Contents Acknowledgments?xi Introduction?1 Federal Higher Education Policy Areas?3 Guiding Questions, Perspectives, and Methods?8 Preview of the Remainder of the Book?12 1.??The Federal Structure and Higher Education Policy?15 Federalism in the United States?15 Federal Powers and Politics?20 Constitutional Provisions and Policy Instruments?25 Summary and Conclusion?31 2.??The History of the Federal Government's Role in Higher Education?33 Higher Education's Early Expansion: 1780s-1920s?34 The Post-World War I Era, Great Depression, and New Deal: 1920s-1940s?38 Higher Education and the National Defense: 1940s-1950s?39 The Civil Rights Movement and Steps Toward Equity: 1930s-1970s?42 Consumerism and Accountability: 1970s-2020s?48 Summary and Conclusion?51 3.??Congress's Roles in Higher Education?53 Structure of Congress?54 Congress's Legislative Power?59 Congressional Oversight Powers?64 Senate Confirmation Power?66 The Congressional "Bully Pulpit"?67 Congressional Power Case Study: The CARES Act?69 Summary and Conclusion?69 4.??The President's Power and Influence Over Higher Education?71 Overview of the Presidency and Executive Branch?72 The President's Legislative Role in Higher Education Policymaking?73 Executive Action?75 Using the "Bully Pulpit" and Presidential Messaging?80 Policymaking in the White House?81 Presidential Power Case Study: International Students and Scholars?88 Summary and Conclusion?89 5.??Federal Administrative Agencies and Higher Education?91 Overview of Federal Administrative Agencies?92 Policy Powers of Federal Agencies?94 Federal Agencies Influencing Higher Education?101 Agency Power Case Study: Borrower Defense to Repayment?110 Summary and Conclusion?111 6.??Higher Education and the Federal Courts?113 Overview of the Federal Court System?114 Federal Courts' Jurisdiction and Powers?117 Key Higher Education Policy Areas Affected by the Federal Judiciary?119 Judicial Power Case Study: Bankruptcy Courts?125 Summary and Conclusion?126 7.??Nonfederal Actors' Influence on Federal Higher Education Policy?127 Interest Groups?128 State and Local Governments?134 Accreditors?138 News Media?140 Other Nonfederal Actors?141 Summary and Conclusion?144 8.??Reexamining the Federal Role in Higher Education?147 Returning to the Guiding Questions?148 Revisiting Perspectives on the Size of Government?159 Summary and Conclusion?161 Methodological Appendix?163 Interview Data?163 Documentary Data?165 Notes?167 References?171 Index?221 About the Author?245
2024 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award 2022 American Educational Studies Association Critics' Choice Book Award 2022 Royal Dragonfly Book Award for Politics and Education This book provides a comprehensive description of the federal government's relationship with higher education and how that relationship became so expansive and indispensable over time. Drawing from constitutional law, social science research, federal policy documents, and original interviews with key policy insiders, the author explores the U.S. government's role in regulating, financing, and otherwise influencing higher education. Natow analyzes how the government's role has evolved over time, the activities of specific governmental branches and agencies that affect higher education, the nature of the government's influence today, and prospects for the future of federal involvement in higher education. Chapters examine the politics and practices that shape policies affecting nondiscrimination and civil rights, student financial aid, educational quality and student success, campus crime, research and development, intellectual property, student privacy, and more. Book Features: Provides a contemporary and thorough understanding of how federal higher education policies are created, implemented, and influenced by federal and nonfederal policy actors. Situates higher education policy within the constitutional, political, and historical contexts of the federal government. Offers nuanced perspectives informed by insider information about what occurs behind the scenes in the federal higher education policy arena. Includes case studies illustrating the profound effects federal policy processes have on the everyday lives of college students, their families, institutions, and other higher education stakeholders.
Rebecca S. Natow is an assistant professor of educational leadership and policy in the Department of Specialized Programs in Education at Hofstra University.