ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 3 4 4 / C&RL News Washingto Hotline n L y n n e E. B r a d le y G o a ls set fo r h ig h e r e d u catio n p o licy Work moves forward on re­ authorization o f the Higher Education Act. In March a c o a l it io n o f 23 n a tio n a l higher education organiza­ tions m ade re co m m en d a ­ tions to Congress on a num­ b er o f issues. The March 21 edition o f A ca d e m e Today, the electronic supplement to the C hron icle o f H igher E d u ­ cation , noted that the rec­ o m m e n d a tio n s p r o p o s e d few sw eeping changes in the law. T he recom ­ mendations are organized around 16 goals for federal higher education policy: 1) Maintain and strengthen the focus on fi­ nancially needy and moderate-incom e students. 2) Strengthen cam pus-based programs so that, together with Pell Grants, they will help reduce student borrowing. 3) Increase investment in early intervention and support services programs, such as TRIO, that help open the doors o f college to low incom e, first-generation college students. 4 ) Make borrowing in the federal student loan program less expensive for students. 5) Retain both the Ford Direct Student Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan Program and create a level playing field o f b en ­ eficial student terms and conditions in both. 6) Reassess the process by w hich schools b eco m e and remain eligible to participate in the student aid programs and seek procedures that are m ore effective, efficient, and less intru­ sive than those currently in place. 7) Eliminate statutory provisions that have led to the developm ent o f regulations that are excessive and costly to implement, but that co n ­ tribute little or nothing to net Title IV account­ ability. 8) Enhance accountability through modern­ ization o f student aid processing. 9) Explore new ways to expand federal/state partnerships in support o f need-based student aid. 10) Congress should analyze current federal policies with respect to distance education and determ ine w hether modifi­ cations are n eed ed to ad­ dress the enorm ous oppor­ tunities that increasingly are available to students in this area. 1 1 ) C o n tin u e an d stre n g th e n T itle II o f the Higher Education Act. 12) Reauthorize the Ur­ ban Community Service pro­ g ra m in T itle X I o f th e Higher Education Act with minor changes. 13) The Fund for the Im­ provement o f Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) plays an important role in encouraging inno­ vation in postsecondary education and should be continued. 14. Federal support for international educa­ tion is increasingly important and necessary. 15. Maintain a strong and visible role in fi­ nancing graduate education. 16. Replace the existing programs in Title V o f the Higher Education Act with a streamlined new authority narrowly focused on the initial preparation o f teachers. Ten o f these goals relate to student finan­ cial aid. B eyond that, the higher education as­ sociations have b een strategically selective in choosing which other HEA programs to address. In general, programs or titles that are n o longer operational or that have had no funding or mini­ mal funding in recent years have not b een in­ cluded. Title II library programs, for instance, are not included, nor are several other pro­ grams. Said Edward M. Elmendorf, vice-presi­ dent for governmental relations at the Ameri­ c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f S ta te C o ll e g e s an d Universities, “Given how intent the Republi can-led Congress is on balancing the federal budget, it didn’t appear as if anything m ajor or radical would get past first b ase .” The joint recom m endations also ask for co n ­ gressional hearings on a num ber o f key issues. Som e HEA hearings have b ee n conducted re­ cently, although clearly there will b e others in the com ing months focusing o n several or all o f these specific recom m endations. Note that w h ile goal 10— co n cern in g d istance e d u ca­ tion— relates to the issues surrounding federal student aid for students enrolled in such pro­ grams, the called-for exploration by Congress Lynne E. Bradley is deputy executive director o f ALA’s Washington Office; e-mail: leb@alawash.org. mailto:leb@alawash.org May 1 9 9 7 / 3 4 5 o f these new m ethods o f teaching and learning could raise broader issues as well. Overall, HEA reauthorization is a high pri­ ority o f both the Senate Labor and Human Re­ sources Committee (w here education is handled at the full com m ittee level) and the H ouse Edu­ cation and the W orkforce Committee (and its Postsecondary Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Subcom m ittee). ACRL and others co n ­ cerned with academ ic library issues should re­ view these recom m endations and w ork exten ­ sively on their cam puses with their respective presidents, deans, financial aid officers, etc., to express library implications o f these key issues. ALA will continue to m onitor the HEA reautho­ rization process. L ib ra ry R e s e a rc h a n d D e m o n stra tio n P ro g ra m a v a ila b le According to the F e d e r a l Register (M arch 27, 1997), applications are now available for the Library R esearch and D em onstration Program. The program provides grants to institutions o f higher education and other public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations for re­ search and dem onstration programs related to the improvem ent o f libraries, education in li­ brary and information science, the enhancem ent o f library services through effective and effi­ cient use o f new technologies, and dissemina­ tion o f information derived from these projects. Institutions o f higher education that m eet the definition o f eligibility under the terms o f 20 U.S.C. 1141(a) and other public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations are eli­ gible. This program is part o f the “Am erica Reads’” Challenge, a m ajor initiative announced by President Clinton on August 27, 1996, to ensure that all children can read independently and well by the third grade. T h e d ead line fo r applications is May 12, 1997. Approximately $1 million is available. An estimated five awards at an average o f $200,000 for up to 24 months will be granted. For appli­ cations contact Chris Dunn, U.S. D epartm ent o f Education, 555 New Je rse y Avenue, N.W., Room 300, Washington, DC 20208-5571; phone; (2 0 2 ) 219-2299. Individuals w ho use a telecom ­ munications device for the d eaf (TD D ) may call the Federal Inform ation Relay Services (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 betw een 8 a.m. and 8 p.m ., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. A copy o f the F e d e r a l Register n otice is available at http://w w w .ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/ announcem ents/1997-1/index.html. ■ High Society. Ice Cream Socials. Gang Wars. Fighting Words. 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