Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education
February 16, 2015

​​The Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education has concluded its work and on Feb. 12, 2015, released a report examining how the federal oversight of higher education has evolved and expanded over the years.

The Task Force was formed in fall 2013​ by a bipartisan group of senators​, including Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Richard Burr (R-NC). 

The senators appointed 16 higher education leaders to be a part of the Task Force, and asked William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, and Nicholas Zeppos, chancellor of Vanderbilt University (TN), to serve as co-chairs. They were given the following three-part charge:

  1. Provide specific recommendations to consolidate, streamline and eliminate burdensome, costly and/or confusing regulations, legislation and reporting requirements;
  2. Review and quantify the extent of all federal reporting and regulatory requirements with which institutions must comply, including estimates of the time and costs associated with specific regulations and requirements; and
  3. Provide recommendations for reform to ensure future regulations are promulgated in a manner that appropriately considers existing law and accurately examines the costs and benefits to taxpayers, institutions and students.

Click here to download a copy of Recalibrating Regulation of Colleges and Universities: Report of the Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education.

For further information, see the following:

News Release: Senate Education Committee Members Announce Task Force to Review Higher Ed Regulations and Reporting Requirements​

Letter from Sens. Alexander and Mikulski inviting Chancellors Kirwan and Zeppos to co-chair the Task Force​

Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education​ scope of work​

Memo from Task Force co-chairs requesting feedback on burdensome federal regulations​

Task Force Members