Topics
When it Comes to Doing Our Homework, You Can Count on GW
As one of the nation’s preeminent research institutions and one of the largest private employers in the Washington, D.C. area, GW is concerned with numerous policy and legislative issues at the federal level. The Office of Government Relations concentrates its policy focus on issues like student financial aid, federal research funding, immigration, and higher education reauthorization.
In addition, the Office participates in a variety of national forums and works with various higher education associations like the American Council on Education (ACE), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to advocate for GW’s interests.
Here are the primary areas of concern for the Office of Government Relations:
- Student Financial Assistance
Containing the costs of a college education has, for good reason, become an issue of national concern. OGCR, on behalf of the university, advocates for increasing financial aid for students. Thousands of GW students benefit from a variety of federal need-based loans, including Pell Grants. The university continues to work with the federal government to help ensure that qualified students, regardless of financial resources, can take full advantage of a GW education.
- Federal Research Funding
A strong research enterprise is central to the university's mission. More than 35 cross-disciplinary institutes and dozens of school-based centers foster cutting-edge research projects in science and technology, engineering, public health, medicine, policy, and the arts and humanities. GW is a proud member of the Association of American Universities, a membership organization representing America’s leading research universities.
As the primary office for advocating for federal funding for research and education, OGCR continues to ensure that this crucial source of financial support will continue to help GW fulfill its mission of advancing new knowledge and educating future generations of citizen leaders. Learn more about GW research from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.
- Immigration
Rooted in the belief that GW is a better institution because of its ability to admit talented, gifted and passionate students without regard to national origin or ethnicity, the university takes an active role in immigration policy, with a particular emphasis on policies that impact the undocumented and DACA communities. GW has a long history of supporting DACA recipients and undocumented students in the United States. The university has called on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
In addition to protecting Dreamers, GW believes a robust international exchange of scholars is critically important. The university supports policies that allow US and international students to pursue studies abroad.
- Higher Education Policy
GW engages on issues impacting the higher education community generally, including
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). The HEA is the landmark piece of federal legislation that governs higher education in the United States. Congress has periodically reauthorized the HEA since its creation in 1965 to reflect changes it feels are necessary for the higher education sector.
While a full-scale effort to reauthorize the HEA is possible, Congress may choose instead to address issues within HEA on a piecemeal basis. This could include the reexamination of the federal financial aid system, including Pell Grants and all Federal Loan Programs, consolidating all federal loans and grants, increasing the amount of consumer information colleges provide to potential applicants, and devising new regulations on colleges and universities.
OGCR will continue to monitor the progress of all higher education legislation and help provide any necessary insight and expertise to ensure that its policies benefit both higher education in general and the entire GW community in particular.