Student Protection and University Accountability Act
Sponsored By: Representative Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
In Committee
Summary
The Student Protection and University Accountability Act would strengthen Title VI compliance at colleges and universities. It would require clear, published complaint processes, timely notifications to complainants, centralized recordkeeping, public display of Office for Civil Rights materials, and increased OCR reporting to Congress.
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- Students and families would get clearer reporting paths and faster answers. Complainants must receive an initial notice and be told whether an investigation opens within 30 days.
- Colleges and universities would have to publish investigative rules, name at least one Title VI coordinator, keep records of complaints and outcomes, and display OCR materials in high-traffic areas and online. Missing these requirements for two consecutive award years can make an institution ineligible for federal higher education programs.
- The Office for Civil Rights would give bimonthly briefings to the authorizing committees and submit written reports 48 hours before each briefing. OCR may not dismiss or delay investigations just because the same complaint was filed with another agency or a court.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Stronger civil rights complaint rules
If enacted, the Department of Education's civil-rights office would have to give bimonthly briefings to authorizing congressional committees for two years, with a written report 48 hours before each briefing. Reports would show complaint counts, the alleged bases (including shared ancestry), how OCR handled complaints, and investigation lengths while protecting private data. OCR would also be barred from closing or delaying a Title VI complaint just because the same issue was filed with another agency, court, or the school, with a narrow class-action exception. The bill would also define which colleges count as covered "recipients" for these rules.
Loss of federal student aid for noncompliance
If enacted, a college that fails to submit the required annual Title VI attestation for two award years in a row would become ineligible to participate in federal student aid and other Title IV programs for at least the next two award years. The college could only regain eligibility by showing it meets the required Title VI processes before the ineligibility period ends. The timing rule would follow the first day of the first award year after enactment.
Colleges must publish Title VI rules
If enacted, colleges that get federal student aid would have to set up and widely publish their rules for handling Title VI complaints. They would need to name at least one staff member to coordinate complaints, tell complainants within 30 days whether an investigation was opened, and tell complainants the outcome and any fixes within 30 days after the outcome. Colleges would have to keep detailed complaint records and post OCR public-awareness materials online and in high-traffic places within 30 days and keep them for at least one year. These rules would start on the first day of the first award year after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
NY • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/8/2026
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov