H.R. 6857: Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025

The Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025 aims to enhance awareness and reporting of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill proposes:

Title VI Awareness Campaign

The bill directs the Secretary of Education, through the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, to implement a public awareness campaign centered around the rights granted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This campaign will:

• Include visually and audibly appealing materials.
• Be updated annually and offered for display in high-traffic areas of campuses and on relevant web pages.
• Maximize accessibility for students.

Higher Education Act Amendments

Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 will require that:

• Institutions prominently display a link to the Office for Civil Rights’ webpage on their home pages. This page is where individuals can submit complaints regarding discrimination.
• Institutions will also be required to post campaign materials from the awareness campaign annually in visible areas around campus and on their websites.

Congressional Briefings

The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights must provide monthly briefings to Congress for one year, detailing:

• The number of discrimination complaints received by the Office for Civil Rights, categorized by type of discrimination.
• Plans for addressing these complaints and openings of investigations.
• Data on how long these complaints remain unresolved.

Ahead of each briefing, the Assistant Secretary must submit a report to Congress containing relevant data while conforming to privacy regulations.

Audit and Study Requirements

Each higher education institution receiving federal aid will need to submit an annual report to the Department of Education's Inspector General. This report must include:

• The number of discrimination complaints filed with the institution over the past year.
• An analysis of those complaints and their context.
• A summary of actions taken by the institution in response to these complaints.

The Inspector General will conduct annual audits of schools with the highest number of complaints to assess how these are handled and determine if referrals to the Office for Civil Rights are necessary. Additionally, a study will be undertaken to understand any discrepancies between complaints made to institutions and those directed to the federal office.

Implications of the Bill

The bill emphasizes increasing awareness of civil rights under Title VI, improving the process of reporting and addressing discrimination complaints in higher education institutions, and ensuring that these institutions are held accountable through reports and audits.

Relevant Companies

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