- House Revises COVID-19 Relief Vote Timeline
- Defense Department FY22 Budget Request Expected May 3
- US Citizenship Act Would Open Pathways to Citizenship, Help International Students Stay in US
- AAU, Associations File Supreme Court Amicus Brief to Support Antitrust and Athletics
- NACUBO-TIAA FY20 Study of Endowments Shows Average 1.8 Percent Returns
- AAU Staffing Announcements and Job Openings
HOUSE REVISES COVID-19 RELIEF VOTE TIMELINE
On Monday, the House Budget Committee will consider the $1.95 trillion pandemic relief package and combine the reconciliation recommendations provided by nine House committees. The measure will then move to the House Rules Committee, which will likely need to revise the package to fit within the $1.89 trillion limit laid out in the FY21 budget resolution, S. Con. Res. 5. The House could advance the bill to the Senate late next week. If the Senate were to amend the measure, the House would vote to finalize the bill the week of March 8.
Earlier today, House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth (D-KY) released the text of the package and a report outlining the nation’s need for COVID-19 relief.
According to CQ News, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) yesterday said the package will not be ready for a House vote next week “until later in the week.” Hoyer shifted the House floor schedule by one day to allow the House Budget Committee more time to consider the measure and noted that the chamber may “need to remain in session through the weekend next week to complete consideration.” If the Senate were to amend the measure, the House would vote to finalize the bill the week of March 8, Hoyer noted.
The Senate has not yet released details of its voting timeline, but CQ News reports that the 12 Senate committees responsible for drafting pieces of the aid will skip the markup process and bring legislation directly to the Senate floor.
Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters the bill will “certainly [be] on the President's desk in time to offset the March 14th deadline where some unemployment benefits will expire.”
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT FY22 BUDGET REQUEST EXPECTED MAY 3
Bloomberg Government reports that the Pentagon’s FY22 defense budget request could be released on May 3. Roll Call reports that the Office of Management and Budget does not have a public timeline for President Joe Biden’s first budget request due to limits the previous administration placed on the “type of assistance career professionals could provide the Biden transition team, including blocking analytical work that is necessary to developing a budget.”
US CITIZENSHIP ACT WOULD OPEN PATHWAYS TO CITIZENSHIP, HELP INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS STAY IN AMERICA
Yesterday, congressional Democrats introduced the “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.” The legislation includes sweeping immigration reforms, such as an expedited pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants (including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients). The bill also contains provisions to help clear employment-based visa backlogs; recapture unused visas; reduce visa wait times; eliminate per-country visa caps; and make it easier for international doctoral STEM students graduating from American colleges and universities to stay in the United States. President Biden released a statement praising the legislation, which is based on his administration’s immigration reform priorities .
AAU, ASSOCIATIONS FILE SUPREME COURT AMICUS BRIEF TO SUPPORT ANTITRUST AND ATHLETICS
AAU recently joined ACE and nine other higher education associations to file an amicus brief in NCAA v. Alston, asking the United States Supreme Court to overturn a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruling finding that the NCAA’s eligibility rules regarding compensation of student-athletes violate federal antitrust law. The brief makes three key points: universities are not commercial, profit-seeking entities; judicial micromanagement is inconsistent with the educational mission that underlies collegiate athletics; and NCAA self-governance comports with principles of institutional self-governance that have long characterized American higher education.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case March 31 and is expected to decide it by July.
NACUBO-TIAA FY20 STUDY OF ENDOWMENTS SHOWS AVERAGE 1.8 PERCENT RETURNS
The National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA today released the annual NACUBO-TIAA Study of Endowments , which shows average returns of 1.8 percent in participating institutions’ endowments in 2020 – down from 5.3 percent in 2019. The study showed 10-year average annual returns of 7.5 percent, a decrease from 8.4 percent in 2019. The report notes that “[70] percent of institutions increased spending from their endowments in FY20, with an average increase of about $3.3 million.”
With data gathered from 705 U.S. colleges and universities, the report found that 48 percent of endowment spending was applied to student financial aid, 17 percent to academic programs, 11 percent to faculty positions, and 7 percent for campus operations.
AAU STAFFING ANNOUNCEMENTS AND JOB OPENINGS
Over the coming months, AAU will implement several staffing infrastructure changes. These changes reflect our increased efforts in science and security, immigration, international affairs, and polling at the national and state levels and engagement in new areas such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Effective Tuesday, Toby Smith will serve as vice president for science policy and global affairs. Toby will lead a new department focused on science policy, research regulations, research security, immigration, and open science. Emily Miller is serving as deputy vice president for institutional policy. Emily is now responsible for oversight of AAU’s institutional policy grant-funded projects and initiatives and will work with the appropriate staff on each project. Taylor Henry has been promoted to federal relations officer and will be responsible for issues related to the National Endowment for the Humanities. She will also work on budget and appropriations matters and partner with federal relations staff on other priority issues.
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AAU is seeking applications for the new position of vice president for survey research and institutional policy. The vice president will oversee and lead AAU’s public polling, institutional surveys, and research in support of AAU’s advocacy messaging, campaigns, and projects. A job description and application requirements are available here. To be considered, please send a cover letter, salary requirements, and resume to [email protected] by March 22.
AAU is also seeking applications for the new position of associate vice president for immigration and international affairs. The associate vice president will serve as AAU’s lead on immigration, international students and scholars, and other international issues and will play a crucial role in support of AAU’s work in other areas, including science and security, export controls, science diplomacy, and related higher education and research policy and regulatory matters important to America’s leading research universities. A job description and application requirements are available here . To be considered, please send a cover letter, salary requirements, and resume to [email protected] by March 22.