NAICU Extra Credit

College Board 2014: College Price Increases Slow, Student Borrowing Declines

2014-11-13T13:44:00.001-05:00

The rate of increase in tuition and fees at colleges and universities has slowed, but continues to rise more rapidly than inflation, reports The College Board in the 2014 edition of its Trends in Higher Education Series.

Between 2013-14 and 2014-15, the percentage increases in published tuition and fees (in all sectors) were smaller than the average annual increases over the previous five, 10, and 30 years, researchers said in the 2014 Trends in College Pricing report.

The College Board also says college pricing and financial aid look very different in 2013 and 2014 than they did in 2010. As the economy has begun to recover from the recent recession, published price increases have slowed, making it clear that prices are not on an accelerating path. However, price increases continue to accumulate, totaling 17 percent between 2007-08 and 2014-15 at private, nonprofit four-year colleges, and almost 30 percent at public two-year and four-year institutions, after adjusting for inflation.

At private, nonprofit four-year colleges, the out of pocket or average net tuition and fee price declined by about 18 percent ($2,640 in 2014 dollars) between 2007-08 and 2010-11. Since 2010-11, the net price has leveled off, fluctuating between $12,000 and $12,400.

The average out of pocket or average net tuition and fee prices at private, nonprofit four-year colleges is $12,360 in 2014-15, up from $12,120 in 2013-14. Net tuition and fees plus room and board were $23,550 in 2014-15, up from $22,990 in 2013-14.

The average annual inflation-adjusted increase in published tuition and fees at private, nonprofit four-year institutions declined from 4.0 percent to 3.0 percent to 2.2 percent over the three decades from 1984-85 to 2014-15. The data is similar for public universities.

The average published tuition and fee price for students enrolled full-time at private, nonprofit four-year colleges and universities increased by $1,100 (3.7 percent) between 2013-14 and 2014-15. At public universities, published tuition and fees increased $254 (2.9 percent) for in-state and $735 (3.3 percent) for out-of-state students.

Total education borrowing fell by 8 percent between 2012-13 and 2013-14, and by 13 percent over three years. Borrowing per student declined by 6 percent in one year and by 9 percent between 2010-11 and 2013-14.

"This year’s Trends reports make it clear that some of the more visible trends of recent years have slowed or turned around,” said Sandy Baum, research professor of education policy at the George Washington University Graduate School of Human Development, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, and coauthor of the 2014 Trends in Higher Education reports. “It is encouraging that published prices are rising more slowly than in the past and that annual education borrowing has continued to decline. However, the reports also document dramatic increases in published tuition and fees over time that outstrip growth in grant aid for many students, as well as rising levels of cumulative debt among graduates. Assuring that our nation continues to provide access to affordable education for all who can benefit is a prerequisite for a healthy economy and society.”

The College Board summary: New College Board Trends in Higher Education Reports: College Prices Increase at a Slower Pace While Student Borrowing Declines for the Third Consecutive Year

Report: Trends in College Pricing 2014

Report: Trends in Student Aid 2014

Headlines

Financial Pressures Ease on Students, Studies Say
New York Times (November 13, 2014)

U.S. College Borrowing Drops 8%
Wall Street Journal (November 13, 2014)

Why College Costs Keep Eating Up More of Your Paycheck
Money.com (November 13, 2014)

Finally, a Glimmer of Good News About College Debt
Christian Science Monitor (November 13, 2014)

What Going to College in the U.S. Costs Today
CBS News (November 13, 2014)

Tuition and Borrowing Growth Slows
Inside Higher Ed (November 13, 2014)

Forget the Rise in Tuition and Fees, What About Living Expenses?
The Chronicle of Higher Education (November 13, 2014)

Tuition and Fees, 1998-99 Through 2014-15
The Chronicle of Higher Education (November 13, 2014)

College Board: Annual Borrowing for College Is Falling, While Price Growth Remains Slow
The Washington Post (November 13, 2014)

College Tuition Hikes Slowing, Report Says
The Chicago Tribune (November 13, 2014)

Student Borrowing Is Down as Tuition Rises More Slowly, Study Finds
Los Angeles Times (November 13, 2014)

College Board: College Prices Continue to Go Up
St. Louis Post Dispatch / Associated Press (November 13, 2014)

New College Students Taking on Less Debt, College Board Reports
UPI (November 13, 2014)

College Tuition Prices Continue to Swell
Toledo Blade / Associated Press (November 13, 2014)

New Index Underscores Value of What Independent Non-Profit Higher Education Does Best

2014-05-08T13:30:00.000-04:00

Gallup and Purdue University, with the support of Lumina Foundation, this week released the results of their inaugural Gallup-Purdue Index, which highlighted the effectiveness of the “high-touch” educational approaches and programs that characterize independent, nonprofit higher education.

