Bill targets for-profit schools’ funding. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act (S.1659), which would aim to make for-profit colleges and universities less reliant on federal funding. Under current law, the “90-10 rule” requires universities to get at least 10% of their funding from non-federal sources. The proposed bill would replace that rule with an 85-15 ratio. It would also prohibit for-profits from counting educational aid to the military as part of that 15%. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) is expected to introduce the same bill in the House this week.
America COMPETES reauthorization. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act, which funds government research and development initiatives. The hearing was held to examine how the law (the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act) is functioning regarding scientific research and the economy. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade will hold a hearing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and training in the manufacturing workforce.
House and Senate hearings on financial aid. The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on simplifying federal financial aid. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee also will hold a hearing on the issue.
Upcoming House hearing on schools and ACA. The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing entitled “The Effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Schools, Colleges, and Universities.” The Republican announcement says the hearing will focus on schools limiting substitute teachers and adjunct professors in order to avoid providing them health insurance.
NEAP results. The 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP) results for reading and mathematics were released. The National Assessment Governing Board released a summary and the results were made interactive in The Nation’s Report Card. The New York Times reported that scores improved modestly.
Survey of international student enrollment. The Institute of International Education released the results of a survey of the number of international students at colleges and universities in the U.S. The number of international students at U.S. universities increased 7.2% in 2012-13 to an all-time high of 819,644, according to the survey.
Report on graduate medical education funding. New York State received 20% of all of Medicare’s graduate medical education (GME) funding while 29 states, including some with shortages of physicians, got less than 1%, according to a report published by the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.
Postsecondary education nominee. President Obama nominated Ericka Miller, vice president for operations and strategic leadership at the Education Trust, to be assistant secretary for postsecondary education. Miller must be confirmed by the Senate.
We publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington collected by the New England Council, of which NEBHE is a member. This edition is drawn from the Higher Education Update in the Council’s Weekly Washington Report of Nov. 12, 2013.
Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council’s mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.
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