Brookings Panel Discusses Student Loan Programs & Expansion of Pell

May 26, 2009—Today, a panel of experts discussed the future of financial aid at a Brookings Institution Brown Center on Education Policy Event in Washington D.C. Deputy Undersecretary of Education Robert Shireman represented the Obama Administration and the Department of Education on the panel. Celia Sims (R-NC), legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), also was included on the panel. Sen. Burr is Co-Chair of the Senate Community College Caucus.

The discussion included the Obama Administration’s proposal to convert the federal loan programs into a single direct-lending program and use savings from taking these actions to support expansion of the Pell Grant program.

The panelists supported a simple, transparent and predictable financial-aid process and programs to encourage greater higher-education enrollments and completion.

The full panel included:

Moderator

• Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst
  Senior Fellow, Governance Studies

Panelists

• Robert Shireman
  Deputy Undersecretary, U.S. Department of Education
  
• Michael McPherson
  President, The Spencer Foundation
  
• Sandy Baum
  Senior Policy Analyst, College Board & Professor of Economics, Skidmore College
  
• Philip Day
  CEO and President, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
  
• Celia Sims
  Legislative Assistant, Office of U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)

For more information, visit the Brookings Institution Web site.

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ACCT President Gives Commencement Address at ACCC, Receives Honorary Degree

Yesterday, Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) President and CEO J. Noah Brown spoke to graduates of Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) in Cape May, New Jersey. Brown encouraged graduates to “be prepared to learn everything you can, find your passion in life, know what makes you happy, and be entrepreneurial in your outlook.”

Optimism was a clear theme at the graduation ceremony. Student Government Association President Benjamin Dailey of Absecon, 26, an Iraq war veteran who earned an A.S. in general studies with high honors, told the graduates: “Don't even worry about making the right decision. Rather, make your decision right...The only way to be happy and feel truly successful is by doing the things that make you proud.”

“Passion,” Brown said, “is a key ingredient for success and achievement.” He also encouraged graduates to move ahead in their lives with confidence, to “be an agent for change,” and to be lifelong advocates of community colleges, suggesting that they "help others understand community colleges put wings on dreams.”

Dr. Peter L. Mora, ACCC president, presented honorary associate degrees to Brown, along with Robert J. Boyer, past chairman of the ACCC Board of Trustees; The Honorable Joseph Silipena, former chairman of the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders; and H. Robert Switzer, a long-standing municipal court judge who served as is this year's Beacons by the Sea Visiting Professor.

The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) is a non-profit educational organization of governing boards, representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,200 community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States, Canada, and England. For more information, go to http://www.acct.org/.

Atlantic Cape Community College enrolls more than 6,500 for-credit students from Atlantic and Cape May counties in New Jersey. For more information, go to http://www.atlantic.edu/.

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House Committee Holds Hearing on Increasing Student Aid Through Loan Reform

Thursday, May 21, 2009 — Today, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine a proposal outlined by President Obama in his FY 2010 budget request, which would increase funding for the Pell Grant program by almost $94 billion over ten years and make Pell an entitlement program (mandatory). The President’s plan would be paid for by ending the subsidies the federal government currently pays to lenders in the Federal Family Education Loan program, which is the federally guaranteed student loan program, and re-directing those savings back into Pell. In turn, the move would originate all new loans starting in the academic year 2010-2011 under the Direct Loan program.

ACCT supports the Obama Administration’s effort to make the Pell Grant program into an entitlement program (mandatory). The proposal would also allow for Pell Grant maximum increases each year based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus one percent. Another component of this proposal would be the creation of a program focused on student access and success. This new program would be funded at $500 million or $2.5 billion over five years. The key committee witness was Robert Shireman, Deputy Undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education, who is leading the Department’s effort on Pell.

Click here for a webcast of today’s hearing.

ACCT encourages community college leaders to contact your members of Congress in support of reforming college aid to allow for stable Pell Grant program.

Contacting your legislators is easy at ACCT’s Policy Center.
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Center for American Progress Hosts Thought Leaders from White House, Lumina, Gates, JFF & Boeing

This morning, the Center for American Progress hosted a panel of thought leaders to deliberate on "Getting to Work: The Tough Journey of Getting to More Postsecondary Degrees." Panelists (see below) explored opportunities and challenges of meeting President Obama's challenge to increase the number of Americans with postsecondary credentials. While not billed explicitly as a discussion on community college education, the discussion was almost exclusively about the importance of community colleges and ways in which to promote, improve and grow the community college system.

Opening remarks were given by James Kvall, senior director of the White House National Economic Council and Rick Stephens, senior vice president of human resources and administration for the Boeing Company. Featured panelists included:

• Jamie Merisotis, CEO, Lumina Foundation for Education
• Arthur M. Hauptman, independent policy consultant
• Nancy Hoffman, vice president, Jobs for the Future
• Nisha Patel, program officer for special initiatives, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The discussion was moderated by Louis Soares, director of economic mobility, Center for American Progress.

Merisotis, a featured keynote speaker at ACCT's upcoming 40th Annual Community College Leadership Congress in San Francisco, said "for too long, we have focused on means, not goals." "I'm optimistic about the chance to improve community college with the support of the Obama Administration," Merisotis said, "but we still have a long way to go."