According to Gallup and Purdue, the Index “seeks to examine the long-term success of graduates as they pursue a good job and a better life.” The key factors in the Index are workplace engagement and overall well-being, defined as how people think about and experience their lives.

The results demonstrate the importance that college graduates place on the “soft” measures of value, and the vital role of taking a more holistic, multi-dimensional approach to evaluating the contributions of higher education.

Methodology
The results are based on web surveys of approximately 1,560 respondents with an associate’s degree, and 29,600 respondents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. All respondents were age 18 and older, with access to the Internet, and living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Overview
NAICU’s Senior Research and Policy Analyst Wendy Weiler attended the release of the Index this week in Washington, DC. Based on an analysis of the survey report, Great Jobs Great Lives, and the remarks from the briefing, there are several findings and observations that have been gleaned from the research that will be helpful as institutions, associations, policy makers, and think tanks continue to seek definitions for the value and purpose of a higher education.

The research identified six factors that contribute to “great jobs” and “great lives”:
1. Having at least one professor who made me excited about learning
2. Having professors who cared about me as a person
3. Having a mentor who encouraged me to pursue my goals and dreams
4. Working on a project that took a semester or more to complete
5. Having an internship or job that applied classroom learnings
6. Being extremely active in extracurricular activities and organizations while in college

A key indicator in student engagement is faculty, faculty, faculty. Graduates who reported that faculty engaged them, made them excited to learn, and took a personal interest in them and their learning (emotional support), also said this was an important factor in overall workplace engagement and feelings of well-being. During the briefing, this topic led to a discussion that faculty reward systems may need to be re-evaluated. This is not to say that research is not important, but that faculty need to be concerned with both, and that research and teaching are mutually supportive endeavors.

Experiential learning (where classroom learning is applied in real-world situations) is important to engagement and well-being, and was the second most important engagement factor after faculty emotional support and involvement.

Other Key Findings

Among graduates who are employed full-time for an employer, 40% of private non-profit college respondents were engaged at work compared to 38% from public colleges. The percentages were nearly identical for selective and non-selective privates (41% and 41% respectively) and selective and non-selective publics (39% and 38%).
Slightly more employed graduates who majored in the arts and humanities (41%) and social sciences (41%) are engaged at work than either science (38%) or business (37%) majors.
The percent of those unemployed and employed part-time but want full-time employment are similar across majors: Science (2% unemployed/4% part-time, want full-time); Social Sciences (3%/4%); Business (3%/4%); and Arts & Humanities (3%/7%).
Completion in four years doubles the odds of engagement for working graduates.
Graduates of private non-profit colleges are more likely to be emotionally attached to their alma mater (20%) than graduates of public (17%) and private, for-profit (11%) schools.
Student loans can crush well-being across all categories of well-being, not just financial. The higher the loan amount, the worse their well-being.

In a “Final Thought” to the report, the authors write: “A national dialogue on improving the college experience should focus on ways to provide students with more opportunities for deep learning experiences and real-life applications of classroom learning.”

These are areas where NAICU members excel and can tell very positive stories about programs and outcomes.

Select Media Coverage

Gauging Graduates' Well-Being
Inside Higher Ed

College Grads Grade Their Higher Education
USA Today

Elite Colleges Don't Buy Happiness for Graduates
Wall Street Journal

The Formula for a Good Life After College
Vox

White House Launches Effort on Sexual Violence

2014-05-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault unveiled its first report and launched a new initiative to combat sexual violence at an April 29 event featuring Vice President Joe Biden and several Cabinet officers.

In the report, Not Alone: The First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault , the Task Force said one in five young women reported sexual assaults while in college and one in 10 teens reported being physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the past year.

The new initiative, 1 Is 2 Many, suggests a multi-pronged approach to reduce violence against young women ages 16-24. It includes public service announcements, websites, apps and other tools designed to raise awareness and educate men and women about sexual violence. In addition, NotAlone.gov, offers resources to students, advocates, and universities personnel interested in finding resources on how to prevent and respond to sexual assault on campuses. The site also is expected to post enforcement actions against colleges and offer information to victims about how to file a complaint.

Many of the initiative’s recommendations urge colleges and universities to do more to address sexual assault on campus, including:

• Demonstrate “they’re serious” by conducting campus climate surveys in 2015. It is expected the
Administration will take steps to mandate such surveys in 2016.
• Identify an individual to whom sexual assault victims can speak with confidentially.
• Develop more partnerships with community organizations serving victims of sexual assault.
• Develop new policies related to sexual assault and require more training for students and campus
personnel. Campuses may also have to adjust their disciplinary procedures to accommodate the
presence of attorneys in disciplinary proceedings (expected in pending new Education Department
regulations).

