Policy Matters | Many Regulations Taking Effect July 1 (June 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
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…
Policy Matters | Department of Education Extends Distance Education Approval to December (May 2020)
Department of Education Extends Distance Education Approval to December In an updated guidance letter, the Department of Education has extended flexibility, originally provided in early March, for broad approval of the creation of distance education programs beginning between March 5 and December 31, 2020 due to interruptions of study related to COVID-19. It has also extended…
UPCEA Partners with Organizations to Ask Congress for Additional Funding, Inclusion of Distance Ed Students in Disbursement
Today, UPCEA, alongside OLC, QM, and WCET, has written a letter to ask congressional leadership to ask for their support: in providing additional funding for these students and institutions; by recognizing and qualifying distance education students as part of any future disbursement calculations; and to provide broad waiver authority to the Secretary of Education for…
UPCEA Issues Public Comments to Department of ED on Regular + Substantive, Distance Education Regulations
Today, UPCEA has submitted comments to the US Department of Education in response to their Notice of Public Rulemaking (NPRM) issued on April 2, 2020, which closes on May 4, 2020. These regulations were informed by the 2018-2019 negotiated rulemaking committee. We wrote regarding clarification and suggested edits for how the NPRM amends key definitions…
UPCEA Asks Congress for Additional Funding, Online Student Support, Waiver Authority
Today UPCEA has sent a letter to Capitol Hill congressional leadership regarding the need for additional funding, waiver authority, and online student support in future funding calculations. Once on the periphery of institutions of higher education, today our members are front and center as all postsecondary learning has rapidly shifted to a remote format. Over…
Primers and Insights
Helping you navigate policy frameworks critical to higher education in the United States.
Access our resources providing an introduction to foundational topics in federal legislation and regulations impacting online and professional continuing education for universities and colleges. Read more.
UPCEA is a proud founding member of the Today's Students Coalition.
UPCEA 2026-2027 Policy Committee
Corina Caraccioli, Loyola University New Orleans, Co-Chair
Abram Hedtke, St. Cloud State University, Co-Chair
Holly Anderson
Curtis Brant, Bowling Green State University
Amy Collier, Middlebury College
Johnna Denning-Smith, Marian University
Luke Dowden, Alamo Colleges District
Sean Doyle, Purdue Global
Michele Gribbins, University of Illinois Springfield
Ilona Marie Hajdu, Indiana University
Laura Hendley, Stevenson University
Gloria Niles, University of Hawaii System
Kelly Otter, Georgetown University
Michelle Singh, University of North Texas
Erika Swain, University of Colorado Boulder
Ryan Torma, University of Minnesota