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Vol. 22 No. 1
September 2007
At the Federal Level and in the States
Fall Higher Ed News
FEDERAL OUTLOOK
Higher Education Act Passes Senate. Congress may be
getting low marks from the public recently on foreign affairs,
but the Senate got serious over the summer by passing its renewal
of the long-awaited Higher Education Act (HEA) which sets U.S.
education policy for the next five years.
The Senate version of the new HEA expands student financial
aid. Pell Grants would be authorized to rise to a maximum of
$6,300 over the next half decade. The minimum Pell Grant would
be only 10 percent of the maximum award, currently just $400.
These are the authorization levels. Yearly, Congressional budgets
set the specific amount a grant actually will be, within the
authorized limited.
The Senate legislation also cracks down on student aid conflicts
of interest, restricting the use of preferred lending relationships
such as those uncovered by the New York attorney general. (See
June CB.) It places legal limits on inducements to colleges
and where those funds can go.
In addition, college tuition increases would be monitored
by the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Colleges whose yearly tuition increases
out pace a new higher education price index could show up on
a federal Watch List. Colleges also have to better publicize
their policies on the transfer of credits.
The House of Representatives will take up the Senate HEA version
this month. Then the two versions must be reconciled and sent
to the President for his signature.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed its fiscal
year 2008 appropriations bill for education and job training.
It provides a boost of the 2008 Pell Grant maximum to $4,700,
an increase of $390. The Senate has yet to vote on the bill,
but it appears it will authorize less education spending. The
Senate Pell maximum set in committee is just $4,310. Once the
Senate passes its bill, the House and Senate will have to reconcile
their versions of the law. And President Bush has threatened
to veto either version for excessive spending. CB will
keep you informed.
New Math/Science Money in the Pipeline
Bush administration initiatives for supporting math
and science learning among new college students were recently
enacted by Congress. The current push is to drastically increase
the number of high school science, math and technology teachers
and students. High school students are encouraged to focus on
these areas to win scholarships.
The new law authorizes all of the new science education programs
President Bush advocated in his 2006 State of the Union address.
HR 2272, as the bill was called in the House of Representatives,
also encourages ethical conduct and public involvement in the
college and university science programs.
Many of the recommendations stem from the 2005 National Academies
of Sciences report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm,"
which warned that the U.S. is in danger of losing its long-held
science, math and technology competitive edge in the global marketplace.
The law calls for more funds going to the National Science Foundation
and the Dept. of Energy's Office of Science, both of which sponsor
academic science research.
Expanded Scholarships. The bill further authorizes
$151 million to the Dept. of Ed. to hand out to universities
in competitive grants to train math and science teachers. Another
$125 million will be directed at current mathematicians and scientists
who want to gain a master's degree in science/math teaching.
Additionally, $140.5 million will go to the National Science
Foundation for the Robert Noyes Scholarship Program for students
who agree to work as math and science teachers after graduation.
Several other programs aimed at promoting STEM were also authorized.
Together, these efforts hope to prepare more high school, college
and graduate students with advanced math and science skills who
can work in cutting-edge industrial and academic work, and step
into the math and science classrooms.
However forward-looking the bill is, critics still warn that
this bill only authorizes spending. Actual funding for the programs
needs to be guaranteed in next year's budget.
Aid for Katrina Victims. The U.S. Dept. of Ed. awarded
$400 million in low-interest loans this summer to four historically
black colleges and universities affected by Hurricane Katrina-Dillard
U., Xavier U., Southern U. at New Orleans and Tougaloo C. "These
funds will help ensure that these valued institutions continue
to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina,
rebuilding their institutions and providing strong learning environments
for their students," said Secretary Margaret Spellings.
Southern U. will construct its first residential facility. Xavier
and Dillard will renovate and construct new facilities. Tougaloo
will modernize its campus.
Meanwhile, Federal student loan borrowers impacted by the
disaster were given an additional six months of student loan-payment
forbearance, and the department capped interest rates and reduced
loan fees to HBCUs damaged by the storm.
P.S. Lack of Lender Oversight. Meanwhile, the U.S.