These expectations come in combination with the forthcoming regulations implementing changes to the Clery Act. [See: NAICU Washington Update: Consensus Reached by Negotiated Rulemaking Panel on Campus Sexual Assault Regulatory Changes ]

Bystander intervention also will be a particular focus of the 1 Is 2 Many initiative’s prevention education efforts. A notable first step is the release of thirty- and sixty-second public service announcements featuring actors Daniel Craig, Benicio Del Toro, Dulé Hill, Seth Meyers, and Steve Carell as well as cameo roles by the president and vice president.

Concurrent with the release of the task force report, the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights (ORC) released a 46-page explanation of Title IX requirements related to sexual violence. OCR also is expected to make public a list of colleges under investigation, with the first such announcement scheduled for May 1 as part of the Education Department’s efforts to make its activities more transparent.

Reaction from the higher education community

Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, president at Kalamazoo College in Michigan and NAICU immediate past chair, told the Associated Press there's room for improvement in how college campuses and communities handle sexual assault cases. She said college presidents will have to review the recommendations to determine what works best in their particular situation.

"If you ask a president what keeps them up at night, more than anything it's the safety of our students," Wilson-Oyelaran said.

Kevin Kruger, president of NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, told the Huffington Post he was mostly positive about the task force's report, but singled out the mandatory climate survey as something he does not support. Instead, Kruger suggested, the higher education community itself should seek advice on the best way to gauge the prevalence of sexual assault on campuses.

"We get very concerned about legislation that requires additional staffing," Kruger said. "Campuses are already very, very tight on resources."

Ada Meloy, general counsel for the American Council of Education, echoed Kruger’s concerns. "I will say colleges are concerned about additional requirements, whether they be by regulation or legislation," she said.

It is a concern, Meloy said, if the federal government requires every single college campus to conduct a survey, "particularly if they're not providing funding to us to do so."

Below are links to a collection of resources as well as select media coverage of the announcement.

Resources:

Website: 1 Is 2 Many

Report: Not Alone: The First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault

Website: NotAlone.gov

PSA: 60-second PSA

Document: Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence, April 29, 2014.

Select Media Coverage

NotAlone.Gov to Assist Campus Rape Victims
Associated Press

Behind Focus on College Assaults, a Steady Drumbeat by Students
The New York Times

White House Issues Report on Steps to Prevent Sexual Assaults on College Campuses
The Washington Post

Guidelines to Curb Campus Sexual Assaults Raise Concerns for Accused
Los Angeles Times

White House Report Calls for Campus Violence Surveys
Bloomberg

Sexual Assault on Campus: 'No More Turning a Blind Eye' to It, Biden Says
The Christian Science Monitor

Proposal to Require Campus Climate Surveys on Sexual Assault Faces Quick Opposition
Huffington Post

Recap of White House Summit on College Opportunity

2014-01-17T15:40:00.004-05:00

Thursday’s White House Summit on College Opportunity created a buzz in Washington and beyond as more than 140 college presidents, philanthropists and business leaders attended the exclusive White House event featuring President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The meeting focused on how to increase college attainment among low-income students, while acquiring and promoting some 140 fresh commitments for new programmatic efforts from colleges and others groups.

The 140 commitments were focused in four areas:

· Connecting more low-income students to the college that is right for them and ensuring that more students graduate.

· Increasing the pool of students preparing for college through early intervention efforts.

· Leveling the playing field in college advising and test preparation.

· Seeking breakthroughs in remedial education.

The most striking aspect of the Summit was the collaborative tone of the morning conversation. Administration officials and others praised colleges for their past efforts with low-income students, and their continued efforts to educate students with a wide array of challenges. Attendees were asked to think together on how even more could be accomplished.

The afternoon was more mundane, highlighting many of the education foundations that have been dominating the Washington policy conversation for the past several years, and are detached from many of the on-going efforts on college campuses.

The Summit ended with a request from the White House that participants e-mail the Summit organizers within 10-12 days with ideas on next steps, including any convening role a participant might want to undertake with others who were not included.

Nearly 60 NAICU members attended the event and their institutional pledges were included in the compendium released by the White House: Commitments to Action on College Opportunity.

NAICU President David Warren also attended the Summit. In a statement released yesterday, he said: “We are proud of the more than 60 private, nonprofit institutions which today announced new access and completion initiatives. We are equally proud of the work being done by the hundreds of private colleges working every day to help students achieve their educational goals.”

