CSWE Government Relations Presents at Annual Conference in Atlanta
October 26: Over the weekend, CSWE hosted its 72nd annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, with the conference theme: "Rooted in Resilience: Honoring the Past, Grounding the Present." As part of the conference, the CSWE Government Relations (GR) team presented at the Annual Membership Meeting on the 2026 policy priorities, ongoing advocacy activities and engagements with Congress and federal agencies, as well as an overview of the shifting federal landscape as it relates to social work education. The GR team updated membership on issues pertaining to The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), student loans, program accountability metrics, accreditation policy, grant terminations, appropriations, immigration, professional student definitions, and public health.
CSWE Signs Onto AAMC Letter Urging Congress to Finalize FY 2027 NIH Appropriations
October 22: CSWE has signed onto a letter led by the Association of American Medical Colleges urging congressional leaders to finalize to finalize fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations for the National Institutes of Health as quickly as possible. As a reminder, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution extending government funding through December 11. The Senate has not yet released any of its FY 2027 appropriations bills, and it is anticipated that the Senate will release funding allocations and resume negotiations after the mid-term elections.
CSWE urges Congress to finalize FY 2027 negotiations and to maintain blocking language that safeguards research infrastructure.
Senate Plans to Introduce Bill that would Categorize Social Work as a Professional Degree
Although the Senate is in recess until after the mid-term elections, Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) plans to introduce the Senate companion to the Professional Student Degree Act, introduced by Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) when the Senate returns. The bill would add both the MSW and DSW degree to the professional degree definition, which was left off by ED during the RISE rulemaking process. Programs classified as a professional degree are qualified to take out $50,000 of federal loans per year, and $200,000 total. CSWE will continue to monitor legislation that would enshrine the MSW/DSW degrees as professional programs and ensure social work students receive the aid and resources necessary to complete their education.
DHS Proposes Significant Fee Increase for Optional Practical Training Program
On October 8, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) posted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) that proposes to apply significant fees, incurred by higher education institutions, for nonimmigrant students to engage in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. OPT allows international students holding F-1 visas to work in the United States in positions directly related to their field of study, generally for up to 12 months before or after completing their degree. The NPRM proposes fees of $70,000 for an F-1 nonimmigrant student to engage in an initial OPT and $30,000 for any subsequent OPT. The fee would be paid by the educational institution that admitted the students and not the employer providing the work experience.
If finalized, the proposed rule could have significant financial and administrative implications for universities and programs that enroll international students. With the likelihood that most, if not all, institutions will choose not to participate in OPT under the proposed fee structure, resulting in a de facto shuttering of the program. The rule may also impact international student enrollment at U.S. universities as many students consider career prospects after graduation when selecting where to obtain an education.
CSWE will continue to monitor ongoing regulations that may impact international students seeking to obtain social work education in the United States.