Findings of a Center for American Progress paper published in February, "The Other College: Retention and completion rates among two-year college students," were discussed. The study discusses later academic performance of community college students, as well as completion statistics and determines that "America’s future economic success may well depend on how we invest in two-year institutions. National leaders would be wise to move the 'other college' to the forefront of the postsecondary policymaking arena."

Hauptman read from a new study he co-authored with Young Kim entitled "Cost, Commitment and Completion in Higher Education: An International Comparison." Hauptman indicated three goals that he believes should be sought: 1) Focus more attention and resources on community colleges; 2) Develop strategies to improve completion rates and; 3) Consider higher enrollment as a means to moderate costs per student and improve productivity.

The overall message given by the panel suggested that improvements to America's community colleges are necessary, but that these colleges are of great, and increasing, importance to the nation's education system and economy.

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Secretary Arne Duncan Testifies Before House Committee

Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan testified before the House Education and Labor Committee to outline President Barack Obama's education agenda and the FY2010 budget request.

While the bulk of Secretary Duncan's comments covered K-12 education, he noted three key changes in the higher education area: First, the Pell Grant program would be shifted to a mandatory, appropriated entitlement. Second, the elimination of the Federal Family Education Loan program and the move into a large direct lending program. Third, the Perkins loan program will increase from $1 billion to $6 billion. This change will also increase the participation rates for students and colleges.

The Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow to discuss the Administration's proposal for FFEL and direct lending.

In other testimony, Secretary Duncan noted that the Department is focused on ensuring that states are utilizing stimulus stabilization funds properly and on education.

Click here for Secretary Duncan's testimony.

Click here to view the hearing.
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Rep. John B. Larson (D-CT) Introduces Community College Technology Access Act (H.R. 2060)

Empowering Community Colleges to Empower Tech Workers
by Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT)

The United States of America is facing an economic turning point and our workforce is ill-prepared to meet the demands of a 21st century global economy. We must provide ways for workers to get the technology training they need to excel in the industries that will form the backbone of our future economy.

Community colleges have played a vital role preparing students for jobs in local business sectors. They reach into communities with almost 1,200 locations across the country, in urban, rural, and suburban areas. Nearly every American can access a community college.

With the Community College Technology Access Act (H.R. 2060), we hope to expand the mission of community colleges to provide students and the public at-large with a technology hub and training center. This bill would provide grants to community colleges that open up their computer labs to the public and provide free computer instruction on nights and weekends.

In my home state of Connecticut we have seen the impact community colleges can have on an area. Local schools have taken the lead on expanding access to technology for students. Capital Community College in Hartford, for example, has dedicated an entire floor of its building to information technology training, and has over 1,200 computers on its campus.

By providing community colleges with additional resources, we can give millions of Americans access to the training they need to improve their skills and join the workforce of the future. In order for our nation to recover, our workers must have the ability to compete in an increasingly globalized economy. Community colleges are one of our strongest means to meeting this need.

ACCT encourages community college trustees, presidents, administrators, faculty, students and other advocates to contact your Congressional representatives and encourage them to support H.R. 2060. Click here to contact members of Congress from your area now.

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Gates Foundation, ACCT, AACC Address Community Colleges at Ed. Dept.

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) President and CEO J. Noah Brown represented the nation's community college trustees this morning at a Department of Education briefing in Washington, D.C. "Community colleges have never been more needed than they are now," Brown said, "but they've never been as hampered as they are now, due to economic constraints." Nevertheless, Brown said, "We are poised to make a difference."

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Senior Program Officer Diane Troyer joined Brown and American Association of Community Colleges President and CEO George Boggs on the panel, "Community Colleges: Unlocking Higher Education to Build Tomorrow's Workforce." Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) Assistant Secretary Glenn Cummings moderated the panel.

Boggs delineated the most pressing issues confronting community colleges, which include the economy, sustainability, student success, education alignment, inclusion, globalization, serving returning veterans, leadership and accountability, among others.

Troyer stressed the Gates Foundation's goals of improving graduation rates, noting that, "We prioritize keeping the door open for access to all students...but once they're in the door, we need to focus on keeping them." Troyer also spoke about the importance of streamlining K-16 education systems to encourages greater portability of credits and credentials.

Cummings said that the Secretary of Education "sees that as the economy changes, we are very much dependent on community colleges" for quality, affordable education and job-training programs.

The purpose of the briefing was to provide an overview of some of the most pressing issues facing community colleges as they try to expand their services. Audience members had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about an array of community college initiatives funded by OVAE.

Community college intiatives currently underway at OVAE include:

• Community Colleges Can: Institutions Sharing Success
• Ready for College: Adult Education Transitions Program
• STEM Transitions: Enhancing Mathematics and Science Rigor through Evidence-Based Curriculum Projects
• International Community College Collaboration

Click here to go to the OVAE community college page, which offers more information about upcoming meetings and events, funding opportunities, projects, speeches and presentations, and more, including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's keynote address at the 2009 Community College National Legislative Summit.

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