Commission on the Future of Higher Education

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Higher Education
Update
Vickie Schray Senior Advisor to the Under
Secretary
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The Secretary of EducationsCommission on the
Future of Higher Education

• Findings
• Access to college is limited, especially for
  low-income and minority students, by inadequate
  preparation and increasing college costs.
• The financial aid system is confusing, complex,
  and inefficient.
• There is a shortage of clear, comprehensive, and
  accessible information about colleges and
  universities, including data about cost,
  performance, and student learning.
• Recommendations
• Expand college access and success.
• Restructure the entire student financial aid
  system.
• Create a robust culture of accountability and
  transparency throughout higher education.

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The Secretary of EducationsAction Plan for
Higher Education

• Departmental activities on behalf of students,
  families, and taxpayers to improve higher
  education performance
• Accessibility
• Better prepare studentsboth traditional and
  nontraditionalby improving the alignment of
  pathways to postsecondary education.
• Affordability
• Streamline processes to help students and
  families prepare, plan, and pay for college.
• Accountability
• Collect comprehensive data about higher education
  performance and make data available to students,
  parents, and taxpayers.

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Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education

• Four Committees
• Loans
• NPRM out, comments due August 13, 2007
• Academic Competitiveness/SMART Grants
• NPRM out, comments due September 6, 2007
• General Provisions
• NPRM out, comments due September 7, 2007
• Accreditation
• Regulations not issued at this time

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Status of the Secretary of EducationsAction
Plan for Higher Education

• Accessibility
• Academic Competitiveness and SMART grants
• Expand NCLB to high schools
• Interagency efforts to streamline programs for
  adults
• Affordability
• Pell Grant increase in the Presidents FY2008
  budget
• Early notification of aid to students through the
  FAFSA4caster
• FIPSE revitalization
• Accountability
• Accreditation Forum
• Consumer Information Pilot Study
• Integrated State Data System Pilot
• Redesign of the Departments COOL website

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National and Regional Summits onHigher Education

• Purpose
• Distribute ownership of transformational
  activities for areas outside the Departments
  purview
• National summit held in Washington, DC in March
  2007
• Regional summits held in five cities across the
  country in June 2007
• Included town hall meetings with students and
  families
• What we heard
• Next steps