A Test of Leadership: Charting The Future of U'S' Higher Education

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A Test of Leadership Charting The Future of
U.S. Higher Education

• The Spellings Commission Report
• NYSFAAA Annual Conference
• Oct 8, 2006 Lake Placid, NY
• I. Bodofski G. Chin J. Curtice

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National Commission on the Future of Higher
Education

• "In this country, you are better off being rich
  and dumb than poor and smart."
• Chuck Vest, former MIT President and Commission
  member

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National Commission on the Future of Higher
Education

• Why should we care about this report?
• Because this might be the NCLB for higher
  education

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Findings of the National Commission on the Future
of Higher Education

• Not meeting national and student needs
• Other countries are doing better
• Inefficient
• Risk-averse
• Self-satisfied
• Unduly expensive

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Secretary Proposes 5 Actions(9/27/06)

• 1. Expanding the "effective principles" of the
  NCLB to high schools.
• 2. Streamlining the process of applying for
  federal financial aid, to "cut the application
  time in half and notify students of their
  eligibility earlier than the spring of their
  senior year to help families plan."
• 3. Creating a "unit record" database to track
  students' academic progress.

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Secretary Proposes 5 Actions(9/27/06)

• 4. Providing matching funds to colleges,
  universities, and states that collect and
  publicly report student-learning outcomes.
• 5. Convening members of the accrediting community
  in November "to move toward measures that place
  more emphasis on learning.

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Commission Findings in 4 Areas

• Access
• Cost and Affordability
• Quality
• Accountability

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Access

• Unduly limited by
• Inadequate preparation
• Lack of information about college opportunities
• Persistent financial barriers
• Commission Proposal
• ..seamless pathway between high school and
  college
• Dramatic increase in college participation

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Cost and Affordability

• Seemingly inexorable increase in college
  costs.
• Commission Proposal
• Cost cutting and productivity improvements
• Use of technology
• Regulatory relief
• Ease transfer credit problems

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Accountability

• Higher education needs to create and embrace a
  robust culture of accountability and transparency
  thereby changing from a system primarily based on
  reputation to one based on performance.

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!
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Higher Educations Response

• Voluntary System of Accountability

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Financial Aid

• ..confusing, complex, inefficient,
  duplicative.. Does not target aid to needy
  students
• Commission Proposal
• Significantly more need based aid
• Complete restructuring of delivery
• Replace FAFSA with shorter, simpler application
• Eliminate duplicate programs

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Specific Financial Aid Proposals

• Replace FAFAS with a simple form
• Determine need based on simple criterion such as
  family income
• Pell remains core need based program
• Increase to 70 of average in-state public
  tuition over 5 years
• Estimate of likely aid by 8th grade

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The Monkeys Predict

• Congress wont act on the commissions proposals
• The War, the deficit, the election
• Couldnt even pass the HEA
• Spellings Legislative Proposals
• Consolidate duplicative programs
• FFEL/DL/Perkins?
• Simplify FM
• Simplify FAFSA

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The Monkeys Predict

• Public opinion will be critical
• Colleges have not done a good job of explaining
  why tuition is rising
• Public is beginning to question sacred cows
  ie SAT tests, enrollment management, tuition
  leveraging, etc.
• Colleges are losing the PR war

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The Monkeys Predict

• Spellings will act administratively
• Management overhaul of OSFA
• This will be only Cosmetic
• Regulatory Activism
• Privacy-protected student data
• NEG REG may be critical
• But will FAOs be at the table?
• Funding for higher education is becoming a
  hostage in the political polarization of America