This article includes information about a proposal for national investment in research and education network infrastructure, continuing problems with the accessibility of federal agency websites, current trends in the access and affordability of consumer broadband and mobile technologies, and key post-pandemic considerations for higher education cybersecurity.
With our "Interesting Policy Reads" articles, the EDUCAUSE Policy Office highlights resources and recent coverage of federal policy issues and developments that are directly relevant to members or provide insights on higher education policy in general.
- The Minds We Need, (This web page provides an overview of a proposal for federal investment in research and education network [REN] infrastructure spearheaded by Internet2 and state and regional RENs with the participation of EDUCAUSE and other leading higher education organizations and representatives.)
- ED COVID-19 Handbook Volume 3: Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff, June 4, 2021. (This US Department of Education guide provides resources and strategies to help colleges and universities safely resume on-campus operations.)
- What Facebook’s Two-Year Trump Ban Does and Doesn't Do, Vox/Recode, June 4, 2021. (This article reviews the implications of the two-year ban that Facebook has imposed on former President Donald Trump. The two-year sanction replaces the indefinite ban the platform had previously imposed.)
- Improving Accessibility of Federal Government Websites, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, June 3, 2021. (This analysis of federal agency website accessibility shows that a significant percentage of agency websites do not meet the legally mandated standards.)
- Top Manufacturing Group Presses Congress to Protect 'Dreamers,' The Hill, June 3, 2021. (This article covers the arguments made by the National Association of Manufacturers for federal legislation to permanently resolve the status of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.)
- Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021, Pew Research Center, June 3, 2021. (This report reviews the state of mobile technology and home broadband access in the United States, noting the significant percentage of people who still have difficulty getting and maintaining reliable home broadband.)
- If Not Overturned, a Bad Copyright Decision Will Lead Many Americans to Lose Internet Access, Electronic Freedom Foundation, June 3, 2021. (This post provides an overview of the arguments for overturning on appeal a court ruling that held an ISP fully liable for illegal file sharing by users on its network.)
- Education Dept. Drops Embattled For-Profit College Accreditor, The Washington Post, June 2, 2021. (This article explains the reversal of a Trump-era decision that allowed the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to continue accrediting institutions for federal student aid purposes.)
- White House Releases Budget with Increased Funding for NIH, NSF, American Council on Education, June 1, 2021. (This article highlights key proposals for higher education in the Biden administration's FY22 budget proposal that was recently sent to Congress.)
- Cybersecurity in Higher Education: Going from 'No' to 'Know,' EdScoop, May 26, 2021. (The director of the EDUCAUSE cybersecurity program discusses major cybersecurity challenges in higher education and strategies for overcoming them.)
For more information about policy issues impacting higher education IT, please visit the EDUCAUSE Policy web page.
Jarret Cummings is Senior Advisor for Policy and Government Relations at EDUCAUSE.
© 2021 Jarret Cummings. The text of this work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.