Since its founding in 1970, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) has engaged in advocacy on behalf of our students and institutions. At the heart of that work is a commitment to expanding accessibility and ensuring the affordability of a Jesuit higher education to those who seek it. As advocates, we encourage the federal government to invest in student financial aid programs that benefit students with economic need to ensure choice in post-secondary study.
We engage with Members of Congress who represent our institutions, as well as the 56 Members who are alumni of our colleges and universities. These 122 “connected offices” form the core of our outreach. We continually reinforce the value of a Jesuit education: the benefits of learning how to think and communicate, regardless of one’s major; the return on investment to students and the nation; and the mission to teach our students how to contribute to the common good.
Regardless of who controls Congress or the White House, we work hand in hand with leaders from each of our schools to educate and inform policymakers about the value and the benefit of a college education, and the role of the federal government in making the dream of a Jesuit higher education possible. We remind them that we are companions in efforts to improve affordability by contributing over $3 billion in institutional aid (funded and unfunded) each year. With an average net tuition rate that is substantially lower than our sticker prices, and through a combination of federal, institutional, state, and private support, we are key partners in supporting students’ access to and success in college. We also help colleges and universities understand and unpack complex federal regulations and legislative proposals. In addition to advocating for student aid and student supports, AJCU presidents have been leading voices in support of Dreamers: students who came to the United States as young people and who know no other home.
With the second Trump Administration and the start of the 119th U.S. Congress, there is less predictability and rhythm to our work. While we continue to do the foundational work of advancing policies that provide an opportunity for students to choose a Jesuit higher education, we are navigating unpredictable waters.
For the time being, our advocacy attention is focused on three areas: Trump Administration directives (Executive Orders, or EOs); the Budget Reconciliation process; and the FY’25 and FY’26 appropriations cycles. Each of these areas are high stakes for Jesuit higher education, as they pose threats to student opportunity and institutional viability.
The avalanche of EOs coming from the Administration is challenging to track. Those relating to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), immigration, and the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education have the potential to impair the functioning of our institutions and ultimately limit a student’s sense of community and the support available to them. The cancellation of federal grants and contracts and capping indirect costs by NIH have an immediate impact on the research work at our institutions and are certain to impact budgets. The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts are raising concerns about privacy and the use of student data. Some of these EOs are dependent on additional guidance (and lawsuits are blunting their effect), but until there is a final resolution, the chaos and uncertainty is challenging the regular order on campuses and our institutions’ ability to plan from day to day. AJCU is working with other national associations to navigate these EOs and understand the immediate and future impact on the work of all colleges and universities.
AJCU is also weighing in on budget reconciliation. A legislative process established in 1974, this allows for Congress to fast-track “high priority fiscal legislation.” It takes a simple majority in the U.S. Senate (no 60-vote filibuster threshold is needed) to advance legislative changes through reconciliation. To pay for President Trump’s priorities (including border security, energy independence, and extending expiring tax provisions), each authorizing Committee will be instructed to come up with savings within their topical areas or function. For education, that means the Senate HELP Committee and the House Education and Workforce Committee will have to make changes to mandatory spending programs within their jurisdictions (the House Budget resolution proposes $330 billion in cuts over ten years, for example). These key Committees will propose changes to student loan repayment, student loan programs, and risk-share models, as well as other policies that will create savings to support priorities outside of education. These changes will impact accessibility and affordability of a Jesuit education to students with economic need.
Finally, Congress continues to work on the annual funding bills. The 2025 fiscal year began on October 1st but Congress did not agree to funding levels, so the government is operating under a continuing resolution (CR) that is funding the government at last fiscal year’s levels. The CR expires on March 14th. In advance of that deadline, House and Senate leaders, in coordination with President Trump, will have to agree to specific funding levels for all twelve appropriations bills. Then, they will turn their attention to agreeing on levels for FY’26.
AJCU is concerned about the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies account. In recent years, House Republicans have proposed drastic cuts to higher education programs (e.g., eliminating SEOG and Federal Work Story). We will advocate for maintaining investments in these programs and others like the Pell Grant, student mental health support, and TRIO because they make a positive difference for students. These programs ensure access to and success in post-secondary study and are consequential for students at Jesuit colleges and universities.
Our advocacy work has never been more important, and our presidents recognize that. They will visit Washington, DC in March to engage more deeply with policymakers, building on their consistent and ongoing outreach. They are our best and strongest advocates for Jesuit higher education, and they seize every opportunity to make a case for the value of our mission and our outcomes. Our AJCU government relations and financial aid leaders will continue to collaborate, by reaching out to alumni and our delegations to explain the impact of these policy changes on our students, their constituents, and our institutions.
Collectively, we do this work because we know that Jesuit higher education changes lives for the better. It provides rich opportunities for learning, growth and formation for individuals, and creates a community of leaders who contribute to the greater good of the nation. Our nation and the world need them now more than ever.
By Jenny Smulson, Vice President of Government Relations, AJCU