University Business - October 2006 - (Page 38)

ON THE HILL Spellings Acts Quickly on `Future' Report Hearings lay the groundwork for possible new rules and more federal involvement. By Alan Dessoff W trols with tuition tied to family incomes, I T H THE INK BARELY and monitoring of educational quality. dr y on the signatures of all As noted in the September issue of but one member of a national University Business Commission Report commission formed to consider the future Leaves Higher Ed Questions Unanswered, of U.S. higher education, Education Secre- p. 15 , 18 of the 19 commission members tary Margaret Spellings is moving quickly signed off on the final document. It fol- and aggressively to consider how to imple- lowed three earlier drafts, each revised to ment some of the recommendations. help gain agreement of members on con- Even before she received the final draft troversial issues like standardized testing. that the Commission for the Future of The final report urged colleges and uni- Higher Education approved in mid-Au- versities to use standardized tests to mea- gust, Spellings set dates for four regional sure student achievement; an earlier draft, hearings, kicking off a process that could While Margaret Spellings in stronger language, said states should result in new federal regulations in partic- could simply encourage require institutions to use the tests. ularly controversial areas that the commis- The commission member who didn't sion addressed. They include accreditation IHEs to take action on sign the report was David Ward, president of colleges and universities and public re- their own, she seems to of the American Council on Education porting of college finances and students' favor a tougher approach. ACE . Ward's refusal to sign was signifi- academic performance. cant, since ACE wields considerable clout The first hearing was held last month in higher education policy making in to accommodate the legislative mandate. at the University of California, Berkeley. Washington as the umbrella organization But in announcing the rule-making plans, The others are scheduled for October 5 at of most of the other higher ed associa- the department also added two more com- Loyola University in Chicago, November tions in the capital. While commending mittees with vaguely defined missions that 2 at the Royal Pacific Hotel Conference the commission's effort, Ward cited several seemed to give them leeway to consider Center in Orlando Fla. , and November serious issues of concern, including that the recommendations of the Commission 8 at the Department of Education head- the diversity of missions within higher on the Future of Higher Education. quarters in Washington. education aren't recognized. Technically, the rule-making process, On accountability issues, the report WORK TO BE DONE including the hearings, will consider pro- seemed to be mandating a more top- Although skimpy on details, the com- posed regulations under the Higher Edu- d ow n , federally controlled approach, mission's recommendations cover several cation Reconciliation Act that Congress which is a new thrust and pretty trou- broad areas, including accreditation, ac- passed last February. That measure called bling, explains Tim McDonough, ACE's countability, access, student financial aid, for changes in student loan programs and public affairs director. quality improvement, lifelong learning, in funding for new Academic Competi- On financial issues, ACE objects to and global competitiveness. tiveness Grant ACG and National Sci- the notion that family income would Either by regulation or legislation, the ence and Mathematics to Retain Talent be used as a benchmark for tuition bottom-line result of the commission's SMART programs targeted at high- work could be expanded federal involve- achieving, low-income students. ment in postsecondary issues, including The DOE intends to form two com- Alan Dessoff, a former reporter for The Washing- financial aid program changes, cost con- mittees to propose possible rules changes ton Post, is a Bethesda, Md.-based freelance writer. 38 | October 2006 universitybusiness.com OTH.indd 38 9/21/06 9:48:38 AM http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - October 2006

Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
Behind the News
Marketing
Future Shock
Admissions
Viewpoint
Financial Aid
On the Hill
Beyond Baldrige
Made in America
Wiring the Dining Experience
Lighting The Way
Internet Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - October 2006