloud storage provider may be hacked, exposing your data.
6. Improper Storage or Record Destruction: This occurs when records containing private and sensitive personal information are not handled with care or they are stored or destroyed in a way that does not meet or align with UA’s Record/Data Retention and Destruction Policy. For example, you may simply throw away a paper with sensitive information without shredding it or leaving all of the content unreadable.

Regardless of the size or kind of data breach, it is critical to notify the proper authorities. To protect the privacy of affected individuals and prevent further harm, any data privacy breaches must quickly be reported using the appropriate measures. Failure to do so can result in legal and financial consequences, as well as damage to the University’s reputation. All breaches must be reported through the Privacy Breach Portal on the Privacy page of this website. This ensures that the proper authorities are notified and given the necessary information and support to mitigate any potential harm. By reporting all data privacy breaches through the portal, this also ensures that proper measures can be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The University of Alabama is committed to transparency and accountability; therefore, it is important for you to be vigilant and take steps to protect sensitive information.

Please contact the Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs at privacy@ua.edu with any questions.

Policy Update – February 2023

• February 22nd, 2023
• in Uncategorized

Posting Date	Department	Contact	Name	Effective Date	Summary
1/17/2023	Environmental Health and Safety	Juliette Commodore Botoklo	Bloodborne Pathogen Policy	1/17/2023	New Policy:  The University of Alabama (University) is committed to providing a safe and healthful working environment for its faculty, staff, and students. In pursuit of this goal, the following Bloodborne Pathogen Policy is provided to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens in accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.1030, “Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens.”
1/4/2023	Shared Administrative Services	Alexandria Taylor	Student Services Mailbox Policy	9/21/2022	Revised Policy: Updating the policy to reflect the correct eligibility for letter mail; off-campus students can also receive letter mail per the Executive Director of Campus Mail.

Policy Updates – December 2022/January 2023

• January 26th, 2023
• in Uncategorized

Posting Date	Department	Contact	Name	Effective Date	Summary
12/1/2022	Human Resources	Susan Norton	Medical Coverage options upon Termination from Employment Policy	5/1/2014	Revised Policy:  Policy has been revised and updated.
12/5/2022	Research and Economic Development	Tanta Myles	Conflict of Interest Financial Disclosure in Research and Other Sponsored Programs Policy	8/21/2012	Revised Policy: Policy revised per federal and state laws and regulations.
12/5/2022	Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs	Marcy Huey	Electronic Signature Policy	12/5/2022	New Policy: The purpose of this policy is to establish practices for the proper use of electronic signatures (“e-sign”) when signing contracts on behalf of The University of Alabama by individuals with signatory authority pursuant to Board Rule 406.
12/5/2022	Environmental Health and Safety	Tim Sullivan	Fire Alarm Systems Policy	9/25/2019	Revised Policy: Revised to provide additional verbiage to the Purpose section and new directions for Special Events.
12/8/2022	Human Resources	Susan Norton	Military Leave Policy	2/1/2014	Revised Policy: Edits to the policy relate to sections of the policy that are based on an Alabama statue related to the war on terror.
12/14/2022	Human Resources	Susan Norton	Drug-Free Campus and Workplace Policy	10/8/1990	Revised Policy: Revision of first sentence under Standards of Control
12/21/2022	UA Police Department	John Hooks	Dangerous Weapons and Firearms Policy	1/1/2023	Revised Policy:  Updated to reflect recent changes in Alabama law.
12/21/2022	Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs	Marcy Huey	Record/Data Retention and Destruction Policy	1/1/2023	New Policy:  The purpose of this Policy is to establish guidelines for records management, retention, and destruction, and to require all University departments to institute and implement an appropriate records management program for both physical and digital records.
1/5/2023	Human Resources	Susan Norton	Employee Handbook	1/5/2023	Revised Policy:  Updated to adjust leave time accrual
1/10/2023	Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs	Ronda Lacey	HIPAA Hybrid Entity Policy	1/10/2023	New Policy:  The purpose of this policy is to designate the University of Alabama as a “hybrid entity” pursuant to 45 C.F.R. §§ 164.103 and 164.105; and to designate certain internal units of the University of Alabama as covered health care components.
1/11/2023	Advancement	Robert Pierce	Gift Acceptance Policy	10/5/2021	Revised Policy:  Added content related to cryptocurrency.

2022 Annual Compliance Training

• August 19th, 2022
• in Uncategorized

What is new for 2022?

