Hot Topics in Federal Higher Education Policy

Presentation for the Campus Compact Network GatheringJanuary 27, 2014

PRESENTED BY

The Institute for Higher Education Policy

Mark HuelsmanInstitute for Higher Education Policy

About IHEP

Nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to promoting access to and success in higher education for all students, particularly those who have been traditionally underserved by the postsecondary system.

Areas of Work:-Access and Success-Affordability and Financial Aid-Finance-Diversity-Community and Institutional Partnerships

(A Few) Hot Topics in Higher Ed

Access and “Undermatch”- Majority of high-achieving kids from low-income

backgrounds fail to apply to any selective colleges.- Efforts:

- FAFSA Simplification- Consumer Information Tools (Scorecard, Shopping

Sheet)- Increasing Grant Aid

- White House Summit on Access: Commitments from 24 states, 100+institutions to address access barriers:

- Financial aid - Remediation- Outreach- STEM Pathways

- What is the Federal Role in Addressing Access?

College Ratings

“What we want to do is rate them on who's offering the best value so students and taxpayers get a bigger bang for their buck. … We’re going to jumpstart new competition between colleges – not just on the field or on the court, but in terms of innovation that encourages affordability, and encourages student success, and doesn’t sacrifice educational quality.”

-President Obama, August 2013

College Ratings- Postsecondary Institution Ratings System

(PIRS)- Ratings System for Consumer Information,

eventually Accountability (2018)- Institutions rated on affordability (cost

and debt), graduation, earnings, access- Format TBA- Metrics TBA

- Send in your comments by Friday!

College Ratings- Can the Department of Education pull this off?- Can one system serve both consumer and

public accountability purposes?- What new data do we need? How do we

collect it?- Assuming this happens, what are the specific

metrics?- What are the stakes?

- Title IV Eligibility- Incentive Funding- Risk-Sharing- Interim Measures

- It’s all on the table.

Debt and Repayment ReliefIncome-Based Repayment (Pay As You Earn):-Mitigates some of the risk of investing in higher education.

- Affordable Monthly Payments- Debt Forgiveness

-Underutilized (10% of borrowers in income-based plans)

-Many (including IHEP) are pushing for a version of IBR as the default option for loan repayment:

- Substantially reduce delinquency and default- Align investment in higher education with

outcomes.

Debt and Repayment Relief- Key Questions in Expanding Income-Based

Repayment:

- Who are we subsidizing? (High-debt graduate students?)

- Public Service Loan Forgiveness?- Could it lead to a greater shift from public

to individual support?- Does it relieve institutions and states from

investing in upfront aid?- What does it do to Cohort Default Rates?

Thanks!

Mark HuelsmanResearch Analyst

mhuelsman@ihep.org202-861-8244

Community Partnerships for Attainment: How Campus Compact Can Drive Completion Rates

Julie Ajinkya, Ph.D.Director of Community PartnershipsInstitute for Higher Education Policy

January 27, 2014

Access•Affordability

•College readiness•Student supports

Success•Retention•Completion•Workforce alignment•Responsible

citizenship

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Community Partnerships for Attainment

To increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Cohort #1: 20 cities:

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Metro Partners:

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Technical assistance

Best practices

Community Partnerships for Attainment

Technical assistance

Best practices

How does CPA intersect with Campus compact?

Campus Compact Mission:

“As presidents of colleges and universities, both private and public, large and small, two-year and four-year, we challenge higher education to re-examine its public purposes and its commitments to the democratic ideal. We also challenge higher education to become engaged, through actions and teaching, with its communities. We have a fundamental task to renew our role as agents of our democracy.”

Walla Walla Community College Walla Walla Community College

• Region was in economic despair

• President’s vision– 1) Match programs with labor-

market needs– 2) Engage the community

• Hands-on retention practices• Awarded the Aspen Prize for

Community College Excellence- Steven VanAusdle, President, WWCC

Syracuse University Syracuse University

• Region was in economic despair

• President’s vision– 1) Scholarship in Action– 2) Whole system reform

• Syracuse success has laid ground for the model to move to other cities (e.g. Buffalo)- Nancy Canto, former

Chancellor/President of Syracuse University

Questions?

Please contact: Julie AjinkyaDirector of Community Partnerships

jajinkya@ihep.org202-861-8245