Student Voting Is Getting Harder. Now What?

Aired April 7, 2026

Colleges have spent years building systems to help students vote. Now a mix of federal guidance, investigations, and state-level changes is putting new pressure on that work. ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins us to explain where the legal lines are and where uncertainty is creating risk. But first, the hosts discuss the recent higher education policy developments from the past few weeks, from the Trump administration's FY 2027 budget proposal to the Education Department's draft rule on accreditation.

Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show:

Trump Administration's FY 2027 Budget White House FY 2027 Budget Request

Trump Budget for FY 2027 Maintains Pell Grant but Slashes Other Student Aid, Research Funding 
ACE | April 6, 2026

Athletics Executive Order

Urgent National Action to Save College Sports
White House | April 3, 2026

Trump signs new executive order on college sports: Will it change anything, and how soon?
The New York Times (gift link) | April 3, 2026

Proposed Federal Contractor Certification Requirements

System for Award Management Registration Requirements for Financial Assistance Recipients - DRAFT
General Services Administration

Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors
White House | March 26, 2026

‘Potentially Existential’: Higher Ed Denounces Proposed Federal Funding Strings
Inside Higher Ed | April 1, 2026

Letter to the GSA on Proposed "Unlawful DEI" Certification Requirements
ACE | March 23, 2026

Accreditation Proposed Rule

Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Negotiated Rulemaking Summary and Discussion of Initial Draft Regulations
Department of Education

Trump Administration Plans Sweeping Changes to Accreditation
Inside Higher Ed | April 7, 2026

Student Voting

Trump’s voter crackdown reaches college campuses
Politico | March 22, 2026

Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections
White House | March 31, 2026

Updated Requirements for Distribution of Voter Registration Forms and Federal Work Study Allowable Uses of Funds
Department of Education | August 19, 2025

9 Things to Know About the Proposed SAVE America Act
National Conference of State Legislatures | March 23, 2026

The SAVE Act faces long odds in the Senate. GOP-led states are picking up the cause
NPR | April 1, 2026

Student Voting and College Political Campaign-Related Activities in 2024
ACE

Under Pressure, Clearinghouse Severs Relationship With Student Voting Study
Inside Higher Ed | March 3, 2026

Hosts and Guests
Peter McDonough
General Counsel
​​Peter McDonough joined ACE in January 2015. He focuses on a wide range of higher education legal issues, including student and faculty affairs, athletics, campus safety and security, intellectual property, compliance and institutional governance. McD...
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Peter McDonough - General Counsel - Guest
Guest
Peter McDonough
General Counsel
Mushtaq Gunja
Executive Director
Carnegie Classification Systems
Mushtaq Gunja serves as executive director of the Carnegie Classification systems and senior vice president at ACE, where he is in charge of running and reimagining the Carnegie framework. Prior to joining ACE, Gunja served as assistant dean in academi...
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Mushtaq Gunja - Executive Director - Co-host
Co-host
Mushtaq Gunja
Executive Director
Carnegie Classification Systems
Jon Fansmith
Senior Vice President
Government Relations and National Engagement
Jonathan Fansmith is the senior vice president for Government Relations and National Engagement at the American Council on Education (ACE), where he leads federal advocacy efforts on behalf of the nation's colleges and universities. He oversees ACE's e...
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Jon Fansmith - Senior Vice President - Co-host
Co-host
Jon Fansmith
Senior Vice President
Government Relations and National Engagement
Sarah Spreitzer
Vice President and Chief of Staff
Government Relations
​​​Sarah Spreitzer represents ACE and its members on matters related to research policy and funding, federal policy, international students, immigration, and legislative issues.  Before joining ACE, Spreitzer held senior positions in higher e...
Read More
Sarah Spreitzer - Vice President and Chief of Staff - Co-host
Co-host
Sarah Spreitzer
Vice President and Chief of Staff
Government Relations
Transcript
​Transcript to come
About the Podcast

​​Each episode of dotEDU presents a deep dive into a major public policy issue impacting college campuses and students across the country. Hosts from ACE are joined by guest experts to lead you through thought-provoking conversations on topics such as campus free speech, diversity in admissions, college costs and affordability, and more. Find all episodes of the podcast at the dotEDU page.

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