GW Weekly Federal Update (November 14)

Q & A: Federal Personnel and Campus Access

In response to questions shared by the Student Government Association, the university is providing information on federal personnel access to campus spaces, protocols for issuing GW Alerts, and student support resources.

When and under what conditions can ICE or the National Guard legally enter GW spaces?
We recognize that there are lingering questions about federal personnel access to campus spaces, and we understand the concerns that our students and others may have.

First, it is important to note that there is a distinction between ICE and the National Guard. Federal law enforcement officers, such as ICE, generally need a warrant, signed by a judge, to enter a private campus space, unless there are specific exceptions like exigent circumstances or consent by a university official. Common exigent circumstances include: hot pursuit of a fleeing suspect, the imminent destruction of evidence, an immediate risk to the life or safety of a person, and the need to protect police officers or the public from harm.

While the National Guard has arrest powers, the Trump Administration has made clear that the Guard is not performing any law enforcement functions but rather is providing support to MPD and to serve as a deterrent to crime. As we previously reported, the D.C. Attorney General has filed a lawsuit challenging the deployment of the National Guard in D.C.

If a campus space becomes open to the public, does that give these agencies automatic access?
In general, much of GW's property is private space, and the limitations on federal personnel described above apply. Regarding Kogan Plaza and University Yard, they are private GW property, and the university has the ability to regulate who is allowed on such property, but when the gates to these spaces are open, non-GW individuals are able to access those spaces. Some GW spaces, such as the first floor of the University Student Center, are open to the public during certain hours and as such may be accessed by anyone. We recently marked the lower level, ground, second, fourth and fifth floors of the USC as “private spaces” to differentiate them from the first floor. At times, though, private GW space may be considered public—for example, when an event held in the space is open to the public. Finally, public streets and sidewalks that run through GW's campus fall under local and federal authority, and GW has no authority to restrict access to them.

Would GW inform students if these forces were present, and how are vulnerable students protected?
Regarding keeping our community informed, GW Alert and Campus Advisories are the primary ways the university communicates safety information. Campus Safety issues GW Alerts when an emergency or significant incident threatens safety or requires immediate action from the university community. The simple presence of law enforcement or National Guard on campus would not normally be enough to trigger a GW Alert.

We always want our community to feel safe at GW, and we work each day to provide support and resources to our students, especially those who feel particularly vulnerable in the current environment. Notably, federal law prohibits hiding evidence, concealing individuals who are the targets of law enforcement, or interfering with an arrest.

If students have individual concerns, we encourage them to reach out to the Division for Student Affairs at studentsgwu [dot] edu or visit in person at the University Student Center, 2nd Floor. The team is here to listen, provide guidance, and connect students with the right resources to address their needs. Safety resources and guidance for interactions with federal personnel are available in the Federal Update FAQs.

Recent Federal Actions

Government Shutdown

• After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended. On Nov. 12, the House voted 222 to 209 to approve a bipartisan funding package previously advanced by the Senate and President Trump signed the measure into law.

  The agreement funds the Departments of Agriculture, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Veterans Affairs; military construction; and Congress for the full fiscal year, while extending funding for all other agencies through January 30, 2026. It also restores federal operations halted since October 1, reverses more than 4,000 attempted layoffs, guarantees back pay for approximately 1.25 million affected federal employees, and prevents further workforce reductions through January.

  The measure is expected to ease some disruptions caused by the shutdown, including delays in air travel, the closure of national parks, and interruptions to federal benefit and loan programs. Although the bill does not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, which was a key point of debate during negotiations, the Senate has committed to holding a vote on the issue by mid-December. With the government now reopened, federal loan disbursements are not expected to be impacted for Spring 2026.

  We recognize that this has been a difficult time for many members of our community and want to encourage those who have been affected to seek available resources. 

Department of Education

• On November 11, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced new funding priorities for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), a competitive grant program designed to advance innovation and access in higher education. The seven new priorities center on four areas: artificial intelligence, civil discourse, accreditation reform, and short-term workforce training programs, with available funding ranging from $7 million to $60 million across the categories.
  
