The Department of Labor recently issued a new rule affecting exempt and non-exempt employee status, which classifies employees based on job characteristics and determines if employees are eligible for overtime pay. The new rule could change who falls into those classifications, including staff and faculty on campuses around the country.

AGB’s Morgan Alexander speaks with Alex Nock of Penn Hill Group about the implications of the new rule for colleges and universities, and what questions boards should be asking senior administrators. For more information, see AGB's Policy Alert.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the crucial link for students pursuing higher education by determining their financial support needs. However, this year's revised FAFSA rollout has encountered significant challenges—including false starts, communication issues, and inaccurate data—garnering attention both within and outside academia. These delays are causing widespread disruptions for students, families, and educational institutions, with particularly severe implications for colleges that serve economically disadvantaged students.

In this podcast, AGB’s Morgan Alexander speaks with Alex Nock of Penn Hill Group about the implications of the FAFSA delay for higher education, as well as the pertinent questions boards should be asking.

Boards play a critical role in protecting the autonomy of higher education institutions and must lead proactively to navigate challenges to independence. In part two of this podcast, Board Independence Under Fire, AGB Interim President and CEO Ellen Chaffee and AGB Senior Fellows and Senior Consultants Jill Derby and David Maxwell discuss the importance of education and dialogue within boards to understand their responsibilities, including safeguarding institutional integrity and academic freedom.