Government Affairs

UPCEA helps provide colleges and universities in the online and professional continuing education field with advocacy and information on regulation and legislation. UPCEA builds greater awareness of the vital link between contemporary learners and public policy issues.

Policy Matters | Department of Ed Issues Final Rule on Distance Learning, “Regular and Substantive” and Competency-Based Education (August 2020)

August 27, 2020

Major Updates  Department of Ed Issues Final Rule on Distance Learning, “Regular and Substantive” and Competency-Based Education On August 24th, following the comprehensive 2018-2019 Negotiated Rulemaking session and the additional public comments from organizations such as UPCEA and its partners in the National Council for Online Education on the proposed regulations this past spring, the…

Policy Matters | Trump Administration Reverses Course on Denying Student Visas — Later Blocks New International Students if Coursework is Fully Online (July 2020)

July 30, 2020

  Trump Administration Reverses Course on Denying Student Visas — Later Blocks New International Students if Coursework is Fully Online Guidance first released July 6 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) restricted visas if an international student’s coursework was fully online in the fall, and requested that institutions notify them by July 15 if…

Policy Matters | Many Regulations Taking Effect July 1 (June 2020)

June 28, 2020

COVID 19 – CARES Act Funding + Reopening Policies The past few months have been confusing for institutions wishing to disburse COVID-19 emergency grant dollars due to the Department of Education changing allocation calculations and requirements, including eligibility for who can receive grants from the relief legislation. One of the main groups that the Administration has…

UPCEA Signs Letter to Hill on Broadband Access and Infrastructure

June 5, 2020

Twenty-nine (29) higher education associations and organizations, including UPCEA, joined EDUCAUSE on June 5, 2020, in sending a letter to Congress on significant broadband issues for higher education. The groups asked Congress to consider the needs of economically distressed college students in relation to efforts to bridge the digital divide during COVID-19 pandemic, specifically citing the Supporting Connectivity…