Dept. of Ed. has been accused of dropping the ball in overseeing
the integrity of the student loan industry, according to a new
report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Instead
of taking aggressive oversight action, the DOE simply responded
to isolated consumer complaints, the GAO charged. And it had
not updated its guidelines in two decades, during which the industry
has gone through changes.
The investigation comes on the heels of state investigations
into conflicts of interest in how lenders do business with colleges
and universities. The GAO report urges the education department
to issue new regulations and hold colleges and lenders responsible
for violations.
"The Nation's Report Card: America's High School Graduates,
2007," is out. For a profile and interesting stats see,
the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department
of Education: NCES 2007-467; www.ed.gov.
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FINANCIAL AID FLASH
Scholarships for Migrant Students. The Great Lakes
Higher Education Guaranty Corp. has granted $200,000 to create
a Great Lakes College Assistance Migrant Program that will offset
student loan burdens at Michigan State University. Richard George,
Great Lakes' president and CEO said, "These students represent
the embodiment of Great Lakes commitment to helping students
build better lives through education." The scholarship can
be used to cover education costs and reduce students' educational
loans.
Increase in Funding for Native Americans. The U. of
Maine has increased enrollment in its Native American Waiver
and Scholarship Program, which pays for tuition, fees and room
and board for students who are members or descendents from a
recognized Native American tribe. According to a recent New
York Times article, Edna Mora Syzmanski, the senior vice
president and provost of the U. of Maine, said, "I think
it's our responsibility as a land grant university to work together
with the state's first people and ensure they not only have access,
but succeed in higher education." The U. of Minnesota-Morris,
Fort Lewis C., U. of Massachusetts and Syracuse U. all have similar
programs.
Internship and Scholarship for Rural Students. The
WildBlue U. student intern program, sponsored by the National
Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), is once again training
college students from rural areas to bring WildBlue Internet
access to their communities. The program operates in 10 states.
In addition, the intern with the highest sales will win a scholarship
of $10,000 from NRTC. The program works to educate rural students,
as well as provide underserved areas with Internet access. For
more info see, www.localwildblue.com.
AXA Achievement Scholarships. U.S. News & World
Report and the AXA Foundation provide some $670,000 in scholarships
each year. The aim: to "provide resources that help make
college possible for qualified students," according to the
sponsors. Now the two organizations have joined with Scholarship
America to award $15,000, a laptop computer or the offer of an
AXA Financial Services internship. High school students from
all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico who will
graduate in 2008 may apply. Deadline: Dec. 15. For info:
www.axaonline.com.
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STATE
WRAPUP
Florida Colleges Mull Cuts. Florida's 11 public universities
are facing cuts of 5 percent or more in the near future, according
to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Republican Governor
Charlie Crist stopped a 5 percent tuition increase and state
revenues are falling with the housing market slump. Salaries
and enrollments may be trimmed to make up for a $100 million
shortfall at the 11 public schools. The main objective will be
shielding students from the impact of cutbacks. Hiring freezes
are in effect. Faculty are beginning to take on heavier teaching
loads. And the governor has signed a bill allowing tuition to
soar by up to 40 percent over the next few years at the state's
most prestigious schools. Florida's 28 community colleges also
face tough choices.
Tougher Iowa Admission Requirements. Iowa high school
grads use to only have to rank in the top half of their class
to get into Iowa's public universities or colleges. Beginning
next year, the requirements become more rigorous. They'll be
judged on class rank, grade-point average and standardized test
scores.
No Hope? At least 18,000 students didn't win the renowned
Hope Scholarship in Georgia, which pays for a student's in-state
tuition, room and board and books, because of tougher standards.
However, 200,000 Georgia high school graduates qualified this
year. Now, instead of a nebulous "B," Hope Scholars
must maintain a numeric 3.0 grade-point average. Ironically,
rules were toughened to save on projected fund short falls. Yet,
new scholarship revenue from the state lottery has soared.
