NIRSA Policy Agenda announced for 2024-2025

The NIRSA Government Affairs Committee is excited about the work ahead of us this year. Our committee’s primary function is to actively research and monitor all policies that might impact collegiate recreation and higher education as a whole. To strategically focus on our efforts, NIRSA has set out a policy agenda for the year, which was approved by the NIRSA Board at their September meeting.

The topics of “Title IX” and “Transgender Athlete Participation” were carried over from last year. Two other topic areas – “Civic Responsibility and Civil Discourse” and “Social Justice, Anti-Racism, & Diversity Training” – were also present in previous years but under different titles (previously “Civic Responsibility and Political Impact” and “DEI in Higher Education”).

The shift in title from “Political Impact” to “Civil Discourse” highlights a wider emphasis on promoting constructive and respectful dialogue within civic engagement. This topic remains a priority because it addresses the need for informed and respectful participation in civic life, which is foundational for addressing political and societal challenges.

Updating the “DEI in Higher Education” topic area title to “Social Justice, Anti-Racism, & Diversity Training” broadens the scope to explicitly include Social Justice and Anti-Racism alongside Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). By highlighting Social Justice and Anti-Racism, the Committee underscores the importance of proactive measures to combat racism and advocate for meaningful social change. Additionally, Diversity Training remains a key component, especially in light of the rising tide of anti-DEI legislation across the country.

The evolution of these titles reflects the Committee’s responsiveness to current societal dynamics and the ongoing commitment to observing critical issues in a more comprehensive and impactful manner.

The Committee added the topic area of “FAFSA, FLSA, & Work Study” in response to the increasing amount of legislation proposed in the areas of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Work Study programs and its direct impact on the field.

The Committee convenes monthly to discuss ongoing legislative trends and strategize for a presentation at the 2025 Annual Conference. If you have any questions, comments, or legislative/policy items you would like us to explore, please reach out to any of us. Our mission is to keep you informed and share relevant information promptly.

2024-2025 Policy Agenda

The policy agenda, created in 2019 and approved by the NIRSA Board of Directors, is based on the principles that NIRSA supports pertaining to policies promoting and advancing success for both students and the higher education practitioners that support them, and the communities in which they live.  Structured to educate policymakers and others about the work and impact of NIRSA and our members, the agenda fits in four broad categories:

Higher Education Impacts

NIRSA is committed to placing importance on cultivating and fostering an environment of growth, safety, and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff in postsecondary education.  NIRSA supports policies that recognize the benefits of higher education and advance opportunities for all.  NIRSA will provide leadership on issues including affordability, access, recreational facilities and programs, student development, student leaders, the co-circular experience, and the advancement of the profession.

Wellbeing and Healthy Communities

NIRSA plays an integral role in the importance of promoting physical activity, active living, wellbeing, campus safety, mental health, access to health services, and sustainability strategies impacting students and campus recreation professionals. NIRSA supports policies and programs that recognize the benefits of Healthy Communities and that positively impact the physical, mental, and social emotional health of our students, members, and institutions.

Social Justice and Inclusiveness

NIRSA places importance on equity, diversity, inclusion, justice, and safety of college campuses and their students, faculty, and staff. NIRSA is committed to fostering increasingly more diverse, inclusive, and just campuses that actively support all students and help foster democratic campus environments. NIRSA will support policies and programs that help our students, members, and institutions bring together and provide voice to diverse people, thoughts, opinions, and views.

NIRSA Strategic Value Areas

NIRSA will take an active role to move forward policies and actions that maintain the values of our profession: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Global Perspectives; Health and Wellbeing; Leadership; Service; and Sustainable Communities. NIRSA will support and advocate policies to ensure our strategic values are elevated and moved forward.

Action strategies

NIRSA will direct efforts towards these key public policy issue areas. As part of this policy agenda, each of the broad categories will be shaped around three action strategies: advocate,  collaborate, and inform.

Advocate

NIRSA will advocate for students and employees whom represent diversity on a broad range of dimensions including gender, sex, sexual orientation, language, age, ability status, national origin, religion, socio-economic status, as well as race, ethnicity, and heritage. NIRSA endeavors to support individuals interested in becoming involved in advocacy work on their campuses and educating student, faculty, staff, and other leaders on how to engage in such actions. This includes allocation of resources by NIRSA Staff, NIRSA Board positional statements, activation of the Government Affairs Committee, and utilizing NIRSA and our members’ spheres of influences to do such work.

Collaborate

NIRSA is committed to collaborating with organizations and partners that support and align with our desire to cultivate learning and growth by fostering lifelong habits of wellbeing. NIRSA Staff will develop and nurture collaborations to include allocation of resources where appropriate.  The Government Affairs committee will be activated and tasked if needed to assist in any collaborative efforts.

Inform

NIRSA will observe and analyze the progress of government action and legislative policy that concern topics related to campus recreation and higher education. This includes aligning and positioning resources for later strategy and disseminating information to members in an effort to educate.  The importance is educating the NIRSA membership while continuing to monitor issue(s).  The Government Affairs Committee and NIRSA Staff will be tasked with managing this action strategy.  NIRSA Board position or action isn’t required at this stage.

The Government Affairs Committee has determined the upcoming year the following topics will be our area of focus: