The Washington Update: President Obama Signs AICA Into Law; Vice President Biden Urges Colleges to Continue to Combat Sexual Assault; White House Releases Cabinet Exit Memos

President Obama Signs AICA Into Law
President Obama signed the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA) into law last Friday. AICA will update some programs and activities last authorized in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, including at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Among other provisions, the bill includes measures to reduce research regulatory burdens and improve the commercialization of university discoveries. This bill does not include funding authorization levels.

Vice President Biden Urges College Presidents to Continue Fight Against Sexual Assault

Vice President Joe Biden sent a letter to college presidents last week strongly urging them to continue fighting against sexual assault on college campuses. The letter encourages presidents and college administrations to create a safe space and environment where “men and women feel empowered to step up and speak out against sexual violence and where survivors of sexual assault no longer feel ashamed to come forward and ask for the help they desperately want and deserve.” The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault also released a guide highlighting best practices for preventing, combatting, and addressing sexual misconduct on campus.

White House Releases Cabinet Exit Memos
Last week, the White House released a series of exit memos from each Cabinet member highlighting the administration’s accomplishments over the last eight years. Of particular interest to APLU institutions may be the exit memos from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Departments of Education, Energy, and Health and Human Services.

All Cabinet exit memos, including President Obama’s cover letter, can be found here.