Diversity Declines. Meanwhile, the higher standards
implemented at the U. of Nevada have had adverse affects upon
the system's student diversity. The admission minimum was raised
from a high school grade-point average of 2.5 to 2.75. The number
of black students admitted at the Las Vegas campus (UNLV) fell
by 26 percent, that of Hispanic students declined 18 percent
and the number of American Indians plummeted by 62 percent. Declines
for Hispanic and Indian students at the Reno campus were not
so severe. The enrollment there for black students soared by
nearly 31 percent. The minimum grade-point average for admission
in 2008 is set to rise to 3.0.
Texas Stands Pat. The top 10 percent of students from
any Texas high school class will continue to have a guaranteed
place at state universities, the Texas House of Representatives
voted. At the U. of Texas at Austin, 70 percent of admitted students
are based on class rank alone. U. T. administrators wanted more
flexibility to admit more diverse classes. Supporters of the
10 percent admissions law say it guarantees geographic diversity
and that is one reason it is popular.
Wisconsin "Race Conscious" Plan O.K. That's
what the state's attorney general recently ruled after reviewing
the U. of Wisconsin's Board of Regents' decision to extend a
race and ethnicity conscious admissions policy from just the
Madison campus to the entire U.W. system. The A.G. decided that
the race and ethnicity criterion was only one among many used
by admissions officers with flexibility aimed toward maintaining
institutional standards.
Also, starting in May, Wisconsin's eighth-grade students can
promise to earn a "B" average and be good citizens
in exchange for a guaranteed spot in one of the state's universities
or technical colleges. The state will also promise to combine
work study, loans and scholarships to low-income students to
pay their way. This is believed to be the most expansive guarantee
of higher education in the country. For more info see www.wisconsincovenant.wi.gov.
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THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER
 10 Rules I Learned Applying to College
Editor's Note: JJ Nelson was a high school senior
last season going through the application process. He's created
a list of his top 10 tips for students applying to college. Interestingly
enough, as simple as some seem, they aren't always followed.
So this month, we thought we'd start the year off with a student's
perspective. Here are his guidelines for students getting ready
for the college application process.
1. Talk To Your Counselor. Between the books in the
counselor's office, and the knowledge in your counselor's head,
he or she will be a virtual treasure trove of information. Take
advantage of the opportunities you have to work with a counselor
to make plans for your future. Many counselors know more than
any one book or website, and they are generally always willing
to share their knowledge.
2. Stay In Touch With Your Counselor. Selecting a college
is not a one-step operation. In order to really help you make
a decision, the counselor is going to need to get to know you.
The only way for the counselor to do that is for you to take
initiative and go meet with him or her. Also, most counselors
are not just there to provide information. They really are counselors,
and they are there to help you with your decision, help you solve
your crisis or to just calm you down.
3. Do Your Research. The way to begin the college process
is to get online or crack some books and start discovering what's
out there. Use the resources in your counselor's office. There
are great websites such as www.myroad.com
that, if you have taken the PSAT/NMSQT, are free opportunities
to begin your college search. On MyRoad, you start by taking
a personality test. The site then generates a list of suggested
majors and career possibilities, complete with a ranking system
for how well they think this career will work for you. Then you
can browse through their college index and find the right colleges
with the right majors for you. Also, visit www.makingitcount.com
and take the My College Style and All About Me tests. Like MyRoad,
these resources are free with registration, but these tools are
not limited to students who have taken the PSAT. Then, don't
forget to research the different ways to pay for college by visiting
sites such as www.fastweb.com,
a free scholarship search engine.
4. Get Started Early. It's never too early to start
researching colleges, even if you don't have a clue where to
start. Just get out there and research something. Start now!
5. Don't Procrastinate. This is one of the greatest
decisions you'll ever make, and you could end up missing a great
opportunity. You shrug this off, like it could never happen,
but it does happen all the time. Case in point: Last summer,
I toured a highly-selective college near the nation's capital
and instantly fell in love with it. As the year progressed, and
I applied to other colleges, it became apparent that it was very
unlikely that I would ever go there, but I did keep the January
10th deadline in the back of my mind. However, at around 11:00
p.m. on Jan. 9th, when I hadn't even looked at the application,
I realized that I might have just let a great possibility slip
through my fingers. I'll be alright. But there will always be
that "what if?" factor at the back of my mind.
