Washington Update: Navigating Higher Education Policy in an Election Year

Recorded On: 06/26/2024

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The 2024 election year brings heightened attention to higher education policy amidst significant political shifts. This Washington update delves into the administration's proactive rulemaking efforts at the Department of Education and other federal entities, targeting critical challenges such as student loan debt, access to affordable education, and educational equity.

These initiatives reflect a strong commitment to improving higher education's quality and accessibility. However, the election year introduces uncertainties that may affect policy direction, underscoring the importance of the higher education community's advocacy and engagement. Despite potential divisions in Congress, there have been notable legislative and regulatory actions focusing on funding, educational reforms, and new programs supporting institutions and students. This period of change emphasizes the need for stakeholders to remain informed, engaged in advocacy, and prepared for the election outcomes. The year 2024 offers a pivotal opportunity for influencing educational policy, advocating for a future where higher education is more accessible, affordable, and responsive to societal needs.

Liz Clark

Vice President, Policy and Research

NACUBO

Liz LaPolt Clark is vice president for policy and research at NACUBO and a member of the NACUBO executive leadership group. She has been widely quoted in the press and is a sought-after speaker on how Washington politics and federal policies impact higher education. Clark got her start on Capitol Hill opening Cornell University's first Washington, DC-based federal relations office. Also in her career, she has led federal affairs for the State University of New York (SUNY) System and for Oregon State University. At NACUBO, she heads the team responsible for analysis of federal regulatory and legislative actions, research, and communications.

Ashley N. Jackson

Director, Government Affairs

NACUBO

Ashley N. Jackson, director of government affairs for NACUBO, leads advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill on issues affecting business officers such as higher education reauthorization, tax and accounting policy, and annual appropriations. Prior to joining NACUBO, from 2015 to 2022, Jackson worked with the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) to secure $3 million for the asphalt airfield pavement research program as part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization. She focused on surface transportation and aviation authorizations, annual appropriations bills, highway funding, and asphalt research as NAPA's point person on Capitol Hill. In addition to managing the NAPA Political Action Committee, Jackson led the planning and execution of the annual Transportation Construction Coalition Legislative Fly-In, which brought more than 500 highway contractors to Washington each spring to discuss issues affecting highway and airport infrastructure funding with lawmakers.