Law & Regulation

BlumHEA provides advice regarding the analysis and impact of the U.S. Higher Education Act (HEA) and its accompanying regulations from the U.S. Department of Education. Attention focuses on Title IV of the HEA, including those provisions impacting institutional and student eligibility to receive federal student aid. Ms. Blum’s guidance covers the regulatory “triad” of federal, state and accreditation regulation.

In addition to counseling clients on current law, BlumHEA provides clients with strategic advice regarding potential new laws and regulations. These services include understanding the impact of a pending piece of legislation or a rulemaking, as well as the development and implementation of a client strategy to address those legislative and regulatory initiatives.

As institutions, vendors, other service providers, non-institutions, and investors enter into more complex relationships to educate students and/or employees, both federal and state lawmakers are reviewing the applicability of laws and regulations to these new structures and innovations. Working with federal and state lobbying firms as needed, BlumHEA provides advice and counsel about the potential impact of existing and new state policies.

accreditation

Ms. Blum’s experience includes engaging with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and accrediting agencies regarding the provisions of the Higher Education Act that recognize accrediting agencies for the purposes of federal student aid compliance. BlumHEA is available to provide counsel to clients regarding any changes to federal or state laws impacting accreditation, as well as regarding accrediting agency standards.

Distance education & Innovation

Ms. Blum was integrally involved in the development of U.S. law and policy pertaining to distance education and federal financial aid. She has extensive experience regarding federal, accreditation and state policies in this area, as well as innovations such as competency-based education. BlumHEA is able to assist institutions and third-party service providers navigate the current complex regulatory framework within the “triad”, including, for example, state reciprocity, state authorization and Title IV disbursement rules. Ms. Blum is focused on the development of new policies to better meet the needs of existing institutions, students, and of the expanding higher education marketplace.

INstitutional accountability

Institutions, the “triad” regulators, consumer groups, and students each have an increasing interest in understanding the academic quality and financial viability of higher education providers. A myriad of outcome measures has been proposed or are under consideration for implementation by regulators, think tanks and the public. Ms. Blum is able to advise clients on how to fully understand the impact and appropriately analyze these measures and on how best to engage as thought-leaders in the policy discussion.

Communications & Crisis Management

In addition to providing advice on higher education policy and law, BlumHEA assists clients when communicating with elected officials, regulators, associations, faculty, students and other important constituents. Receiving communications advice on regulatory and policy matters is essential to a client’s effectiveness, whether related to thought-leadership or advocacy initiatives, or when addressing a potentially problematic oversight or compliance matter. Ms. Blum has more than three decades of experience providing these types of services.

Organizational structure & investments

Understanding the intersection of regulation and educational financing on organizational structure and investment in higher education is an essential element when providing educational services, whether as an institution, OPM, vendor, or as an employer. BlumHEA assists clients interested in changing their structures, seeking new forms of investment, or providing expanded forms of financial aid to their students.