6. Listen To Your Parents. I know you never do this
(trust me, I'm like everybody else--I don't want to either),
but they are there to help you. Having help makes it easier to
handle all of this pressure and responsibility-and means you
don't have to handle it on your own. Also, remember that even
though this is your future, your parents, in most cases, are
the ones paying and the ones who got you where you are. They
have to be part of the decision, too.
7. But, Don't Let Your Parents Do Your Work For You.
They're there to help you, but not to pick up your slack. The
most they should ever do for you is research. Let them look up
some information for you and go over it with you. It's then your
job to apply that information, fill out the forms and write the
essays...yourself.
8. Open Up Your Mind. Talk to reps of colleges you've
never heard of. Don't be fooled by big names and Ivy Leagues.
There are so many more great opportunities out there. In order
to find the perfect place for you, you will have to open up your
mind.
9. Visit. And Visit Early. How can you make
such a huge decision without ever having seen the college? You
could fall in love with Hendrix College in Arkansas, even after
thinking "no way" when someone told you what state
it was in. Or, you could get to Boston and realize that Harvard
is way too uptight for your taste. You have to experience colleges
first hand.
10. Don't Let the Pressure Get To You. Yes, this is
a big decision. But it's not the end of the world if you make
a mistake. People transfer and switch majors much more often
than you think. There's plenty of time to find the right place.
Just keep your options open. And always have a back-up plan.
With a little effort on your part, things will work themselves
out for the best.
JJ Nelson graduated from Bayside
Academy in Alabama last spring. His guidelines have also appeared
in www.makingitcount.com.
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P.S. What we read
last summer...
"The Graduates" by Louis Menand in The New
Yorker (May 21)..."The Facebook Effect," Newsweek,
August 20/27.
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-directed,
Late Blooming and Just Plain Different, 2nd edition, Donald
Asher; written by a nationally known career consultant, this
cool guide has lists such as "Eco Schools" (College
of the Atlantic) and "Schools Where Scholarship is Honored:
(Swarthmore). (Ten Speed Press, 2007); ISBN-13: 978-1-58008-839-8;
$21.95.
101 Ways to Become the Perfect College Applicant, second
edition; ISBN-13: 978-1-4195-5225-0; $9.95; includes "time
management techniques" and "stress-busters;" and
101 Ways to Adjust to High School; ISBN-13: 978-1-4195-4177-3;
$9.95; both from Kaplan Publishing, 2007.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
"Knowledge Development" in Dubai. $10
Billion has been set aside in Dubai for "knowledge development."
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai in the United
Arab Emirates, told an international crowd this summer that,
"There is a wide knowledge gap between us and the developed
world in the West and in Asia. Our only choice is to bridge this
gap as quickly as possible because our age is defined by knowledge"
About 43 percent of girls and women in the Arab world are still
illiterate. The gift will fund programs and scholarships in educational
ventures across the Middle East.
Japan's Higher Ed Reform.
How can Japan's university system reform itself? A top advisor
to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to spend more on the system
(Japan spends 0.5 percent of GDP on higher education while the
U.S. spends 0.9 percent), eliminate the rigorous day-long college
entrance examination, drastically increase the number of courses
taught in English and boost international enrollment from its
current 9 to 30 percent. He also wants to send thousands of more
students on foreign studies excursions.
The prime minister's ambitious advisor also wants to break
down the "koza" system, which keeps younger faculty
under the strict control of academic elders. Most of all, he
wants to liberate creativity among younger faculty and students
as a way to put Japan back on the cutting-edge.
European Reform Update.
The decade old reform movement of European universities, known
as the "Bologna Process," has brought real reforms.
But it has failed thus far to promote student mobility from country
to country, with only 3 percent of European students moving from
their home country to study.
That was the recent conclusion of a conference of 46 European
education ministers. At the same time, Austrian medical schools
complained that their native students were being edged out by
German applicants. But the ministers were also told that of more
than 900 European universities, 82 percent successfully have
adapted to the Bologna three-year undergraduate degree cycle.
And they established a Register of European Higher Education
Quality Assurance Agencies to enhance confidence in the new system,
including from U.S. graduate schools that look skeptically upon
the European three-year undergraduate degree.
