New OPM Regulations Aren’t Coming Until 2025, if They Happen at All
Lauren Coffey
July 22, 2024
The Biden administration has pushed off new regs that have loomed over colleges and outside contractors for months. But the threat of them has already created waves across higher education.
After months of promising regulations that could flip the world of online program management on its head, the Education Department is largely leaving OPMs untouched for the remainder of the year.
The department announced Wednesday it will delay a slew of regulations that were expected to be finalized this fall, including those putting new restrictions on third-party servicers, the companies many colleges hire to administer online courses, financial aid programs and more.
In February, the department issued guidance expanding the definition of third-party servicers to include any entity that provides recruitment services for colleges and universities. The department originally said any institution that contracts with third-party servicers, under that broad definition, should submit details about their contracts by May. But it was swiftly hit with widespread outcry for what many called an overly broad definition of an OPM that could bring down unintended consequences, including jeopardizing international student enrollment. In April, the department delayed the guidance yet again.
