Federal student loans and Title IX take hits this week

The U.S. Department of Education spent this past week defending a new rule that ties federal student loan eligibility to how much graduates earn after finishing their programs. Undersecretary Nicholas Kent called it a “hard reset button” on higher education, framing the policy as holding colleges accountable for leaving students worse off than if they’d never enrolled. While the department insists it isn’t banning any major, the practical effect is the same for students in the affected fields: no federal loan, no way to pay for school.  

Social work, music, art, teaching assistant programs, and vocational programs are among the degrees most likely to be affected. Even if social work and education are programs that are comparatively less lucrative than a program that leads to investment banking, these are the professions that keep our society running. There would be no investment bankers or presidents without public school teachers. There would be no counselors to support our students without social workers.  

While it takes an average of 11 years in the workforce to regain the investment for a bachelor’s degree, the average degree holder has a 681.95% lifetime return on investment with a median lifetime return up to 1,041.85%. Singling out certain programs ignores the data that proves earning any credential of higher education leads to an overall increase in lifetime earnings. By age 25, college-educated workers earn 27% more than their peers without a degree. That premium grows to 60% at age 55. In other words, the data doesn't exactly support limiting any programs of higher education. 

The federal government limiting students’ ability to qualify for loans based on a narrowly measured return-on-investment does nothing to fix the college affordability issue. Social workers, art teachers, and music educators are not the problem, the system that saddles working people with six figures of debt for basic economic survival is the problem; and this administration will do everything except make college more affordable. 

Title IX rollbacks 

The same week, the Education Department rolled back a Biden-era Title IX rule that extended sex-discrimination protections to LGBTQ+ students. The department formally reinstated the 2020 regulations from the first Trump administration, which notably lack explicit protections for students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, this rule change does not override the law itself. Title IX's core ban on sex discrimination still stands, and courts have held that discrimination against someone for being gay or transgender is still sex discrimination. Schools are not required to exclude LGBTQ+ students from anything outside the narrow context of sports. This rule change shouldn't be used as cover to make campuses less safe or less welcoming. Texas AFT continues to stand with LGBTQ+ students and educators. 

The changes come as conversations surrounding Title IX’s role in protecting survivors of sexual assault and harassment have taken center stage. The developing story at Cornell University is one of many - too many - heart-breaking examples of the urgent need to meaningfully bolster Title IX protections for survivors. Instead, the Education Department chooses not only to scapegoat LGBTQ+ students but also to enhance protections for students accused of sexual assault by raising the burden of proof; all while Title IX processes  allow further harm to victims who choose to speak out.  

Meanwhile, UT Austin moved to remove all Women’s and Gender Studies courses from the core curriculum. Women are quite literally half of the world’s population; the field of education is predominately led by women. Yet, Texas universities seek to  erase women’s history and contributions to society, while the federal government erodes protections for victims of sex discrimination and sexual assault.  

The Title IX rollbacks and Cornell’s egregious handling of sexual assault cases point to a problem in higher education Texas is all too familiar with: double standards. Faculty and students alike are removed from their universities for comments made in their personal capacities, but all it takes for someone accused of sexual violence to mitigate discipline is writing an apologetic essay. Higher education has a  historic problem in preventing and punishing instances of sexual harassment and assault, yet federal and state entities are more concerned with what courses students choose to take instead of their physical safety.  

Do not be mistaken. These changes to higher education made under the guise of “transparency” and “efficiency” are moves to chip away at what makes higher education so important: being challenged (and maybe even changed) by new ideas and learning how to interact with diverse groups of people. We'll keep watching, and we'll keep fighting for access and protections for every student and educator in Texas classrooms and colleges.