NAICU has committed to compiling and disseminating the the ideas coming from the private, nonprofit colleges and universities attending the Summit. These new pledges will be added to the list of programs and initiatives catalogued in NAICU’s Building Blocks to 2020 initiative.

The White House did come under some criticism from college and university leaders who were not invited, including a number of private, nonprofit presidents who are already successfully serving high proportions of low-income students. The White House seemed aware of the concern as officials, including both the President and First Lady, promised to reach out to more institutions in the weeks and months ahead.

Below are number of links to the event documents and selected news coverage from around the country:

White House Fact Sheet: Summit on College Opportunity

Commitments to Action on College Opportunity

NAICU Statement on White House Summit

Obama Lauds Pledges to Expand College Opportunities

The New York Times (January 17, 2014)

Dozens of Colleges Pledge to Expand Efforts to Help Students in Financial Need

The Washington Post (January 17, 2014)

Obama Urges Expanding Access to Higher Education

Associated Press (January 16, 2014)

Yale Joins Community Colleges in Bid to Bolster Students

Bloomberg (January 16, 2014)

Colleges Guide Low-Income Students From Getting In to Graduating

NPR (January 17, 2014)

White House Aims to Increase College Access for Low-Income Students

CBS News

Obama Collects College Commitments on Tuition Costs

Washington Times (January 17, 2014)

The Feel-Good Summit

Inside Higher Ed (January 17, 2014)

College Leaders Leave White House Summit Inspired to Act

The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 17, 2014)

Details of College Commitments to Help Low-Income Students

The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 16, 2014)

ANALYSIS: Real-world Trends Clash with Promises Made at White House Summit

The Hechinger Report (January 17, 2014)

Tracking the White House Summit on College Access

The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 16, 2014)

Mount Holyoke College President Lynn Pasquerella Attends White House Summit on Increasing College Opportunity for Low-Income Students

MassLive.com (January 17, 2014)

College Board: Rise in Tuition Slows, Student Aid Decreases

2013-10-23T17:29:00.001-04:00

Published tuition and fee rates at private four-year colleges are up just 3.8 percent to $30,094 this year, according to the College Board, which released the 30th edition of the Trends in College Pricing 2013 and Trends in Student Aid 2013 reports today in New York. With grant aid, the average net price is $12,460.

In fact, the net price today is $1,140 dollars lower at private, nonprofit colleges and universities, using inflation adjusted dollars, than it was in 2003-04. The net price in 2003-04 was $13,600 while it is $12,460 for 2013-14. Net price is the published price of tuition, fees, room and board less student aid and tuition tax credits.

With the addition of room and board charges, the published price rose 3.7 percent, from $39,447 to $40, 917.

"This year's slowing of the price spiral is good news, and we hope it will allow more focus on helping students to access the available financial aid and to enroll and succeed in college," noted Sandy Baum, co-author of the College Board's Trends in Higher Education report series.

Nearly 11 percent of undergraduate students enrolled in private, nonprofit colleges and universities attend institutions with tuition and fees between $33,000 and $35,999. In fact, some 37 percent of students at private, nonprofit institutions attend colleges and universities with tuition and fees between $24,000 and $35,999. About 10 percent attend institutions with tuition and fees above $45,000.

The rise in net price was partially driven by a decline in federal grant aid. While the total amount of student aid money available in 2012-13 was estimated at $238.4 billion, it is less than the $249.7 billion available in 2010-11. The volume of both federal grants and student loans have declined over the past two years, while state grants, institutional aid and private and employer grants have increased.

Student Debt and Student Loans
Despite conventional wisdom, most students (graduate and undergraduate) are graduating with manageable debt. According to the College Board, 70 percent of students owe less than $25,000. Some 40 percent of students hold less than $10,000 in student loan debt, while just 4 percent of borrowers owe more than $100,000.

About 60 percent of students who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2011-12 from either public or private colleges graduate with an average debt of about $26,500.

Students and parents borrowed $110 billion in loans in 2012-13. This represents a decrease from a peak (in 2012 dollars) of over $120 billion in 2010-11. Last year, borrowing totaled nearly $118 billion.

Grant aid and tax benefits for students enrolled at private, nonprofit colleges and universities totaled an estimated $17,630 in 2013-14. In fact, the average undergraduate student received enough grant aid to cover 60 percent of the tuition and fees.

Finally, only 10 percent of borrowers who attended of private, nonproft colleges and universities defaulted on repayment of their student loans in FY2011, compared to 20 percent public university borrowers and 43 percent of borrowers from for-profit institutions.

NAICU’s survey of its 900 member private colleges and universities found a 3.6 percent increase in tuition and fees for 2013-14.

The College Board’s news release as well as copies of the Trends reports are available from the organization’s website: www.collegeboard.org.

