AAU, ACE, and 17 higher education associations sent a comment letter in response to the Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification RFI on the inclusion of STEM occupations in Schedule A of the permanent labor certification process. The letter states that “We appreciate that the administration is seeking to modernize and improve Schedule A to include STEM occupations as it would play a crucial role in fostering academic excellence and advancing innovations within colleges and universities.” The inclusion of STEM occupations in Schedule A “would allow colleges and universities to be more competitive in attracting influential STEM faculty, researchers, and professionals across the globe”.