Canada Bursting at the Seams.
A "surprise boom" of 40,000 undergraduates is leading
Canadian university administrators to call for another campus
in Toronto, The Toronto Star reported this summer. The
enrollment surges are being "driven by the flow of immigrants"
and "a growing appetite for higher learning," according
to The Star.
Also, Ryerson U. has requested permission to expand. York
U. plans to boost its science and engineering programs and add
a medical school. But, according to Henry Mandelbaum, executive
director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations,
"We don't have enough faculty to teach students right now,"
he said.
For more info see www.theStar.com.
Also, www.recruitincanada.com.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Standard & Poor's Skeptical. The bond-rating
firm, Standard & Poor's is taking a skeptical look at the
self-reporting of high numbers of applications at some colleges
whose financial stability it rates. S&P's report, "More
Applications to U.S. Colleges and Universities Don't Necessarily
Add Up to Higher Demand," charges that the 10 percent annual
increases in the number of applications is "suspect."
S&P thinks certain increases simply reflect increased
numbers of multiple-applications. And that, in turn, could be
fueled by the increase in colleges using the Common Application
and the ease of on-line applying.
Why does it matter? Because S&P believes the real amount
of applications a school receives is indicative of its financial
strength.
Investigation Expanding to Athletics.
New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has announced he is
expanding his preferred lender investigation to at least 40 college
athletic departments, including some of the nation's elite programs.
Cuomo is seeking to uncover kickbacks from lenders to college
athletic departments in exchange for making a particular lender
a "preferred lender."
Cuomo said, "Students trust their universities' athletic
departments because so much of campus life at Division I schools
centers around supporting the home team. To betray this trust
by promoting loans in exchange for money is a serious issue,
especially when Division I schools already generate tremendous
revenue from the student athletes."
The New York Attorney General has sent subpoenas to schools
from athletic powerhouses such as Auburn, Georgetown, Kansas,
Marquette and Rutgers to Louisville, UCLA, Bowling Green and
Howard.
Harvard's New General Education
Curriculum. Harvard U.'s Arts and Sciences faculty has approved
the first overhaul in the university's general education curriculum
in 30 years. The new General Education Curriculum will replace
the Core Program established in the late 1970s.
Undergraduates will have to take semester-long courses in
each of the following areas: Aesthetics and Interpretive Understanding;
Culture and Belief; Empirical and Mathematical Reasoning; Ethical
Reasoning; Science of Living Systems, Science of the Physical
Universe; Societies of the World; and The United States in the
World.
Common Challenger. The Common
Application (CA), used by more than 300 colleges and universities
across the U.S., is about to get some competition. After a 30-year
run without an alternative, the Common Application will now have
a rival in the Universal College Application (UCA), sponsored
by Applications Online LLC located in Baltimore. Why, after millions
of students have used the Common Application, is the UCA necessary?
The CA requires a letter of recommendation and an essay, which
limits its pool. The UCA will have looser sign-up standards and
seek a broader and more diverse pool. Several schools, including
Duke and Harvard, have already signed on board.
What Matters Most? Students
are increasingly selecting colleges based on a "university's
strength in their intended major," according to a new report
from Eduventures called "College Search and the Millennial
Generation." "Compared to previous generations, today's
students tend to be career-focused at a younger age with 90 percent
of high school juniors and 92 percent of high school seniors
having already identified their primary field of interest,"
said Jim Quinn, senior research analyst. "They tend to be
more actively engaged in their education development and increasingly
place importance on internships, study abroad and experiential
learning programs."
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COLLEGE BOUND's Publisher/Editor: R. Craig
Sautter, DePaul University; Chief Operating Officer: Sally
Reed; Assistant Editor: Emma Schwartz; Illustration:
Louis Coronel; Board of Advisors: David Breeden,
Edina High School, Minnesota; Claire D. Friedlander, Bedford
(N.Y.) Central School District; Howard Greene and Matthew
Greene, authors, The Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning
Series; Frank C. Leana, Ph.D., educational counselor;
M. Fredric Volkmann, Washington University in St. Louis;
Mary Ann Willis, Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.).
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