CDC CAUTIONS COLLEGES AGAINST 'ENTRY TESTING' FOR COVID-19: The health agency cautioned colleges and universities against testing all of their students and faculty for the novel coronavirus before allowing them onto campus, as part of new recommendations made public on Tuesday . But federal health experts still recommend that higher education institutions test people suspected to have been in close contact with infected patients, even if they're not showing symptoms. — The CDC also suggests broader testing for people who have been in contact with infected patients in settings where the disease can quickly spread, including residence halls, laboratories and communal spaces such as bathrooms or lounges. — The federal guidelines say schools located in regions experiencing "moderate to substantial community transmission" of Covid-19 may consider testing some or all students and staff who have no known exposure to the virus. Juan Perez Jr. has more. — Next up: More CDC guidance on reopening K-12 schools is expected later this week. MAJOR DEVOS OVERHAUL OF HIGHER EDUCATION TAKES EFFECT TODAY: A slew of major Trump administration policies affecting colleges and universities officially takes effect today. Here's a rundown of how DeVos has reshaped federal higher education policy using her regulatory pen: — The Obama-era "gainful employment" rule is officially off the books. The policy had sought to cut off federal funding to low-performing career college programs, particularly those at for-profit colleges — but had been decried by conservatives and the industry since the Obama administration first started writing the rule a decade ago. The Trump administration had already largely hamstrung implementation of the rule and allowed colleges to implement early the repeal. — DeVos' revised "borrower defense to repayment" rule goes into full force. The rule sets more stringent standards than the Obama-era policy for forgiving federal student loans based on a college's misconduct. It also eliminates the Obama-era ban on colleges forcing their students to settle many types of disputes against their school through arbitration, rather than in court. — Also taking effect is DeVos' new rule governing college accreditation. The policy eases some of the requirements that college accreditors must meet in order to obtain federal recognition, an important status that enables the colleges they accredit to be eligible for federal student aid. — What to watch next: Nearly all of the Trump administration's rollback of regulations are being challenged in court by consumer groups, labor organizations and Democratic state attorneys general. But none of those legal challenges have yet to stop these rules from taking effect today. MORE ON THE WAY… DEVOS PLANS NEW CIVIL RIGHTS REGULATIONS ON ANTI-SEMITISM: The Trump administration is planning to write new regulations to change how the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights addresses allegations of discrimination against Jewish students. The department said in a regulatory notice that it would propose new rules this fall to carry out Trump's executive order from December that the White House said was meant to combat anti-Semitism, particularly on college campuses. The Trump administration has decried the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel on campuses as anti-Semitic. — The executive order recommended that the Education Department and other agencies consider adopting a controversial definition of anti-Semitism that is favored by pro-Israel groups but that critics, including advocates for Palestinian rights, worry will stifle free speech and criticism of Israel on campus. The proposed regulations will amend the department's regulations that implement Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the agency said, but it did not go further in elaborating on the potential changes. — Also new on the regulatory agenda released on Tuesday: New regulations to force colleges to disclose to the Education Department copies of the contracts they have with foreign sources. The Trump administration had previously teased that as part of its crackdown on how colleges and universities report foreign gifts. |
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