Interesting Policy Reads: Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules, a National Privacy Law, and a White House Proposal to Merge the Departments of Education and Labor

Authors:: Katie Branson
Published:: Friday, June 22, 2018
Columns:: Policy

min read

This post includes articles on the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education, the effective date for the repeal of net neutrality rules, the possibility of a national privacy law, research around online education, and developments in California’s efforts to enact its own net neutrality policy.

With our "Interesting Policy Reads" blog posts, the EDUCAUSE Policy Office highlights recent articles on federal policy issues and developments that are directly relevant to members or provide insights on higher education policy in general.

'The World Had Moved On', Inside Higher Ed, June 11, 2018. (After experiencing increased competition from other groups such as EDUCAUSE that offer support to faculty around digital innovation, the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education has decided to close.)
The end of net neutrality is here, CNN, June 10, 2018. (The Federal Communications Commission's repeal of net neutrality rules went into effect on June 11.)
Free MOOCs Face the Music, Inside Higher Ed, June 14, 2018. (MOOC provider edX recently announced the introduction of support fees for some of its courses, a move the nonprofit says is necessary to ensure the longevity of the platform.)
Time for Silicon Valley To Get Behind a National Privacy Law, Politico, June 19, 2018. (Salesforce CEO, Marc Benioff, argues that society — and the tech industry — would be better off with a national privacy law.)
Online Options Give Adults Access, but Outcomes Lag, Inside Higher Ed, June 20, 2018. (A researcher concludes that while online education helps lower tuition costs for adult students, graduation rates for online students are significantly lower.)
California's net neutrality legislation just got watered down in a big way, Washington Post, June 20, 2018. (The California State Assembly voted to strip a Senate-passed net neutrality bill of some of its provisions, including a ban prohibiting ISPs from charging websites new fees to access customers.)
An 'Education and the Workforce' Agency? Inside Higher Ed, June 22, 2018. (Included in the White House's larger plan to reorganize the federal government is a proposal to merge the Departments of Labor and Education.)

Kathryn Branson is an associate with Ulman Public Policy.