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BILL TO REDUCE REGULATORY BURDEN ON HIGHER
EDUCATION INTRODUCED IN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A bill designed to reduce the regulatory burden on higher
education through the repeal of several federal regulations was introduced in
the U.S. House of Representatives on July 10, 2013. H.R. 2637 - the "Supporting Academic Freedom through
Regulatory Relief Act" - is cosponsored by Education and the Workforce
Committee chair John Kline (R-Minnesota), Subcommittee on Higher Education
and Workforce Training chair Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina) and Congressman
Alcee Hastings (D-Florida).
The legislation would repeal existing regulations related to
state authorization, definition of credit hour, gainful employment and other
regulations. The bill also would prohibit the U.S. Department of Education
(USDE) from promulgating rules defining credit hour at any time in the future
and would prohibit USDE from issuing any regulations for state authorization
or gainful employment until after Congress reauthorizes the Higher Education
Act (HEA).
In a statement on the bill's introduction, Congresswoman Foxx
noted the need for Congressional Republicans and Democrats to work together
to pass legislation "to strengthen higher education for students and
taxpayers while maintaining the flexibility and choice that set American
colleges and universities apart."
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) sent a letter
on July 12, 2013 to Chair Kline, Chair Foxx and Congressman Hastings in
support of H.R. 2637 and noting CHEA's longstanding concerns with credit hour
and state authorization regulations.
HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE HOLDS
HEARING ON INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
On July 9, 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee
on Education and the Workforce held a hearing titled "Keeping College Within Reach:
Improving Higher Education through Innovation." The hearings was the
latest in a series of hearings as the Committee prepares for reauthorizing
the HEA, expected to begin later in 2013 or early in 2014.
The hearing - which featured witnesses from the Council on
Adult and Experiential Learning, StraighterLine, Inc., the University System
of Maryland and Western Governors University - focused on innovative policies
and practices including competency-based education, distance education and
online coursework and prior learning assessments. The impact of accreditation
on education innovation also was discussed during the hearing, including the
suggestion that accreditation may take place at the course level as well as
at the degree or certificate level, to enable access to federal student aid.
Copies of the witnesses' testimony and an archived Webcast of
the hearing are available on the Committee's Website.
LANGUAGE ON ACCREDITATION INCLUDED IN U.S. SENATE'S
FY 2014 EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Language on accreditation was included in the FY 2014 U.S.
Senate appropriations bill that funds USDE. The bill was passed by the
Appropriations Committee on July 11, 2013 and now will be considered by the
full Senate.
The language, added by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon),
addresses programs that prepare students for gainful employment in
occupations requiring licensing or other credentials. The bill mandates that
such programs must meet all state and professionally mandated programmatic or
specialized accreditation requirements in states where the program is offered
in order to be eligible for federal student aid funding.
The bill reads: "None of the funds made available by
this Act to carry out the HEA may be disbursed or delivered on behalf of a
student or to a student to be used to attend a program, pursuant to 481(b) of
the HEA, that prepares students for gainful employment in recognized
occupations requiring licensing or other established requirements as a
pre-condition for entry into such occupations, at an institution of higher
education (or other post-secondary education institution), unless such
program meets, in the State where the Department has approved the location
offering the program, all applicable State or professionally mandated
licensing, certification, and programmatic or specialized accreditation
requirements to fully qualify a student who successfully completes the
program to take licensing examinations or obtain credentials associated with
the training provided in the program."
CHEA will follow this issue and will keep member institutions
and recognized accrediting organizations informed.
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The Federal Update informs CHEA members and interested parties on
federal policy developments related to self-regulation and peer review.
Please direct any inquiries or comments to Jan Friis, CHEA Vice President for
Government Affairs, at friis@chea.org or
at (202) 955-6126. Copyright 2013, Council for Higher Education Accreditation. All rights reserved. |
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