College Board’s Trends in Higher Education Series:
• Trends in College Pricing 2013
• Trends in Student Aid 2013
• Education Pays 2013
• How College Shapes Lives: Understanding the Issues

Select media coverage of the College Board announcement:

Net Prices Rising
Inside Higher Ed.com (October 23, 2013)

Tuition Increases Slow Down, but There's More to College Affordability
The Chronicle of Higher Education (October 23, 2013)

Annual Rise in Cost of Public College Slows
The New York Times (October 23, 2013)

Colleges See a Slowdown in Tuition Price Increases
USA Today (October 23, 2013)

College Board: Tuition Growth Slowing at Public Colleges
The Washington Post (October 23, 2013)

U.S. College Price Increases Slow While Outstripping Inflation
Bloomberg (October 23, 2013)

College Tuition Increases By Smallest Percentage In 30 Years For Public Universities
The Huffington Post (October 23, 2013)

Higher Education Act Reauthorization Underway In Senate

2013-09-19T17:22:00.002-04:00

Work to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, which expires on September 30, 2014, is officially underway in both chambers of Congress following the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s formal announcement regarding a series of hearings on higher education issues.

“The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will provide a unique opportunity for Congress to act to improve college access and affordability, while ensuring that students receive a quality education,” said Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) in the announcement. “Reauthorizing HEA will be a collaborative effort, and I am pleased to join with Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to convene these hearings and to jointly seek input from stakeholders—so that we can shape a bill that best reflects the needs of students, families, and educators alike.”

Sen. Alexander was quoted saying: “These hearings will help Congress address how the federal government can create an environment in which 6,000 colleges and universities of many types and sizes can combine to be the best higher education system in the world, while providing choices for students at a reasonable cost.”

The Senate expects to explore a range of issues during the hearings, including:

roles of the state, the federal government, and accreditors in higher education
keeping college affordable
approaches to increase quality in higher education
student access
innovative approaches to improving student success
student financial aid
teacher preparation programs

Along with the hearings, the Senate HELP Committee also is seeking comment from the higher education community. Once a hearing has been announced, the committee has invited higher education organizations and others to submit recommendations related to the hearing topic. The committee seeks five page documents that provide background on the issue addressed, citing the appropriate statutory reference or regulation, details on each recommendation, including proposed legislative language, if appropriate, and the rationale for the recommendation. All recommendations are due prior to the specific hearing.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce started work on reauthorization a year ago with its own series of hearings and a request this past April for recommendations from the higher education community. NAICU submitted a series of recommendations to the House on July 24, including proposals to assist students and families by updating and restoring student aid, create incentives for on-time graduation, promote affordability, and consolidate and improve information provided to students and families. The recommendations also address the need to combat fraud and abuse, as well as institutional concerns such as how to reduce regulatory burdens, improve federal financial responsibility procedures, and preserve academic decision making. Links to NAICU’s proposals follow:

The House hearings have included issues such as accreditation, career and technical education, improving access and affordability through partnerships, supporting higher education opportunities for America’s servicemembers and veterans, and improving higher education through innovation.

Serving the Needs of American Servicemembers and Veterans

2013-09-10T17:32:00.000-04:00

Creating a supportive environment and developing individualized roadmaps to graduation are two key approaches critical to serving the needs of the nation’s servicemembers and veterans enrolled in college, according to Saint Leo University President Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. who will testify before the U.S. House of Representatives at Noon on September 11, 2013.

In testimony prepared for the hearing: Keeping College Within Reach: Supporting Higher Education Opportunities for America’s Servicemembers and Veterans, Kirk outlines the ambitious efforts of Saint Leo University to support America’s servicemembers and veterans returning to college.

The hearing before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce will feature four witnesses. In addition to Kirk, others testifying include: Kimrey W. Rhinehardt, vice president for federal and military affairs, The University of North Carolina; Russell S. Kitchner, vice president for regulatory and governmental relations, American Public University System; and Ken Sauer, senior associate commissioner for research and academic affairs, Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Details on the hearing and a live web stream can be found on the Committee's website.

“Saint Leo University is proud of its military students and is committed to providing them with outstanding academic programs and personal attention in small classes,” Kirk said in his prepared testimony.

Saint Leo University’s efforts to create a proactive “veteran-supportive environment” include relevant training for faculty, staff, and students. Some 52 veteran certifying officials (VCOs) have received extensive training in identifying and addressing issues that veterans are likely to face in pursuing their education. The VCOs are also trained to identify signs of post-traumatic stress and to respond to it. The university also opened an Office of Veteran Student Services to support the military and veterans mission in 2011.

