Inside Higher Ed: What Will It Take to Address the Pell Shortfall?

Higher education experts and college access advocates are urging Congress to set aside nearly $40 billion in funding for the Pell Grant program this upcoming fiscal year, as the Congressional Budget Office projects the need-based scholarship will face a historic multibillion-dollar shortfall. If annual Pell appropriations remain flat at about $22.5 billion and the deficit is left unaddressed, the program will be short by nearly $17 billion in September 2027, according to the CBO; that number could reach as high as $132 billion by 2036.

Read the full article on Inside Higher Ed.

2026 ASAHP Election: Call for Candidates

ASAHP’s annual election will be conducted this Summer. The following positions are open for the 2026 election:

Board of Directors (three-year term) - 1 open position

Treasurer (two-year term) - 1 open position

Nominations & Elections Committee (two-year term) - 3 open positions

The candidate form, CV, and a headshot must be submitted via the Election Candidate Form no later than Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Election information is also available here. The election will open for voting on July 15, 2026 and will close on August 14, 2026.

Insider Higher Ed: Lawmakers and Universities Push Back on Loan Caps

Hundreds of lawmakers have joined dozens of university leaders and academic trade associations in urging the Department of Education to amend its new regulations on federal student loans, arguing the current rule will deter students from pursuing high-demand degree programs and thus exacerbate dire health-care workforce shortages.

Read more here: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2026/03/04/lawmakers-and-universities-push-back-loan-caps?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=96f3c22ca3-DNU_2021_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-96f3c22ca3-198493033&mc_cid=96f3c22ca3

Department of Education Issues Interpretive Rule on Accreditation

Yesterday, the Department of Education issued an interpretive rule aimed at speeding up the process by which accreditors seek and receive federal recognition. The Department of Education press release is here and coverage from Inside Higher Ed is here.

Health Care Groups Form Coalition to Fight Loan Caps

Inside Higher Ed covered the work of a newly formed coalition, of which ASAHP is a member, which is spearheading advocacy in response to proposed Department of Education rulemaking on Higher Education Act provisions stemming from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including the new student loan caps which would exclude most allied health graduate and doctoral programs from higher student loan caps.

The article by Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here.

Journal of Allied Health Seeks Editor-in-Chief

The Journal of Allied Health (JAH), the official scholarly publication of the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP), seeks an Editor-in-Chief. The candidate will transition into this role to ensure the long-term continuity of the Journal, working closely with the current Editor-in-Chief, while he transitions to Editor-in-Chief Emeritus role.

Read the job description and apply here.

ACE to Host Capitol Hill Briefing on Professional Degree Students and Their Lack of Access to Federal Student Aid

On Tuesday, February 10, at 3pm Eastern, the American Council on Education (ACE), of which ASAHP is a member, will host a Capitol Hill briefing for congressional staff and interested parties titled, “Professional Degree Students and Their Lack of Access to Federal Student Aid”. Jessica Blake of Inside Higher Ed will moderate a panel featuring Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and others.

More details are here. ACE put out a two-page document here with background and talking points on the issue.

House Passes and President Trump Signs FY 26 Labor-HHS Bill Package, Ending Partial Government Shutdown

This afternoon, the House, in a 217-214 vote, passed the five-bill spending package funding the FY 26 Labor-HHS, Defense, Transportation-HUD, Financial Services, and National Security-State bills through the remainder of the current fiscal year, along with a Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the Homeland Security bill through February 13. 21 Democrats joined most Republicans in support, while 21 Republicans joined most Democrats in opposition. Prior to final passage, the House voted 217-215 to adopt the rule to consider the legislation, with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) joining all Democrats in opposition. The Senate passed the package on Friday, and President Trump signed this package this afternoon, ending the partial government shutdown which began at midnight on Friday.

A statement from the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC), of which ASAHP is a member, is here.

Senate Passes Funding Package Including the Labor-HHS Bill

On Friday evening, in a bipartisan 71-29 vote, and after Senators and the White House forged a compromise deal yesterday, the Senate passed a FY 26 funding package comprised of the Labor-HHS, Defense, Transportation-HUD, Financial Services, and National Security-State appropriations bills. Those bills would be funded through September, the remainder of the fiscal year. 

The Senate also passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) for the Department of Homeland Security through February 13, allowing more time for Congress and the White House to negotiate that bill. 

The five-bill funding package and Homeland Security CR now need to be passed in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said he hopes to bring up the bills under suspension of the rules, a fast-track process which requires a two-thirds vote in the House. A vote is expected as early as Monday. The likelihood of quick House passage remains uncertain.

The current CR for the six FY 26 bills, including the Labor-HHS bill, expired at midnight on Friday, triggering a partial government shutdown lasting until the House passes the funding package and President Trump signs the bills.