Which government agencies and universities must update their policies because of the law, and what guidance have they issued?

1. What federal agencies must change policies because of recent laws, funding actions and executive directives

Federal funding and lawmaking in November 2025 reopened most agencies but left lingering compliance tasks: appropriations covered some departments for a full year and put the rest on a CR through Jan. 30, 2026, meaning agencies operating under the CR will follow stop‑gap rules while restoring operations ^{[2] [3]}. Separate statutory changes and reform bills (for example, reauthorizations such as the Economic Development Reauthorization Act in the Water Resources bill) have already required specific agencies — like the Economic Development Administration at Commerce — to publish final rules and update regulations (effective Nov. 19, 2025) ^[8]. Agencies with executive‑branch mandates tied to the administration’s Project 2025 agenda or associated executive orders have been directed to prepare reorganization and reduction‑in‑force plans and to change practices; the Office of Personnel Management circulated detailed guidance for agency RIF and reorganization submissions ^[5].

2. Higher education: which universities and federal programs are directly affected

Higher education institutions that take federal research funds, recruit international students, or participate in Title IV student aid programs face regulatory changes. The Department of Education conducted negotiated rulemaking in 2025 to amend Title IV regulations and published both proposed and final actions (including PSLF‑related rules) that require institutional compliance and updated financial aid processes ^[4]. Universities receiving federal research partnerships — for example in Diplomacy Lab — were subject to new suitability criteria tied to hiring/DEI policies, with reporting that the State Department was preparing to cut 38 universities from a program over DEI practices (reporting collated from a press aggregation) ^[9]. Many universities are revising campus policies and compliance programs in response to federal pressure on DEI, Title IX, accreditation, and other areas ^{[10] [6]}.

3. Guidance already issued by agencies and what it covers

OPM published guidance instructing agencies on RIF and reorganization plans tied to the President’s workforce optimization initiative, including timelines and steps for identifying competitive areas and expected deliverables ^[5]. The Department of Education’s negotiated‑rulemaking pages and notice history document the timing and content of Title IV regulatory actions and related notices, signaling forthcoming implementation guidance for institutions ^[4]. Universities such as the University of Washington and research offices reported internal federal‑policy updates and noted that guidance — for instance on H‑1B fee applicability and on federal award management during the shutdown — was being developed ^[11]. Agencies like the Economic Development Administration published final rules implementing statutory reauthorizations, which constitute formal guidance for grant applicants and recipients ^[8].

4. Who is imposing standards on universities, and what are the competing perspectives

The administration has combined executive action, agency guidance, and funding leverage to pressure universities on DEI, admissions, research partnerships and conduct; officials have tied federal grants and program participation to new “compact” demands ^{[12] [10]}. Supporters frame these moves as restoring merit‑based standards and curbing perceived politicization; critics — including advocacy groups and many university leaders — warn the measures threaten academic freedom, destabilize research funding, and create politicized accreditation or partnership regimes ^{[13] [7]}. Independent reporting shows some elite universities rejected voluntary funding compacts offered by the White House ^[12].

5. Implementation risks, timelines and what institutions should watch next

Agencies are publishing rules and notices in the Federal Register with effective dates in November 2025 (e.g., DHS rule date changes, EDA grant rule) and the Federal Register’s public‑inspection docket shows many documents across dozens of agencies queued for publication, so institutions must monitor FR notices closely ^{[14] [15] [8]}. Universities should prioritize compliance for Title IV, Title IX, immigration (H‑1B fee guidance), and federal award management, and track agency guidance that operationalizes executive directives — several agencies have signaled or issued guidance but fuller implementing materials remain forthcoming ^{[4] [11] [5]}. Available sources do not mention a single, exhaustive list of every agency or university required to change a specific policy.

6. Bottom line for readers and institutions

The policy environment in late 2025 is fluid: Congress reopened most of government but left many programmatic, regulatory and administrative changes underway; agencies have begun and in some cases finalized rulemaking and internal guidance, and universities are responding to both federal pressure and state actions ^{[2] [8] [10] [6]}. Institutions should track Federal Register notices, OPM and Education Department guidance, and specific agency rulemakings tied to statute or executive directives; recognize competing narratives — administration proponents tout reform and critics warn of politicization — and prepare for additional guidance as agencies move from policymaking to enforcement ^{[5] [4] [12]}.