Kirk also highlighted the university’s efforts to provide military and veterans students with a “road map to graduation.” University officials determine what credits the student is bringing to college and then develop a clear sequence of courses towards a degree. The individualized plans are updated each term so that the student clearly understands what’s needed to graduate.

“We believe that social support is also critical and continue to look for new ways for veteran students to connect on campus and at our education centers,” he said. “We recognize the critical role that faculty and staff veterans can play in mentoring veteran students and have encouraged these interactions. The sense of community that these efforts build on campus benefits our entire student body—veterans and non-veterans alike.”

The payoff of this activity: the University awarded 311 associate degrees, 884 bachelors, and 290 graduate degrees to veterans in 2012, more than double the number from two years ago.

Private College Leaders Speak Out on Obama Higher Education Proposals

2013-09-04T11:53:00.000-04:00

Note: Additional comments have been added since the original post.

President Obama’s plan to make college more affordable, A Better Bargain for the Middle Class: Making College More Affordable, announced August 22 during a three campus bus tour in New York and Pennsylvania has drawn comments from a number of private higher education leaders.

The President’s Plan calls for tying financial aid to college performance, starting with publishing new college ratings before the 2015-16 academic year. It also holds students and colleges receiving student aid responsible for making progress toward a degree. The president also plans to give consumers clear, transparent information on college performance to help them make the decisions that work best for them. Complete details on the President’s plan are available on the White House website.

Reaction from private higher education leaders includes:

“The forms of accountability that the president proposes are important, but they are not sufficient. Moreover, if adopted without sufficient nuance in their application, they have the potential for unintended consequences—the temptation, for example, to produce more graduates at the expense of academic standards and adequate preparation. When isolated from other measures of the quality of education, some of the more easily quantifiable indicators can be misleading.”

Carolyn A. (Biddy) Martin
President, Amherst College
"Yes, Mr. President, But …"

The Chronicle of Higher Education
August 23, 2013

“Notwithstanding my profound and serious misgivings about the "Plan to Make College More Affordable," I share the appreciation and gratefulness of most college and university presidents for President Obama's previous efforts to deal with the problem of college cost. We here at St. John's College join him in this effort, as we continue to pledge our own institutional resources to making the education we offer affordable to all who apply.”

Christopher B. Nelson
President, St. John’s College Annapolis
"Flawed From the Start: The President's New Plan for Higher Education"

The Huffington Post
August 30, 2013

“Assessment of the value that colleges and universities add must always include the intrinsic personal, economic, social and cultural benefits associated with attending and graduating from a college or university. Additional attention to quality, cost, and institutional performance is a good thing, but a useful rating system must reflect what we value as society and as individuals. We must ask: what does any ratings system that might be developed say about what we value?”

Sidney A. Ribeau
President, Howard University
"College Presidents on Obama’s Rating Plan"

The Washington Post
August 30, 2013

“Students and families borrow for college, and make no mistake, the rising amount of borrowing is the catalyst for all of this discussion. The Obama administration knows that the ticket for young people for a brighter and more prosperous future depends on access to education. But to blame institutions without any detailed study as to why costs have risen is ludicrous.”

Ed H. Moore, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
"Lectures from the President on Fiscal Prudence"
Sunshine State News
August 26, 2013

“Each family is unique. Given the exact same data, families are going to make quite different decisions about colleges, because their needs, goals and circumstances differ. So I would be very cautious about creating some sort of composite “value” rating of colleges and universities. Any rating system I can imagine assumes that different families care about the same things and place the same priority on each of those things. And, in reality, they do not. Students make choices based on what is right for them and for their families. Transparent, easy-to-access information is what they need, not a “one-size-fits-all” rating system.”

Ronald J. Daniels
President, Johns Hopkins University
"College Presidents on Obama’s Rating Plan"

The Washington Post
August 30, 2013

“While I share President Obama’s concern about college affordability and student debt, I worry about any ranking scheme that can be influenced by the fashions, or the definitions, of the moment. “Value” has many possible interpretations, and the thought that the standard – and thus the rankings – might change from one administration to another is horrifying. It is well established that people not only tend to earn more money, but also to have a better life, if they get a college education. However, it is simplistic, and ultimately mischievous, to suggest that students should choose their major on the basis of “graduate earnings.”

Sanford J. Ungar
President, Goucher College
"College Presidents on Obama’s Rating Plan"

The Washington Post
August 30, 2013

“It is deeply disappointing when the president of the United States opines about college costs in simplistic and finger-wagging terms, echoing the sensationalism of pundits and the media as they discuss the "reform" and "lasting change" needed in higher education.”