  Established by Congress in 1972, FIPSE gives each administration flexibility to direct funding toward specific policy goals within the program’s statutory framework. Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent said the updated priorities reflect efforts to strengthen higher education through expanded free speech initiatives, modernization of accreditation systems, and development of workforce-aligned programs.
   
• In the November 6 edition of the GW Weekly Federal Update, we reported that ED released a final rule revising the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to exclude employers engaged in activities deemed “illegal” or indicative of a “substantial illegal purpose.” On November 3, a number of cities, counties, and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts asking that the court declare the final rule unlawful and prohibit ED from enforcing it. The lawsuit alleges among other things that the final rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act, and violates the free speech rights of the plaintiffs.

Updates Related to Other Universities

• Cornell University: On November 7, Cornell entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) resolving DOJ’s civil rights investigations against Cornell and restoring approximately $250 million in federal funds that had been suspended by the Administration. Under the terms of the Agreement, Cornell must among other things: pay the government $30 million and invest an additional $30 million into research programs that will benefit U.S. farmers; share anonymized undergraduate admissions data categorized by race, GPA, and test scores through 2028; conduct an annual campus climate survey; agree to include the DOJ’s July 29, 2025, memorandum “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination” as a “training resource to faculty and staff”; and ensure compliance with various federal laws and with the agreement, including a quarterly certification of compliance by the university president. The agreement also affirms the importance of academic freedom: “The United States does not aim to dictate the content of academic speech or curricula, and no provision of this Agreement, individually or taken together, shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate the content of academic speech or curricula.”  
   
• ​​University of California, Berkeley: On November 11, the DOJ announced that it was initiating an investigation into a protest of a Turning Point USA event that occurred on Berkeley’s campus, alleging that the protests were violent and had been organized by Antifa.
   
• George Mason University: On November 6, the House Judiciary Committee released a staff report alleging that George Mason University President Gregory Washington made false statements to Congress during his September testimony about the university’s DEI initiatives. The report claims Washington misrepresented his involvement in diversity-related hiring practices that the committee says may have violated civil rights laws. Washington’s attorney denied the allegations, while the university’s Board of Visitors said it is reviewing the report.
  
  Committee Democrats disputed the findings, saying the investigation reflects broader political disagreements over higher education policy. Washington, who has led George Mason since 2020, maintains that the university’s DEI efforts comply with federal and state law and are intended to promote a welcoming environment for all students and faculty.

Federal Grants and Research

• On October 31, the U.S. District Court in the State of Washington issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the City of Seattle in its lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s condition of grant funding on the city complying with the terms of the Administration’s Executive Orders on DEI (E.O. 14173) and gender identity (E.O. 14168). The Court concluded that the Administration’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act, holding, among other reasons, that by requiring grantees to comply with its own interpretation of “discrimination,” rather than what was required under the law, the Administration’s actions were arbitrary and capricious. The injunction is limited to the City of Seattle and does not extend nationwide.
   
• On October 30, Commerce Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Bureau of Industry and Security will suspend enforcement of its “50 Percent Rule” for one year. The rule would have extended export control restrictions to organizations at least 50 percent owned by parties on the Entity List, Military End User List, or Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List under the Export Administration Regulations. Higher education institutions had warned that the rule would create significant new compliance burdens and complicate international research collaborations involving foreign partners.
  
  The suspension, which was part of broader U.S.–China trade negotiations during President Trump’s trip to Asia, temporarily pauses enforcement but does not rescind the rule, meaning it could be reinstated at any time. The Association of American Universities, the Council on Governmental Relations, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities had urged BIS to revise and clarify the regulation to reduce its administrative and operational impact on universities and research institutions.

Resources and Reminders

About this Newsletter

GW publishes this weekly Federal Update to inform students, faculty and staff about how developments in the federal government affect higher education generally and the University. This newsletter includes timely information, answers to questions from GW community members, and resources for support.