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Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Office of the Secretary of Higher Education

Federal Actions Impacting Higher Education

New Jersey remains committed to ensuring equity, access, and affordability of higher education to create opportunity for residents and help meet the state's workforce objectives.

Recent and emerging federal policy changes have implications for the higher education community in New Jersey. The information compiled on this webpage is intended as a resource for institutions and stakeholders as they navigate the evolving federal landscape.

A note to users: This webpage is not comprehensive. We advise institutions of higher education review federal requirements with their legal counsel to determine compliance and evaluate necessary actions. Equally, institutions should continue to monitor the situation for new developments.

OSHE Resources

Resources for New Jersey Institutions of Higher Education Regarding Recent Federal Actions (February 12)

Guidance and Resources on State and Federal Immigration Requirements for New Jersey Institutions of Higher Education (February 12)

Statement from New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Bridges on President Trump's Executive Order to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (March 24)

White House Presidential Actions

U.S. Department of Education

New Jersey Office of the Attorney General

  • Health services and wellness centers should be made aware of increased stress to the campus community at this time. Consider supplementing communications to both students and staff of resources and programs available to help address this time of uncertainty.
  • Develop a cross-division institutional team to discuss and monitor federal updates and impact on campus. The Executive Orders and other federal actions will likely have multiple disparate impacts across campus and such a team can inform an institution's approach.
  • Develop a list of potentially impacted federal programs and funding on campus to be aware of for future updates.
  • Consider reaching out to the elected federal representatives for your institution's district (senators and congresspeople) as needed.
  • Develop a website and/or regular communication plan to provide real-time updates and clarifications to the campus community regarding federal activities.
  • Reflect on your institution's mission, core goals, and strategic plan to reaffirm values and decision-making on campus.
  • Create space for students to facilitate productive dialogue across the campus community.
  • Institutions should also review their data collection policies and practices to ensure that they comply with FERPA, HIPAA, and other federal and state privacy laws.

Last Updated: Wednesday, 05/14/25