Donald R. Eastman III
President, Eckerd College
"Colleges Are More Than Sticker Prices, Salaries"

Tampa Bay Times

August 25, 2013

“The rankings done by the private sector, including [U.S. News and World Report], are very controversial. There is no reason to expect the federal government to do this better than the private sector, mainly because the idea behind a unique ranking that is appropriate for all students doesn’t make any sense. Different students care about different things, and the rankings combine a variety of measures that may not be relevant or important to all students. What has been helpful to students and families from the rankings is the information that has become available as a result. The government could help students and families by continuing to make data available. But, combining those data into yet another single ranking will not be helpful.”

Catharine Hill
President, Vassar College

"College Presidents on Obama’s Rating Plan"

The Washington Post
August 30, 2013

“These issues of affordability, access and accountability and how we set and determine standards are critically important to the future of education in this nation. Any new ranking system for colleges and universities must recognize that all institutions are unique; therefore, it will be challenging to develop a ranking system that accurately reflects each institution's strengths and challenges.”

Jackie Jenkins-Scott
President, Wheelock College
"Social Mission Should Be Part of College Ranking Equation"
The Huffington Post
September 3, 2013

“President Obama's plan is shockingly devoid of any sense of respect for, even understanding of, the nature of teaching and learning at the collegiate level, the careful cultivation of the life of the mind through a remarkable diversity of academic programs, the advancement of intellect beyond rote lower learning models, the inculcation in the student of the ability to think independently, to engage in deeply critical analysis, to pursue innovative research, to discover new knowledge, to create new tools for human advancement. The worth of higher education cannot be reduced to the average salaries of recent graduates.”

Patricia McGuire
President, Trinity Washington University
"Federal Regulation to Reduce College Costs: The Big Lie"

The Huffington Post
August 25, 2013

“Overall, I applaud President Obama for focusing the nation’s attention on educational quality and access. I also applaud the President for entering boldly into this area that is critical for the future of our nation and for inviting leaders from across higher education into an important national debate. I am confident we can make progress together.”

David Skorton
President, Cornell University

"College Presidents on Obama’s Rating Plan"

The Washington Post

August 30, 2013

"The national concerns about higher education are real, and we certainly must be attentive to the concerns of students and their families, but when politicians attempt to wish away complex problems with simplistic solutions whose consequences are not well-considered, students and ultimately the country are likely to be hurt."

Michael Hemesath
President, Saint John's University
"The Ratings Fantasy"

Quad 136
September 6, 2013

"The government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers among colleges and universities. The biggest lesson to be drawn from the president's recent lecture tour is that college is a place where one size does not fit all."

Susan West Engelkemeyer
President, Nichols College
"Rating System Wrong Way to Go"
Worcester Telegram
September 6, 2013

President Obama Presents 2012 National Humanities Medals to Five Private Higher Education Leaders

2013-07-10T16:09:00.002-04:00

President Barack Obama today presented the 2012 National Humanities Medals to 12 Americans, including five leaders in private higher education, for their outstanding achievements in history, literature, higher education, social documentary and cultural criticism.

The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities.

Among the 2012 medalists are:

Edward L. Ayers (president of the University of Richmond) historian, for his commitment to making our history as widely available and accessible as possible. Ayers’ innovations in digital humanities extend higher learning beyond campus boundaries and allow broad audiences to discover the past in new ways.
William G. Bowen (former provost and president of Princeton University) academic leader, for his contributions to the study of economics and his probing research on higher education in America. While his widely discussed publications have scrutinized the effects of policy, Bowen has used his leadership to put theories into practice and strive for new heights of academic excellence.
Jill Ker Conway (former president of Smith College) author and leader in higher education, for her contributions as a historian and trailblazing academic leader. Conway has inspired generations of scholars, and her studies of exceptional and empowered women have revealed a common drive that unites women across the globe—to create, to lead, and to excel.
Natalie Zemon Davis (Henry Charles Lee Professor of History Emeritus at Princeton University) historian, for her insights into the study of history and her exacting eloquence in bringing the past into focus. With vivid description and exhaustive research, her works allow us to experience life through our ancestors’ eyes and to truly engage with our history.
Robert D. Putnam (professor of public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University), political scientist, for deepening our understanding of community in America. Examining how patterns of engagement divide and unite, Putnam’s writing and research inspire us to improve institutions that make society worth living in, and his insights challenge us to be better citizens.

Among the other recipients were sports writer Frank Deford, novelists Joan Didion and Marilynne Robinson, poet Kay Ryan, editor and co-founder of The New York Times Review of Books Robert B. Silvers, actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, and photographer Camilo Jose Vergara.

