GW Weekly Federal Update (April 24)

GW Updates

• On April 23, President Ellen M. Granberg signed a statement, released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), from numerous college and university presidents and leaders of scholarly societies in response to ongoing actions by the federal government affecting higher education. The statement, titled “A Call for Constructive Engagement,” marks the first time current presidents have spoken out collectively in large numbers about these issues. “We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the statement says.
   
• An updated resource is available for all university community members—including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff—planning GW-related or supported travel. Information about travel advisories and restrictions, as well as resources outlining traveler privacy and rights, is included on the GW Global site. International community members should continue to consult with the International Services Office for guidance and resources, several of which are included below and on the ISO website.
   
• As the university shared previously, a small number of GW students have had their visas terminated. To date, the university is aware of four current students and six graduated students on optional practical training. ISO continues to offer guidance and resources and encourages any impacted community member to isogwu [dot] edu (contact the office) for support.

Federal Updates

• On April 23, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities” directing aggressive enforcement of foreign funding disclosure requirements for universities. The EO and related fact sheet here directs the Secretary of Education to, among other things, require universities to disclose the true source and purpose of foreign funds, and work with the Attorney General and relevant departments and agencies to hold non-compliant institutions accountable through audits, investigations, and enforcement actions.
   
• On April 23, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education” directing the Secretary of Education to “hold accountable, including through denial, monitoring, suspension, or termination of accreditation recognition, accreditors who fail to meet the applicable recognition criteria or otherwise violate Federal law, including by requiring institutions seeking accreditation to engage in unlawful discrimination in accreditation-related activity under the guise of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ initiatives.”  The EO and related fact sheet here directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of Education to, among other things, investigate and take action to terminate unlawful DEI programs by universities, specifically referencing law schools and medical schools; promote the establishment of new accreditation criteria, including “prioritizing intellectual diversity among faculty in order to advance academic freedom, intellectual inquiry, and student learning;” and resume “recognition of new accreditors to foster competition.”
   
• On April 21, Harvard University sued the Trump Administration in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, seeking to block the Administration from withholding more than $2 billion in federal funding. In a message to the university community, Harvard’s president wrote that the “consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting,” noting it will jeopardize life-saving research and technological innovation. A day earlier, news reports indicated that the Trump Administration planned to freeze an additional $1 billion in federal funding for health research as a result of Harvard’s refusal to accept the Administration’s demands to address its concerns about antisemitism on campus.
   
• On April 21, NIH issued a notice requiring grant recipients to certify that they do not, and will not operate any programs that advance or promote DEI, DEIA, or discriminatory equity ideology in violation of Federal anti-discrimination laws; and do not engage in and will not engage in boycotts of Israeli companies or with companies doing business in Israel. 
   
• On April 18, a U.S. District Court in Georgia issued a Temporary Restraining Order finding that the F-1 student visa status of the 133 plaintiffs had been revoked without due process and ordering their SEVIS records be reinstated. A hearing on a preliminary injunction is scheduled for April 24. Inside Higher Ed reports that “judges have granted temporary restraining orders in over 35 lawsuits, in most cases requiring the government to revert the plaintiffs’ SEVIS status back to “active,” refrain from further changing their SEVIS status or lawful nonimmigrant status, and agree not to take the plaintiffs into custody if they haven’t already.”
   
• On April 18, the NSF issued “Updates on NSF Priorities” emphasizing that in reviewing projects for funding, it will not “preference some groups at the expense of others, or directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups,” and that it will terminate “awards that are not aligned with NSF’s priorities … including but not limited to those on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation.”
   
• On April 16, the Department of Education issued Harvard a detailed record request after its review of the university’s foreign reports revealed “incomplete and inaccurate disclosures.” Pursuant to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, postsecondary institutions receiving federal financial assistance have an ongoing statutory obligation to disclose to the Department of Education foreign source gifts and contracts with a value of $250,000.
   
• On April 18, the White House revised the website on COVID-19. The website, which had included information about vaccines, testing and treatment, now focuses on what it describes as the “true origins” of COVID-19—a “lab-related incident” in Wuhan, China—and claims that public health officials had engaged in “COVID-19 misinformation.”

Community Q & A

This past week, the university received a few questions from students, faculty, or staff. A selection of questions and answers that may interest the broader community is provided in an abridged version below.

Q: Other universities are gathering together in agreements to stand together against the Trump Administration. What prospects does GW have to join with other universities in order to defend both our opportunities and the ethics of higher education?
A: GW is proud to be an active partner in higher education coalitions that are working in defense of the students, scholars and staff, as well as the freedoms and federal partnerships that have long made U.S. higher education a global leader. We are working with the Association of American Universities (AAU), American Council on Education, and National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities on the challenges facing the sector today. Most prominently, President Granberg signed the AAC&U statement noted above and GW joined the AAU and several of our peer institutions in a lawsuit related to cuts to medical research funding. That lawsuit is ongoing.

Q: I'm concerned that the federal government plans to use the joint ED/DOJ Title IX Investigations Team and threats to federal funding to pressure GW into withdrawing support for trans and nonbinary members of our community. What plans does GW have to defend its trans-supportive policies if they come under fire?
A: We recognize that some members of our community may be experiencing an increase in fear or anxiety due to government actions that target individuals' identities and rights. It is important to note that for trans and nonbinary individuals and others in the LGBTQIA+ community, our support resources and nondiscrimination and related policies remain in place. Additionally, the university abides by the D.C. Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the bases of sex, sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity or expression. The university is steadfast in its support of our community, upholding our shared values, and celebrating a diversity of life experiences, identities, and perspectives.

We know some may need additional support and care at this time, and for those seeking a place to start, they should consider the wellbeing offerings through the Division for Student Affairs, Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement or the Employee Assistance Program.

Resources and Reminders

About this Newsletter

To ensure that students, faculty and staff feel supported and informed about how federal developments affect higher education and GW, the university launched a weekly Federal Update. This newsletter shares timely information, addresses questions and provides resources.