Policy and Advocacy

Alongside institutional policy, local, state, and federal legislation affects the practice of higher education professionals every day in their work to educate students. Our Policy and Advocacy focus area serves the need for timely information and analyses related to emerging policy, and offers resources to help you understand evolving higher ed law curated by our research and policy team. 

Empowered by the work of NASPA’s Public Policy Division, and featuring numerous high-impact professional development opportunities such as NASPA Hill Days and the Certificate Program in Student Affairs Law and Policy, this focus area aims to educate higher ed pros about the legislative, compliance, and policy issues relevant in today’s higher ed landscape. 

 

NASPA’s policy and advocacy work is guided by the Association’s Public Policy Agenda, developed by the Public Policy Division.

 
State Legislation Affecting Student Affairs

State by state tracker | Click on a state to see current relevant legislation.

Issue Specific Updates in Active State Sessions

 

NASPA Standing Policy Position Statements

 

NASPA Led Statements and Comments on Recent Policy Matters

NASPA Statement Against Violence in the Middle East, October 13, 2023

We recognize that the current crisis in the Middle East is complex and involves the safety and well-being of people across the region. 

NASPA Statement on DACA Ruling from Southern District of Texas, September 21, 2023

NASPA supports the possibilities created by the DACA program, which provides educational and career pathways for immigrant students, faculty, and staff and creates a more robust and inclusive higher education community. We wish to amplify advocacy efforts by experts and organizations such as the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and the American Immigration Council, who are supporting students and advocating for permanent, comprehensive legislative solutions.

NASPA Condemns SCOTUS Decision on Race-Conscious Admissions, June 29, 2023

The U.S. Supreme Court dismantled race-conscious admissions in higher education with its decision in two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. In its ruling, the Court’s majority relied on the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, but they dismissed the reality that in the U.S., race continues to affect access and educational outcomes. Over the course of five decades, affirmative action - and race-conscious admissions in particular - has fundamentally altered colleges and universities to be more racially diverse and to expose students to a broader range of perspectives. More than ever, we must affirm that fostering an inclusive campus remains an integral part of the mission of higher education, and is key to cultivating academic inquiry and advancing student success.

 Statements and Comments on Recent Policy Matters NASPA Has Joined in the Last Year

Current Calls to Action

Collective advocacy, the intentional leveraging of many voices on a single issue or set of issues, is a powerful and effective way to get lawmakers’ attention. Whether you join in to add your voice on issues that affect our students and their ability to access and complete their education, or organize a call-in or letter writing campaign to mobilize others, your voice is needed. The list below represents a sampling of current calls to action, though please note that calls for an institutional commitment or comment should be handled in cooperation with your campus government affairs or senior leadership team.

#DoublePell Campaign
#SaveStudentAid
Moving From Words to Action Cover

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Policy Engagement

We want to hear from you! NASPA regularly tracks and analyzes federal and state policies to inform NASPA statements, endorse legislation, and create advocacy strategies to best serve the field of student affairs. We work to be nimble and respond to the needs of the membership in an evolving policy atmosphere, and what better way than to hear directly from you! Please fill out this form to let us know about what legislative activity, and topical issues you are most impacted by. Whether it's a link to an article that passed your desk this morning, or proposed legislation you are actively monitoring, we want to hear from you. We encourage you to add your voice to the conversation in elevating the role of student affairs in higher education policy today.

For any follow up questions you may have or to learn more about NASPA's advocacy strategies and the NASPA Public Policy Agenda, please reach out to Diana Ali, Associate Director of Policy Research and Advocacy at [email protected].

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