This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning colleges, universities, campuses, international students, student housing, research initiatives, and federal research funding opportunities. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-02-15 to 2026-02-21

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Senate Business Meeting—Modernizing Mathematics in STEM Education and Other Bills: The Senate will meet on February 26, 2026, in Dirksen 430 to consider S.1602 and related education and health legislation, including STEM modernization and financial aid reforms.
• "Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Paid Leave"—House Education and Workforce Subcommittee Hearing: House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections will hold a hearing on February 24, 2026, Rayburn 2175, discussing paid leave approaches.
• House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee Markup—Education and Housing Bills: On February 24, 2026, Cannon 360, the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee will mark up bills including transcript accessibility and veteran housing reports.
• "Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age"—House Early Childhood and Secondary Education Hearing: House Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee will convene February 24, 2026, Rayburn 2175, focusing on AI integration in education.
• Career and Technical Education—House Small Business Committee Hearing: The House Small Business Committee will examine career and technical education's role on February 24, 2026.
• Advancing Health Care Workforce—House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing: Scheduled for February 24, 2026, Longworth 1100, the House Subcommittee on Health will discuss strategies for health care workforce development.
• Powering America's AI Future—House Science Subcommittee Hearing: On February 24, 2026, Rayburn 2318, House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee will assess policy options for expanding data center infrastructure.

Federal Government News

Clarification on Accreditation Terminology—Department of Education Proposed Rule

The Department of Education issued a proposed interpretive rule clarifying the use of 'national' and 'regional' by accrediting agencies recognized by the Department. The rule interprets Section 496 of the Higher Education Act, stating that higher education institutions and recognized accrediting agencies should refer to their accreditation status as 'nationally recognized,' eliminating the use of 'regional.' Transfer of credit policies relying on the regional distinction are discouraged, and institutions risk misrepresentation if outdated nomenclature is used. The Department seeks public comments by March 19, 2026, via Regulations.gov, and intends to reference this interpretation during program reviews and enforcement actions.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

OPM Final Rule—College Graduate Hiring Authority

The Office of Personnel Management issued a final rule implementing the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, establishing a hiring authority for college graduates for competitive service positions at GS-11 or below. College graduates can apply up to two years after degree completion or after four years of full-time uniformed service. The rule prescribes qualification standards, public notice requirements, a numerical cap (15% of prior fiscal year's competitive hires), and clarifies eligibility for veterans. The regulation is scheduled to take effect on March 23, 2026, and is expected to modify agency procedures for onboarding early career talent.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

OPM Final Rule—Post-Secondary Student Hiring Authority

OPM amended regulations to allow agencies to appoint eligible post-secondary students to competitive service positions at GS-11 or below, implementing Section 1108 of the McCain National Defense Authorization Act. Eligible students may be appointed for defined durations, and may convert to permanent positions upon degree completion. Veterans' preference provisions are not required, and hiring is capped at 15% of prior fiscal year's student hires. Agencies must provide public notification and may approve breaks in program participation for valid reasons. The rule aims to recruit early-career talent and address federal workforce gaps.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NSF Renews Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities Committee

The National Science Foundation has renewed the Proposal Review Panel for Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (committee #34558), effective February 27, 2026. The panel comprises approximately 270 members, selected based on scientific and technical expertise, who conduct reviews across multiple disciplines. The committee is budgeted at $117,500 and supports proposal evaluation for grants totaling $50 million. NSF's rationale for renewal cites the need for continued peer review in supporting interdisciplinary and priority research areas.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NIST Removes Regulations for Advanced Technology Program and Technology Innovation Program

NIST issued a final rule to eliminate 15 CFR parts 295 and 296, which outlined the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and Technology Innovation Program (TIP). Both programs are no longer authorized or operational, reflecting the repeal of the underlying statutory provision and the need for current regulatory clarity. The removal, effective February 19, 2026, aims to minimize public confusion regarding these programs.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NEH Announces Humanities Panel Meetings for March 2026

