House Education Committee Chairman Tim Walberg Will Share His Views on Higher Education Policy at CSPEN’s Higher Education Policy Meeting for the Third Year in a Row

CSPEN is thrilled to announce that Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) will for the third straight year present at CSPEN’s 8^th Annual Higher Education Policy meeting February 10-12, 2026.

As Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, Chairman Walberg is focused on improving our workforce development and education systems, so they deliver tangible positive results to all Americans. Meeting that goal means greater accountability, more flexibility, data-informed decision-making, and teaching skills that match the needs of students with the needs of employers.

Right now, too many Americans are being left behind. For many, pursuing a traditional bachelor’s degree is not an option. At the same time, job creators struggle to find individuals with the necessary skills, leaving jobs unfilled. To meet the needs of the modern workforce, the Chairman is committed to reaffirming that education comes in all forms, be it a certificate, apprenticeship, a four-year degree, stackable credential, or anything in between.

This Congress, the Committee passed the Working Families Tax Cuts through reconciliation to expand access to skills training. A key provision allows Pell Grants to fund short-term programs for in-demand jobs, helping low-income students achieve economic mobility and lifelong learning.

As the Committee’s work continues, the Chairman is committed to eliminating the stifling bureaucracy that keeps potential participants and crucial innovations at bay. The committee is also focused on the rapid scaling of artificial intelligence and its growing role in education, workforce development, and the future of work. To this end, the committee is committed to ensuring schools, employers, and training providers can keep pace with innovation while maintaining trust and prioritizing safety and privacy.

About Chairman Walberg
Tim Walberg is currently serving his tenth term in Congress as the representative of southern Michigan, making him Dean of the Michigan congressional delegation. The diverse constituency of Michigan’s 5th District encompasses Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, and St. Joseph Counties, along with portions of Berrien, Calhoun, and Kalamazoo Counties. Since first taking office, Tim has hosted hundreds of coffees and town hall meetings to better understand the thoughts and concerns of the district.

Prior to his time in public office, Tim served as a pastor in Michigan and Indiana, as president of the Warren Reuther Center for Education and Community Impact, and as a division manager for Moody Bible Institute. He also served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1999 and is proud to bring his reputation as a principled legislator, fiscal reformer, and defender of traditional values to Washington.

Based on his record of legislative accomplishment, Tim holds the designation as Michigan’s most conservative Member of Congress, based on the American Conservative Union’s lifetime score. Tim was also ranked by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a non-partisan collaboration between Vanderbilt University and University of Virginia, as the most effective member of Michigan’s congressional delegation in the 115th Congress. In the following session of Congress, the Center for Effective Lawmaking once again recognized Tim for his policymaking success, naming him the top Republican legislator on technology issues.
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AGENDA

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

9:00 am – noon SIS Workshop – SIS SOS: Finding Our Way Out of the Tangle
We’ve heard from institutions across the country institutions, voicing concerns about reliability, functionality and the growing uncertainty caused by recent announcements of acquisitions and financial instability within the SIS industry.

This workshop will bring together experts from multiple SIS platforms to address the most pressing questions and challenges schools are facing. Participants can expect a lively, candid and solution-focused discussion aimed at helping school leaders navigate the complexities of SIS management, compliance and data integrity.

Moderated by David Mohr, CEO, Salud Education
Panelists
Mike O’Brien, CEO and Head of Development, Conext
Rich Krygiel, Vice President of Corporate Development, Ellucian
Ricky Alfaro, CEO, FAME
Alex Arthur, Chief Revenue Officer, Orbund, LLC
Joe Fisher, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, Student First

1:00 — 1:30 am Welcome and CSPEN Update

1:30 – 2:00 Department of Education Oversight Update

Mark Priebe, Acting Inspector General Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education

2:00 – 2:45 pm Federal Negotiated Rulemaking Update
Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee

Panel Discussion
Andy Vaughn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alliant International University
Alexander Ricci, President, National Council of Higher Education Resources

2:45 – 3:00 pm Break

3:00 – 4:00 pm Federal Negotiated Rulemaking Update
Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand – driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee

Panel Discussion
Dennis M. Cariello, Shareholder, Hogan, Marren, Babbo & Rose, LTD
Ryan Claybaugh, Vice President of Operations, Paul Mitchell Advanced Education
David Kafafian, Chief Operating Officer, CLASP
Aaron D. Lacey, Partner and Co-Chair – Higher Education Practice, Thompson Coburn LLP
Michale S. McComis, Ed.D., Executive Director, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

4:00 – 4:30 pm Auditing Requirements for Title IV Programs Update

Amy Bales, Assistant Director – Non-Federal Audit Team, Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education

4:30 – 5:30 pm Department of Education Cybersecurity Compliance Update

Panel Discussion
Davon Tyler, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education
Robert Anderson, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education

5:30 – 6:30 pm Reception

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

8:00 – 8:30 am Light Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 am Opening Session

9:00 – 10:00 am Keynote Address – Federal Regulatory Update

Nicholas Kent,
Under Secretary of Education

10:00 – 10:15 am Sharing with Chairman Tim Walberg

10:15 – 11:15 am Department of Education and Department of Labor Workforce Integration – Update on Transition of Higher Education Programs and Responsibilities

Marek Laco, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training
Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor

11:15 -12:15 pm Legislative Higher Education Policy Update Reconciliation 2.0 HEA & WIOA Reauthorization, Shuttering the Department of Education and More

Amy Jones, Director of Education and Human Services Policy, House Committee on Education & Workforce

12:15 – 1:30 pm Lunch

1:30 – 2:30 pm Higher Education Media Update
What’s Timely and Topical Today & What’s Ahead

Panel Discussion
Rebecca Carballo, Higher Education Reporter, Politico
Katherine Knott, Federal Reporter, Inside Higher Ed
Eric Kelderman, Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Rick Hess, Opinion Contributor, Education Week, Senior Fellow and Director of Education Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
Bianca Quilantan, Education Reporter, Politico

2:30 – 3:30 pm Higher Education Community Advocacy Update

Panel Discussion
Mark Brenner, Vice President, Government Relations, Universal Technical Institute
Conwey Casillas, Vice President, Federal & Public Affairs, Apollo Group
Kristina Gill, Partner, Duane Morris LLP
Jillian Klein, Senior Vice President, Government And External Affairs, Strategies Education Inc.

3:30 – 4:30 pm Earnings Data Research Update

Panel Discussion
Bryan Cook, Director of Higher Education Policy Work, Education, and Labor Division, Urban Institute
Jason Cohn, Research Associate, Work, Education, and Labor Division, Urban Institute

4:00 – 5:00 pm Reception

Thursday, February 12, 2026

8 – 8:30 am Light Breakfast

8:30 – 9:30 am Opening Session
Bipartisan Discussion

9:30 – 10:30 am Higher Education Community Sectors Update
What Are Our Colleagues’ Perspectives and Focus

Panel Discussion
Emmanual Guillory, Senior Director of Government Relations, American Council on Education
Kathryn Gimborys, Government Relations Manager, American Association of Community Colleges

10:45-11:30 am Higher Education Community Advocacy Update

Panel Discussion
TC Wolfe, Principal, New Century Government Affairs
Jacob Bonifield, Vice President, Government Relations/Special Counsel, DeVry University
Jonathan Helwink, Principal, Helwink Legal Group, PLLC

11:30 – noon Closing Session
Register Today – Seating Limited (cspen.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9fa45d85dc7e4647608069698&id=58092b42d5&e=3aeadd9061)
Intercontinental Washington, The Wharf Hotel Reservations (cspen.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9fa45d85dc7e4647608069698&id=930adb9d15&e=3aeadd9061)
Sponsorships are available – Contact Jeri Prochaska (mailto:jeri@centralstatesedu.com?subject=Policy%20Meeting%20Sponsorships&;body=Hi%2C%20Jeri.%20Let’s%20talk%20sponsorships)
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