Timeline

Starting in 2022, the annual training cycle will run from September 1 – October 31.  All existing faculty, staff, and student employees are required to complete their annual training during this timeframe, regardless of when they were required to complete training in prior years.  The courses assigned for annual training are shortened versions that are different from those assigned as introductory training for new hires.  Failure to complete assignments by the due date will result in the user losing access to the shortened review courses.

Introductory Training

All new faculty, staff, and student employees are required to complete training on a range of  topics based on employment status, work environment, and/or job responsibilities.  Specific training assignments will be communicated to the employee via email from UA LMS or by their supervisor.  Unless otherwise communicated, training for new or returning employees will be due within 60 days.  The introductory courses assigned to new employees are different from those assigned during the annual training cycle.  Credit toward the annual training assignments will be granted for those who have completed the introductory version of the course.

Optional Live Training

As an alternative to completing the annual training via the LMS, live training (offered in-person or via Zoom) will also be offered for certain topics.   Those who participate in the live training will receive equivalency credit for the online assignment.  Registration for instructor-led compliance training is available through UA LMS.

Annual Training Assignments

Title	Estimated Length	Audience
2023 Child Abuse Reporting Review	10-15 min	All faculty, staff, and student employees
2023 Cybersecurity Awareness Review	15-20 min	All faculty, staff, and student employees
2023 Equal Opportunity, Sexual Misconduct, and Title IX Review	30-40 min	All faculty, staff, and student employees
2023 FERPA Review	10-15 min	All faculty, staff, and student employees
2023 Protecting Privacy Review	10-15 min	All faculty, staff, and student employees
2023 Conflict of Interest Disclosure Review	10-15 min	All regular full or part-time faculty and staff
2023 Clery Act Basics	10-15 min	Only Campus Security Officers
2023 Red Flags Refresher	20-25 min	Those who work with covered accounts
2023 GLBA Information Security Awareness	10-20 min	Those who work with student financial data
2023 HIPAA Review	20-30 min	Only those who work with medical records
2023 PCI DSS Compliance Awareness Review	20-25 min	Only those who work with credit card terminals
2023 Office of Disability Services Annual Review	15-20 min	Faculty, GTAs, Adjunct Instructors

2022 Compliance Training Pilot

• June 16th, 2022
• in Uncategorized

The Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs invites interested faculty, staff, and student employees to join a pilot group to help fine tune the 2022 Compliance Training assignments.  After the 2021 training, feedback was gathered from a wide range of campus users, and we have worked to implement many of their suggestions.  Before we push this training out to the campus as a whole, we want to gather feedback from a diverse group of University employees.  As a pilot group member you will be asked to take a few courses (you get to choose which ones and how many) and provide feedback through an electronic survey.

Our goals for the 2022 Compliance Training are:

• Continue to keep content streamlined and focused on how we do things at UA.
• Incorporate customized content based on the learner’s role where appropriate.
• Create simplified refresher courses for topics that are repeated year after year.

We’d like your input on how well we did in reaching those goals.  If you choose to participate, not only will you win our eternal gratitude, but any courses that you complete now will count toward your 2022 training requirements.

A few pertinent details:

• The pilot will begin on July 5.  The courses you choose must be completed by Friday, July 29.
• You will be required to complete a feedback survey after each course that you complete as part of the pilot.
• To be eligible to participate, you must have already completed all of your assigned compliance training courses for 2021.
• The regular training period will run from September 1 through October 31.  Those who may find it difficult to complete the training during that window are encouraged to join the pilot group.  However, please be aware that some courses may not be available during the pilot timeframe, and pilot members may still receive some assignments in September.

Sign up now!

Fiscal Responsibility Training

• February 18th, 2022
• in Uncategorized

A fiscal responsibility training course has been created to help UA employees better understand their role in safeguarding and accurately accounting for university resources. We all play an important part in making this University great!  This training will help you understand your fiscal responsibilities under UA’s Code of Ethical Conduct. The course focuses on the fiscal responsibilities that all UA employee share, and it takes most people less than 10 minutes to complete. The training is available now through UA LMS.

This required training must be completed by February 28, 2022.

If you experience technical issues with completing your training, please submit a request for assistance through the Tech Help Troubleshooting Tool.

For the best learning experience, it is recommended that training be accessed with Chrome or Firefox browser on a desktop computer. If you choose to use a mobile device or tablet, it is best to use the Go.Learn app instead of your mobile browser.