This is the 13th paper in the Association of Governing Boards (AGB's) series summarizing federal and state public policy issues affecting higher education. Governing boards, institutional and university-system leaders, and senior staffs will find it useful for board discussions and retreats and in formulating institutional responses to these issues. The 2015-2016 edition reflects what we believe is a new relationship between institutions of higher learning and the public. There have been calls for enhanced accountability, accessibility, and transparency, and a growing propensity among policymakers to engage more actively in more dimensions of higher education. Given these trends, it has never been more imperative for board members to understand some of the key specifics of the policy landscape and their potential impact on the institutions they serve. The top issues identified for the 2015-2016 biennium are: (1) Financial Challenges and Constraints; (2) College Access and Affordability; (3) College Completion; (4) Institutional Performance Metrics; (5) Sexual Assault; (6) Increased Scrutiny of Collegiate Athletics; (7) Affirmative Action; (8) Data Privacy; and (9) Change in the Regulatory Landscape.