MSCHE Supports Legislation for Broadband Access

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education was among 60 organizations to support legislation introduced on May 13, 2020, calling for funding to help provide broadband access to higher education students in need.

The Supporting Connectivity for Higher Education Students in Need Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-6), G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), Joaquin Castro (TX-20),  Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-At-Large), and Alma S. Adams (NC-12), with a companion measure in the Senate by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

The legislation requests $1 billion for colleges and universities to pay for at-home internet connections for students in need and would create an Emergency Higher Education Connectivity Fund. Funding would be prioritized for historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions, as well as rural-serving institutions.

The support also included a majority of the Commissions represented by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC).