Hearings On The Reauthorization Of The Higher Education Act

This report presents testimony from the final 2 of a series of 44 hearings conducted in the District of Columbia and across the nation on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and contains the text of four bills proposed as amendments to the Higher Education Act. On the first day of testimony a panel of witnesses suggested reforms for the federal need analysis contained in the Higher Education Act. (These needs analyses are formulas used to determine student financial need for the purpose of distributing federal aid.) Among the witnesses were representatives from the administration, students, higher education institutions, teachers, aid administrators, the college Board and the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. The second day of testimony was concerned with reform of the need analysis system and with campus safety, especially for women. A member of the House of Representatives for New Jersey, Marge Roukema, discussed restoring access to working families and middle income families and submitted an amendment designed to enact her recommendations. Next, California member of the House of Representatives, Barbara Boxer, testified in favor of amendments to the Higher Education Act titled: "Safe Campuses for Women,""Equal Justice for Women in the Courts," and "Campus Sexual Assault Victims' Bill of Rights Act of 1991." A third panel of witnesses from institutions of higher education and higher education professional associations testified on student financial need analysis. The prepared statements of the witnesses as well as of others not present are included. (JB)

This hearing report, one of a series on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, contains testimony concerning Titles I, VI, and XI of that Act. Title I authorizes a series of programs designed to aid the nontraditional student. Title VI provides funds for fellowships, the establishment of national resource centers, language resource centers and business and international education programs. Title XI addresses partnerships for economic development and urban community service. This hearing consisted of two panels which included students and individuals from universities, national higher education associations, congressional representatives, and community colleges. The witnesses addressed the following issues: the needs of part-time and adult students, the internationalization of higher education, foreign language learning, study abroad, cooperative education programs, the needs of urban areas and the role that urban universities can play there, and educating the workforce. The prepared statements of the witnesses as well as supporting documents and supplemental materials are included. (JB)

The Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, met on two occasions, on the first to hear witnesses on how the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 can help low income students overcome challenges to obtain postsecondary education; and on the second to hear how student financial aid programs can be simplified to provide easier access. On the first hearing day the following witnesses appeared: Honorable E. Thomas Coleman; Arthur M. Hauptman; James Stedman, Congressional Research Service; Peter Smith, Responsibilities for Financing Postsecondary Education; Sister Mary Andrew Matesich, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; Dennis J. Martin, Washington University, Saint Louis; Reggie Wilson, American Council on Education; Cesar M. Trimble, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; Anne L. Bryant, American Association of University Women; Robert A. Corrigan, Coalition for Adult and Part Time Students. On the second day of testimony the following witnesses appeared: Joseph M Gaydos; Robert B. Knutson, Education Management Corporation; Selena Dong, United States Student Association; Annette Hines, Student, Morehead State University; Stephen Colbert, Educational Opportunity Center; Regina Manley, Citywide Guidance Programs; Stan Koplik, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance; Natala Hart, State Student Assistance Commission; Paul Phillips, California State University-San Marcos. The document contains the prepared statements of all the witnesses and other statements submitted by those who did not appear. (JB)

At this hearing, part of a series of hearings on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Secretary of the Department of Education, Lamar Alexander, gave testimony designed to present the Bush administration's recommendations on reauthorization of the Act to the Congress. Before the Secretary's testimony the following congressional Represntatives offered brief comments: E. Thomas Coleman of Missouri; Joseph M. Gaydos of Pennsylvania; William F. Goodling of Pennsylvania; William J. Jefferson of Louisiana; Marge Roukema of New Jersey; and Thomas C. Sawyer of Ohio. The Secretary then presented the administration's recommendations, a short verbal presentation followed by submission of a written report. The primary recommendations included targeting grants to lowest-income students, promoting greater accountability from individuals and institutions, improving the integrity of student loan services, establishing higher loan limits, improving outreach, expanding merit scholarships, and increasing teacher opportunities. There followed a lengthy discussion between the secretary and members of the committee. The prepared statement of Ron de Lugo, delegate to Congress from the Virgin Islands, is included. (JB)