The National Endowment for the Humanities will hold five Humanities Panel meetings via video conference during March 2026, covering topics including Continuing State Partners, American and Local Government History, Early American History and Culture, and Military History. The panels will review applications for grant programs under the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act. Meetings will be closed to the public due to review of confidential application information.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NIH Center for Scientific Review—Upcoming Closed Grant Evaluation Meetings

The National Institutes of Health will conduct closed meetings of the Center for Scientific Review to evaluate grant applications in areas including cancer research, chemical synthesis, biochemistry fellowships, neuronal communications, and biomedical data repositories. Meetings are scheduled virtually for March 19–20, 2026, and will be closed to protect confidential information and applicant privacy, in compliance with federal law.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Paperwork Reduction Notices—Federal Perkins Loan Program Regulations

The Department of Education released a notice seeking comment on an extension of the Federal Perkins Loan Program and related provisions. Interested parties can submit comments by April 20, 2026, regarding reporting burden, necessity, and document access. No regulatory or statutory changes have been made; the collection affects over 11.6 million annual responses.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House: U.S. Promotes AI Leadership and Export Initiatives at India AI Impact Summit

At the India AI Impact Summit, the U.S. delegation, led by Michael Kratsios, detailed the American AI Exports Program, including the National Champions Initiative and NIST standards for agentic AI. The delegation advocated for sovereign AI adoption, rejecting global governance, and announced programs to support AI integration in partner nations' sectors such as healthcare and education. The U.S. Tech Corps will provide technical support for AI deployment internationally.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

White House: Remarks by Michael Kratsios at India AI Summit

Michael Kratsios, representing the Trump Administration, addressed the India AI Impact Summit, presenting the AI Action Plan focusing on innovation, infrastructure, and international partnership. Kratsios announced American-led initiatives for AI adoption and sovereign capabilities, including the Tech Corps, and urged partner nations to implement American AI solutions to advance global collaboration and economic growth.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

DOD Information Collection—Impact Aid for Military-Dependent Children with Severe Disabilities

The Department of Defense issued a 60-day notice seeking comments on the application process for DoD Impact Aid for Children with Severe Disabilities (SD Form 816). Eligible local education agencies must educate at least two military-dependent children with severe disabilities whose costs exceed the national or state average. The estimated annual reporting burden is 350 hours, with 50 agencies participating.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

DOD Information Collection—Military Experiences and Adolescent Health Survey

The Department of Defense announced a proposed information collection assessing military experiences, risk and protective factors, adolescent psychosocial and academic outcomes, and career aspirations. The survey targets military-connected adolescents, tracking data until age 25, and estimates an annual reporting burden of 2,330 hours across 4,660 respondents.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

SBA Proposed Information Collection—Regional Innovation Cluster Program

The Small Business Administration is seeking OMB approval for a new collection of information under its Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) Program. RIC administrators will report membership and outcomes via standardized Excel forms, supporting program monitoring and performance assessment. Public comments are due by March 20, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Opinion | A ‘revolution’ is coming for college accreditation: The Washington Post discusses anticipated regulatory changes affecting accreditation terminology.
• For College Applicants, Pressure to Make Summers Count Has Gotten Even Worse: WSJ reviews increasing competition among high school applicants for college admissions during summer breaks.
• Colleges quietly cut ties with organizations that help people of color: The Washington Post reports on recent decisions by colleges to distance themselves from groups supporting students of color.
• US law schools, students fear rising costs from new federal loan cap: Reuters covers law school and student reactions to new federal lending caps and potential increases in education costs.
• UPenn leads Philly schools in foreign funding: Axios analyzes foreign funding data at major Philadelphia academic institutions.
• Iran’s Students Hold Anti-Regime Protests as Universities Reopen: The New York Times tracks student protest activity at universities in Iran during reopening.

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