When President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address from the House rostrum Tuesday, he is expected to discuss the economy, to talk about the war in Ukraine, and to make a case for his re-election. But the world of higher education will be listening carefully for what Biden may say about the many issues America’s colleges and universities are facing, several of which have assumed national prominence in recent months.
How much Biden discusses higher ed and what he chooses to mention will be an important clue to his administration’s priorities for the second half of his term.
“The State of the Union is the president’s chance to address the nation and say, ‘these are the things I care about,’” said Jonathan Fansmith, senior vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education. “Where the president chooses to spend valuable, limited time is a very good indicator of where the administration’s going to put the muscle.”
Jon Fansmith
Fansmith is hopeful that Biden will discuss federal financial aid, particularly the possibility of doubling the Pell Grant. He also says he believes Biden will bring up the student loan forgiveness program, now before the U.S. Supreme Court, to indicate that his administration will not give up on relief for student borrowers.
“It means that regardless of what the Supreme Court does, they’re going to try and push forward in different ways,” said Fansmith. “The court might limit the ways in which they do it, but it may not stop them from trying to go at it by other means.”
Other experts will be looking for Biden to address the battles over the higher ed culture wars that have raged for the past year, particularly in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis has cracked down on critical race theory, tenure practices, and DEI initiatives.
“My hope is that President Biden will focus on the urgent crisis in American higher education and democracy that’s a result of the unprecedented legislative overreach into what gets taught and who teaches it,” said Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. [The laws are] targeting the free exchange of ideas, which is fundamental to the strength of American higher education and America’s historic mission of educating for democracy.”
