Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Accreditation Holds First Sesson of Negotiations

The first session of the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking committee was held this week. The second and final session of negotiations will be held May 18-22 and will include a vote on the proposed regulations. More details are here. A 151-page initial draft of the Department of Education’s proposed regulations is here. A 9-page summary from the Department is here. Coverage from Inside Higher Ed is here, here, and here. Coverage from the Chronicle of Higher Education is here and here. New America held an event last week, “Accreditation 101: A Fireside Chat on How Colleges Are Measured”. It contains discussion of the negotiated rulemaking and is available here. 

Department of Education Releases Proposed Rule on Accountability

Today, the Department of Education issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to establish a postsecondary education accountability framework. The new accountability measures stem from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and negotiators narrowly reached consensus on the package of proposed regulations in January. The proposed rule will officially publish to the Federal Register on Monday, and the NPRM will be open for a 30-day public comment period, with comments due no later than May 20. A press release is here and the NPRM is here.

On Thursday, May 14 at 9:15am Eastern, AEI will host an in-person and online event titled, “Can Accountability Strengthen Higher Education’s Economic Promise?” Participants include Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent and Senior Adviser, Office of the Under Secretary, Jason Delisle, as well as former Biden Administration Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal. More details, including a registration link, are available here.

HPNEC Coalition Releases Statement on the President's Budget Request for FY 27

Today the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC), of which ASAHP is a member, issued a statement expressing concern with proposed cuts to critical Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs included in the fiscal year (FY) 2027 President’s Budget Request.

The statement notes that, “The President’s FY 2027 budget released on April 3, 2026, once again recommends a massive $1 billion proposed cut to health workforce programs under the proposed Administration for a Healthy America. Particularly concerning is the proposed elimination of 14 existing Title VII health professions and VIII nursing workforce development programs currently administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). If enacted, these cuts would limit support for essential investments in programs that play an irreplaceable role in shaping, educating, and bolstering the health workforce at all stages of the continuum. As communities face shortages of health professionals, these devastating cuts would result in a significant and detrimental impact on the health of communities across the country and limit access to care for patients nationwide.”

HPNEC urges Congress to reject any funding cuts to the HRSA Title VII and VIII programs proposed in the President’s FY 27 budget request and to bolster support for programs that address health workforce shortages in critical areas of need and ensure access to care across the nation.

The statement is available here.

Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on the President's FY 27 Budget Request for HHS

On Tuesday, April 21 at 2:30pm Eastern, the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor-HHS will hold a hearing on the President’s FY 27 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify. The hearing may be viewed here.

Sec. Kennedy will testify at seven hearings over the course of a week, including the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommitee on Labor-HHS on April 16 here, the House Ways & Means Committee on April 16 here, and the House Education and Workforce on April 17 here.

U.S. Department of Education Proposed Accreditation Overhaul

The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulations Monday aimed at reshaping the college accreditation system and addressing college affordability. The proposals reflect priorities set by an executive order by President Trump and would simplify the process for new accreditors through the U.S Department of Education, institutions to switch accreditors, and accreditation requirements to not include diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Under the draft rules, colleges must be accredited by a federally recognized agency for students to remain eligible for federal financial aid. The proposal will also shorten the timelines for new accrediting agencies and weaken bureaucratic demands on member colleges. Accreditors would face new responsibilities, such as measures to ensure compliance with state and federal law, with specific emphasis toward intellectual diversity and ideological neutrality under the First Amendment. Such measures may conflict with the Higher Education Act, which limits the Department's authority over private accrediting organizations.

The new proposals are expected to draw opposition from institutions and accreditors across the political spectrum. One proposal setting requirements for colleges to presume general-education credit transferability may draw special criticism for weakening institutional autonomy. The negotiated rulemaking Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Committee (AIM) will meet to discuss the draft regulations for next week on April 13-17 and May 18–22. A summary the draft regulations can be found here.

Read more on this on Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed.

2026 ASAHP Regional Summit - Pre-Summit Survey

The ASAHP Summit brings together health professions educators and industry partners committed to advancing interprofessional education and graduate preparation. To ensure that summit content, discussions, and activities reflect the priorities and perspectives of participants, we invite you to complete this brief pre-summit survey. Your responses — regarding your professional background, experience with the IPEC competencies, and expectations for graduate preparation — will directly shape our shared agenda. All responses are confidential and will be reported in aggregate only. We appreciate your time and thoughtful input.

President's FY 27 Budget Request Released

Today, the White House released the President’s FY 2027 budget request, outlining priorities for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026. The proposal calls for a $73 billion (10%) reduction in domestic discretionary spending, while significantly increasing defense funding.

Under the request, defense spending would rise by 42% to roughly $1.5 trillion, including a roughly $250 billion increase to Department of Defense appropriations over the FY 26 enacted level paired with $350 billion expected to be advanced through a forthcoming reconciliation package from congressional Republicans.

The President’s budget proposal calls for a $15.8 billion (12.5 percent) cut to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a 4 percent cut to the Department of Education (ED), and a 26 percent cut to the Department of Labor (DOL).

The President’s budget proposal calls for significant cuts to health workforce programs. A funding chart of HRSA Title VII and VIII health workforce programs comparing the President’s FY 27 budget request to the FY 26 enacted level was composed by the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) and is available here.

2026 ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence: Call for Applications

Each year, ASAHP offers a scholarship program for health professions students enrolled in its member institutions. The purpose is to recognize outstanding students in the health professions who are achieving excellence in their academic programs and have significant potential to assume future leadership roles in health professions. Each student chosen for an award will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The most exemplary Scholarship of Excellence recipient will also receive the “Elwood Scholar” award, qualifying an additional $1,000 in scholarship funds. We are now accepting applications for this year’s awards. The deadline is Friday, June 5, 2026.

More information may be accessed here.

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