Transcript Slide 1

Federal Policy Landscape
Bryan Cook
Center for Policy Analysis
American Council on Education
Who is ACE?
• Over 1,800 college and university
members (representing all sectors).
• ACE members represent about 80
percent of students enrolled
ACE Mission
ACE, the major coordinating body for all of the
nation's higher education institutions, seeks to
provide leadership and a unifying voice on
higher education issues and to influence public
policy through advocacy, research, and
program initiatives.
ACE Representation
• ACE role is to coordinate and lead
• Not everyone wants to be
coordinated or led
Presidential Associations
ACE
Public
Private
AACC AGB
Two-year
CCCU
HACU
Four-year
University
AASCU
APLU
NAFEO
AAU
NAICU
UNCF AJCU
ACCU
Current Policy Environment
Policy Concerns for Higher Education
• Rising Cost
Price of College
90%
Health insurance
Public, 4-yr
70%
Medical Care
Prescription
Drugs
50%
Private, 4-yr
30%
Public, 2-yr
10%
New Car
Housing
Median Income
-10%
99-00
'01-'02
'03-'04
'05-'06
'07-'08
'09-'10
Policy Concerns for Higher Education
• Rising Cost
• Student outcomes
Student Outcomes
• Graduation/completion Rates
• Academically Adrift
– Modest gain in critical thinking
– Students don’t work hard
• Employment Rates
Policy Concerns for Higher Education
• Rising Cost
• Student outcomes
• Accountability/accreditation
Productivity ?
“We’re conducting a productivity study.”
Federal Efforts to Improve
Postsecondary Education
• Increased reporting and disclosures
• College Affordability and Transparency
Center
• Accreditation
• Gainful employment
Goal
“…While a majority of career colleges play
a vital role in training our workforce to be
globally competitive, some bad actors
are saddling students with debt they
cannot afford in exchange for degrees
and certificates they cannot use.”
US Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
In general, at a traditional
institution, a gainful
employment program is a
non-degree certificate program
of at least one year.
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Is the program
at least one
academic year
in length?
Is the program a
degree
program?
Yes
Stop, not a GE
program. Also
excludes
certificates
embedded in a
degree
program.
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Is the program
at least one
academic year
in length?
Is the program a
degree
program?
Yes
Stop, not a GE
program. Also
excludes
certificates
embedded in a
degree
program.
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Stop, not a GE
program.
(Exceptions for
certain
vocational
education
programs.)
Is the program at
least one
academic year in
length?
Yes
Does the
program lead to
a certificate or
other nondegree
credential
awarded by
institution?
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Stop, not a GE
program.
(Exceptions for
certain
vocational
education
programs.)
Is the program at
least one
academic year in
length?
Yes
Does the
program lead to
a certificate or
other nondegree
credential
awarded by
institution?
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Stop, not a GE
program.
Does the
program lead to
a certificate or
non-degree
credential
awarded by
institution?
Yes
Is the program
at least two
years in length
and fully
transferable to a
bachelor’s
degree?
What is a Gainful Employment Program?
No
Stop, not a GE
program.
Does the
program lead to
a certificate or
non-degree
credential
awarded by
institution?
Yes
Is the program
at least two
years in length
and fully
transferable to a
bachelor’s
degree?
What is a Gainful Employment Program
No
Program is a
GE program
Yes
Is the program
at least two
years in length
and fully
transferable to a
bachelor’s
degree?
Stop, not a GE
program.
Gainful Employment Consumer
Disclosures
Disclosures by program on website by
July 1, 2011
– Occupations
– Total program costs
– On-time completion rates
– Job placements
– Median loan debt
Gainful Employment Data
Data reported to ED by October 1, 2011
– Student identifier information (SSN, DOB,
name)
– Program identifier information (OPEID, CIP)
– Private loan borrowing
– Institutional loans
– Enrollment information
Gainful Employment
Three Tests
Debt measures
– Repayment rate at least 35%
– Student debt payment less than 12 percent
of graduate’s total income
– Student debt payment less than 30 percent
of a graduate’s discretionary income
Three Tests
Consequences
• Fail one year = additional disclosures
• Fail two years = warnings to students
• Fail three years in four = loss of Title IV
eligibility
Other things to keep and eye on…
• Veteran and service member data
• Report on History of IPEDS
Information Required to Be Disclosed Under
the Higher Education Act of 1965:
Suggestions for
Dissemination
Why This Report?
• Compliance
• Needle in a haystack
• ESL
– Graduation rates = Students Right to Know
– Federal Disclosures
• List of Disclosures
Recommendations?
• Compliance and communication
• Single webpage to access information
• “3 Click” maximum
Why Follow these Recommendations?
• Student Friendly
• Avoid more disclosures
Changing Use of IPEDS
Questions