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NAICU Washington Update July 13, 2011
Formerly Week in Review | Full stories available in a composite PDF file on theNAICU Web site
This is a town that abhors a vacuum, and tends to fill one with news conferences and media interviews. But as the federal budget and debt ceiling debate plays out through dueling sound bites, the fact is there is little substance to be had. No details are being released on specific program changes across the government. We do know this, though: The student aid programs are still in jeopardy.
On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court vacated a Department of Education regulation, effective July 1, requiring any institution of higher education offering distance education to students outside its home state to obtain authorization from any state regulating distance education offered to its residents. Many news reports are viewing the decision as a for-profit victory, but other key elements of the regulation were not affected. And even if it stands on appeal, it won't negate existing state laws and regulations on distance education.
Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., president of Saint Leo University, testified on behalf of NAICU at the recent hearing of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. The hearing was to consider a proposal to delay payment of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits until after the student completed a term. Nearly 2,800 students at Saint Leo are Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients. Kirk's testimony described the variety of administrative difficulties this change would pose for both institutions and veteran students. The subcommittee also heard from witnesses representing public colleges, veterans, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Sen. Michael Bennett (D-Colo.) has introduced the Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act (GREAT), which would reform teacher preparation programs by allowing states to apply for grants to set up "Teacher and Principal Preparation Academies" - essentially, charter colleges of education. The higher education community has a number of concerns - with the most basic one being that, in essence, the bill gives states the authority to create an academic credential.
Yet another "clarification" from the Department of Education on July 8, has caused new head-scratching about the already complex and confusing gainful employment regulations. The final regulations themselves were issued in three parts, with the most recent being the metrics or "penalty" rules, coming months after the earlier parts. But wait . . . there's still more "clarification" on the way.
Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) have introduced legislation to repeal the state authorization and credit hour definition provisions - part of the program integrity regulations that went into effect July 1. To date, 11 members of the Senate have signed on to the bill. NAICU strongly supports this legislation, and has asked member presidents to encourage their senators and representatives to cosponsor it.
Members of two House subcommittees joined forces in the most recent debate over the merits of the Department of Education's recent gainful employment regulations on July 8. These regulations have gained the most attention of the 14 regulations being implemented by the Department of Education to gain greater control of for-profit colleges. The "spirited debate" brought into sharp focus the poles-apart positions of the various committee members, with their views largely splitting along party lines.
In connection with a late June Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the DREAM Act, NAICU submitted a statement for the record in support of this important legislation. NAICU has long supported passage of the DREAM Act. Providing citizenship to the undocumented youth in our country who have served in the armed forces or became educated in our colleges and universities should be a priority.
About NAICU Washington Update
Daniel J. Carey, President, Edgewood College, Chair, NAICU Board of Directors
David L. Warren, President
Sarah Flanagan, Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development
Roland H. King, Vice President for Public Affairs and Editor
Washington Update is available to NAICU member presidents and their staff via e-mail upon request, and is archived on the NAICU Web site, both as individual stories and as a complete-issue PDF file, formatted for printing,
To subscribe, or for member log-in user name and password, e-mail roland@naicu.edu.
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036
(202) 785-8866, Fax (202) 835-0003
www.naicu.edu
© 2011 by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
NAICU Washington Update July 13, 2011
Formerly Week in Review | Full stories available in a composite PDF file on theNAICU Web site
This is a town that abhors a vacuum, and tends to fill one with news conferences and media interviews. But as the federal budget and debt ceiling debate plays out through dueling sound bites, the fact is there is little substance to be had. No details are being released on specific program changes across the government. We do know this, though: The student aid programs are still in jeopardy.
On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court vacated a Department of Education regulation, effective July 1, requiring any institution of higher education offering distance education to students outside its home state to obtain authorization from any state regulating distance education offered to its residents. Many news reports are viewing the decision as a for-profit victory, but other key elements of the regulation were not affected. And even if it stands on appeal, it won't negate existing state laws and regulations on distance education.
Arthur F. Kirk, Jr., president of Saint Leo University, testified on behalf of NAICU at the recent hearing of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. The hearing was to consider a proposal to delay payment of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits until after the student completed a term. Nearly 2,800 students at Saint Leo are Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients. Kirk's testimony described the variety of administrative difficulties this change would pose for both institutions and veteran students. The subcommittee also heard from witnesses representing public colleges, veterans, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Sen. Michael Bennett (D-Colo.) has introduced the Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act (GREAT), which would reform teacher preparation programs by allowing states to apply for grants to set up "Teacher and Principal Preparation Academies" - essentially, charter colleges of education. The higher education community has a number of concerns - with the most basic one being that, in essence, the bill gives states the authority to create an academic credential.
Yet another "clarification" from the Department of Education on July 8, has caused new head-scratching about the already complex and confusing gainful employment regulations. The final regulations themselves were issued in three parts, with the most recent being the metrics or "penalty" rules, coming months after the earlier parts. But wait . . . there's still more "clarification" on the way.
Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) have introduced legislation to repeal the state authorization and credit hour definition provisions - part of the program integrity regulations that went into effect July 1. To date, 11 members of the Senate have signed on to the bill. NAICU strongly supports this legislation, and has asked member presidents to encourage their senators and representatives to cosponsor it.
Members of two House subcommittees joined forces in the most recent debate over the merits of the Department of Education's recent gainful employment regulations on July 8. These regulations have gained the most attention of the 14 regulations being implemented by the Department of Education to gain greater control of for-profit colleges. The "spirited debate" brought into sharp focus the poles-apart positions of the various committee members, with their views largely splitting along party lines.
In connection with a late June Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the DREAM Act, NAICU submitted a statement for the record in support of this important legislation. NAICU has long supported passage of the DREAM Act. Providing citizenship to the undocumented youth in our country who have served in the armed forces or became educated in our colleges and universities should be a priority.
About NAICU Washington Update
Daniel J. Carey, President, Edgewood College, Chair, NAICU Board of Directors
David L. Warren, President
Sarah Flanagan, Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development
Roland H. King, Vice President for Public Affairs and Editor
Washington Update is available to NAICU member presidents and their staff via e-mail upon request, and is archived on the NAICU Web site, both as individual stories and as a complete-issue PDF file, formatted for printing,
To subscribe, or for member log-in user name and password, e-mail roland@naicu.edu.
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036
(202) 785-8866, Fax (202) 835-0003
www.naicu.edu
© 2011 by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
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