February 21, 2024

Leading the news this week: The House and Senate are out on recess this week. Once they return next week they will be working around the clock to beat the next government funding deadline on March 1. 

Now let's dive into the latest news in higher education.

Connecting with the DOE - Nuclear Physics

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science, a key supporter of fundamental research in the physical sciences and overseer of 10 national laboratories, is extending its outreach to institutions of higher education nationwide. They will hold monthly virtual office hours, open to researchers from all institutions, providing insights into the six research programs and two research and development and production offices.

These sessions provide valuable opportunities for questions and do not necessitate any prior affiliation with DOE or its national laboratories. Each week leading up to the first series of office hours, we will spotlight one of the eight programs.

Nuclear Physics (NP) 

NP will hold virtual office hours on the first Monday of the month, 3-4 pm ET. In cases where the first Monday falls on a federal holiday, the office hour will slide to the second Monday of the month. Upcoming topics include: 

•            Monday, March 4, 2024, at 3pm ET – Introduction to NP  program mission  

•            Monday, April 1, 2024, at 3pm ET – Proposal Life Cycle   

•            Monday, May 6, 2024, at 3pm ET – Post-Award Actions: Annual Reports 

For more information on NP office hours, including registration, upcoming topics, slides, and recordings, please visit https://science.osti.gov/np/officehours

FAFSA Webinar Series

This week, representatives from Federal Student Aid are hosting webinars to help students, families, and college access professionals complete the 2024-25 FAFSA. To register for a webinar, click here.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024:

• 6-7 PM ET: How to Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA From as a Dependent Student
• 8-9 PM ET:  A Parent’s Guide to Federal Financial Aid 

Thursday, February 22, 2024:

• 4-5 PM ET: Best Strategies for Understanding and Comparing Schools and Financial Aid Offers 
• 6-7 PM ET:  How to Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA Form as an Independent Student 

Perkins Webinar

Explore the federal career and technical education initiative, known as Perkins, by registering for a webinar featuring Dr. Amy Loyd, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE), and the American Teacher Federation on February 27 at 6:00 pm ET.

The discussion will delve into crucial aspects, including Perkins funding and regulations, fund allocation, and coordination with other federal programs. To register, click here. 

*FINAL REMINDER* RFI on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Needs in Higher Education

ED is requesting information (RFI) in the form of  written comments to gather insights on effectively supporting mental health and substance use needs in higher education. They are particularly interested in examples of successful strategies, inclusive campus cultures, state agency support, and challenges faced by institutions. The information collected will help inform future work from the Department. 

The deadline for written comments is February 25, 2024. For more information, click here. 

• Accepting Applications on a Rolling Basis - CHIPS Incentives Program – Facilities for Semiconductor Materials and Manufacturing Equipment

• February 25 - RFI on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Needs in Higher Education
• February 27 - deadline to apply for Career Skills Training program
• March 11 - deadline to apply for Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program
• April 25 - deadline to apply for Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges. If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) E-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with 'LAW Alert' in the subject of the e-mail.

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