Final Rules
- Registering Emergency Medical Services Agencies Under the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 Effective Date: 3/9/2026 #UMC #SHC
- New Animal Drugs; Approval of New Animal Drug Applications; Withdrawal of Approval of New Animal Drug Application; Change of Sponsor; Change of Sponsor Address Effective Date: 2/6/2026 #Division for Research #Animal Care
- Sulfonic Acids, C14-16-Alkane Hydroxy and C14-16-Alkene, Sodium Salts in Pesticide Formulations; Exemption From the Requirement for a Tolerance Effective Date: 2/13/2026 #EHS #Division for Research
- Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder; Correction Effective Date: 2/23/2026 #UMC #UAPD
- National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Effective Date: 2/24/2026 #Division for Research
Proposed Rules
- Clarification of the Appropriate Use of Terms “National” and “Regional” by Recognized Accrediting Agencies Comments Due: 3/19/2026 #Accrediation
- Private Health Insurance; Transparency in Coverage; Extension of Comment Period Comments Due: 3/2/2026 #HR
Notices
- Request for Nominations of Candidates to the National Environmental Education Advisory Council Nominations Due: 3/16/2026 #Campus
- Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Comments Due: 4/14/2026 #Student Financial Aid
- Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection; LEO Certification Letter for Official Duty Firearm Purchase Comments Due: 4/27/2026 #UAPD
Items of Interest
- Education Department moves to overhaul accreditation regulations The agency wants to make it easier for new accreditors to gain recognition and to curb diversity, equity and inclusion standards, per a Federal Register notice.
- 4 policy trends that should be on college leaders’ radars in 2026 From accreditation to civil rights probes, we’re rounding up policy shifts we’ll be watching — and expert predictions on how they’ll unfold — for the year ahead.
- Trump signs $79B education funding bill into law The fiscal 2026 budget measure will fund the agency through Sept. 30, giving it about $217 million above the prior year’s funding level.
- FAFSA completions for class of 2026 outpacing last year’s The U.S. Department of Education points to an earlier form release date and streamlined user process for the increase in federal financial aid applications.
- Federal judge dismisses antitrust allegations against top publishers Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Wiley, Sage Publications, Taylor & Francis, and Springer Nature scored a win for their peer review and submission policies.
- ‘We’re now seeing the results’: Education Department officials tout FAFSA progress Satisfaction is up and wait times are short, an agency official told the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislative conference.
- Measles Cases Spread on College Campuses As the virus surges nationwide, experts say campuses are especially susceptible to outbreaks. Some institutions are already handling infections among their students.
- Education Department Releases 2025 Data on U.S. Universities’ Foreign Funding The Education Department announced Wednesday that U.S. colleges and universities received $5.2 billion total in large foreign gifts and contracts in 2025. Including state and non-state entities in these countries, Qatar gave the most, at more than $1.1 billion, followed by the U.K., at $633 million, and China, at $528 million, the department said in a news release.
- Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Advisory Committee AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Nominations Due: 3/16/2026 #Campus
- The Apprentice: Why Higher Ed Is Leaning Into Earn-and-Learn Colleges are facing “a perfect storm.” Is adding apprenticeship pathways a way through?
- Pell Grant Facing $11.5B Shortfall, CBO Says If Congress doesn’t add money to the Federal Student Aid account by Sept. 30, students could face dramatic grant cuts or eligibility restrictions.
- International enrollment is under pressure. How can colleges respond? Amid tighter visa policies, experts suggest colleges expand recruitment efforts and provide foreign students with more flexibility to help them feel welcome.
- Congress green-lights education interagency agreements — with reservations The U.S. Department of Education has nine such agreements with other agencies, including the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.
- ED Partnering With State Dept. to Track Universities’ Foreign FundingThe Education Department has announced more agreements to transfer responsibilities to, or share duties with, other federal agencies. They include a partnership with the State Department to track foreign gifts and contracts that U.S. colleges and universities receive.
- The Education Department’s 9 interagency agreements: What is going where Between May 2025 and Feb. 23, 2026, the Education Department announced nine such interagency agreements with four agencies. The agreements detail the duties the other agencies will take on and the Education Department’s remaining responsibilities.
- NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations Following last year’s cuts, the chief management officer of the federal research funding agency says its number of employees is “too low.”
Policy Updates
- The 3D Printing Policy was revised on 2/18/2026 to clarify procedures in the policy.
- The Mass Email Communication Policy was created on 2/20/2026 to establish requirements for sending mass email communications to both external and internal recipients.
- The Harassment Policy was revised on 2/20/2026 to update language for compliance with regulations.
- The Code of Student Conduct Policy was revised on 2/20/2026 to reflect changes made to the Harassment Policy.