On January 21, President Biden announced several agency programs at the Department of State (DOS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help international STEM students and researchers access certain non-immigrant visas to allow them to study and work in the United States. The programs aim to admit and retain more international scholars to help advance STEM competitiveness in the U.S.
Since 1976, U.S. presidents have officially designated February as Black History Month. This month-long celebration of the historic contributions of the Black community is the legacy of historian and scholar Carter G. Woodson, who worked tirelessly to reform the way Black history is taught in schools. Today, higher ed institutions recognize and honor Black History Month in myriad ways, but the work required to create and sustain equality, an inclusive workplace culture and a sense of belonging on our campuses is ongoing. The CUPA-HR resources listed here provide insights and tools to help individuals and institutions build on their understanding of the issues and take action to bring about change. 
In an article from the winter issue of Higher Ed HR Magazine, Britni Elder, associate vice president for human resources and risk management at the University of Central Arkansas, shared tips and resources higher ed HR practitioners can tap into to get ahead of the resignation curve and not only hold onto employees, but keep them engaged and moving up within the institution.
New research by CUPA-HR has found that U.S. colleges and universities with women presidents or provosts have higher representation of women in administrative, dean and faculty positions than institutions led by men. The study also found that colleges and universities with women presidents have higher pay for women in administrative positions than institutions led by men. These positions tend to be pipelines for the senior-most executive positions in higher ed, which underscores the significance of the findings.
On January 13, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that would mandate vaccines or testing requirements for employers with 100 or more employees, but reinstated enforcement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)’s mandate that would require COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers working at facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid.
CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard highlights a recent ruling around NCAA student-athletes’ minimum wage FLSA claims, details from the EEOC on whether COVID-19 is considered a disability under the ADA, a new law going into effect regulating New York City employers from using artificial intelligence and automated job applicant screening tools in screening job applicants, and more.
On December 10, the Biden administration issued the Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Regulatory Agenda), providing the public with insights on what the various federal agencies expect to work on in terms of regulatory activity in the near and long-term. In an effort to keep members apprised of upcoming noteworthy regulatory actions, CUPA-HR has read through the Regulatory Agenda and has flagged several proposed activities.
Throughout 2021, HR practitioners have proven their resilience time and again by positively impacting higher education not only in response to the ever-evolving pandemic, but also in building more flexible, diverse and inclusive workplaces. CUPA-HR captured many of these higher ed success stories, as well as leadership advice, helpful resources and workforce data trends in articles, podcasts and blog posts. As you read and listen to the inspiring work your HR colleagues are doing at colleges and universities around the country, we encourage you to jot down ideas to take into the year ahead.
On December 14, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released additional COVID-19 technical assistance to clarify certain circumstances under which employers and employees may consider COVID-19 a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The guidance, which is presented in a Q&A format, focuses broadly on the definition of disability under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act and provides examples detailing how an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 conditions could be considered to have a disability under these laws.
On December 17, the 6th U.S. Court of Appeals vacated the 5th Circuit Court’s emergency motion to stay the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), paving the way for OSHA to continue implementing and enforcing the vaccination and testing requirements for covered employers with 100 or more employees.