The medals, first awarded as the Charles Frankel Prize in 1989, were presented during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

Since 1996, when the first National Humanities Medal was given, 145 individuals have been honored, inclusive of this year’s awardees. Ten organizations also received medals. Previous medalists include Pulitzer Prize winner Philip Roth, Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, novelist John Updike, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel, sociologist Robert Coles, and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

A complete list of previous honorees is available the NEH website.

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Affirmative Action, Employment Discrimination Decisions

2013-06-25T17:32:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Supreme Court issued decisions Monday reshaping affirmative action in college admissions and limiting discrimination and retaliation lawsuits against employers.

In the affirmative action case, Fisher v. University of Texas, the Court placed increased emphasis on the requirement that any consideration of race in college admissions must be “narrowly tailored,” and subject to “strict scrutiny.” The case was sent back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for further review.

At issue is when the consideration of race in admissions is necessary and therefore justifiable, independent of the underlying admissions approach. The case, brought by Abigail Fisher, challenged the University of Texas’ race-conscious admissions policy. The white woman, rejected for admissions, claimed her rights were violated because the institution’s admissions decisions considered race and ethnicity.

In a 7-1 decision, the Justices ruled that schools must prove there are “no workable race-neutral alternatives” to achieve diversity on campus. It also concluded the Fifth Circuit failed to apply this “strict scrutiny” standard to the admissions policies of the University of Texas at Austin. In the opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy concluded the University of Texas’ affirmative action program could be found to be constitutional only if “no workable race-neutral alternatives would produce the educational benefits of diversity."

In sending the case back to the Fifth Circuit, the Justices instructed the court to determine whether the university could produce evidence that its admissions policies met this “strict scrutiny” standard.

Left unchanged by this decision are the Court’s precedents that diversity can be a compelling government interest, found earlier in the Bakke and Grutter cases. The court is likely to deal with these issues again in the next year or two, either in a further consideration of Fisher or another case challenging race conscious admissions policies. For now, the law is unchanged, but colleges and universities are on notice that any consideration of race must be narrow and fully justified.

Higher education institutions also played key roles in two other Supreme Court decisions announced on Monday.

In Vance v. Ball State University, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss a lawsuit against Ball State University and narrowed the definition of who is considered a "supervisor" under federal employment discrimination law.

In a 5-to-4 ruling, the Court decided an employee is considered a supervisor only when he or she is empowered by the employer to take "tangible employment actions," such as hiring, firing, demoting, promoting, transferring, or disciplining another employee.

In University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center v. Nassar, the court established a stricter standard for retaliation claims against employers. In the case, a doctor claimed he was denied permanent employment after complaining that a supervisor discriminated against him. The institution maintained it never intended to hire the doctor.

In a 5-4 decision, the Court decided that the doctor had to prove that the denial of employment was retaliation for filing the employment claim. Moving forward, employees who claim an employer has retaliated against them, must prove that the action is the result of an intent to retaliate. The decision is expected to reduce a growing number of retaliation lawsuits in the lower courts.

Below are several resources about the cases for your review:

Affirmative Action

Fisher V. University of Texas at Austin, Et Al. Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

The Supreme Court of the United States

Court Calls for Tougher Scrutiny of Affirmative Action

USA Today (June 24, 2013)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/06/24/supreme-court-race-affirmative-action-texas-michigan-roberts-kennedy/2086039/

Another Round on Affirmative Action

Inside Higher Ed (June 24, 2013)

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/24/supreme-court-orders-new-appeals-court-consideration-affirmative-action-case

In Narrow Ruling, Supreme Court Vacates Decision That Upheld Race-Conscious Admissions

The Chronicle of Higher Education (June 24, 2013)

http://chronicle.com/article/Fisher-v-Texas-The/138169/

Finally! The Fisher Case in Plain English

SCOTUS Blog

http://www.scotusblog.com/?p=165685

Employment Discrimination

Vance v. Ball State University, et. al.

The Supreme Court of the United States

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center v. Nassar

The Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court Raises Bar to Prove Job Discrimination

The New York Times (June 25, 2013)

Court Rules for Employers in Two Employment Discrimination Cases

SCOTUS Blog

College Education Still Pays

2013-05-29T15:32:00.001-04:00

A new report on employment and education out today from The Georgetown University Center for Employment and the Workforce concludes: “it still pays to earn a college degree, but not all degrees are created equal.”

In Hard Times, College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings 2013: Not All College Degrees Are Created Equal, researchers Anthony P. Carnevale and Ban Cheah report while ‘a college degree gives job seekers a formidable advantage over those without, this update confirms a harsh reality: not all degrees are created equal. Choice of major determines likelihood of unemployment.”

The researchers found overall unemployment rates for college graduates with work experience hover around 4.6–4.7 percent, but the overall unemployment rate for recent college graduates is higher at 7.9 percent. Data in the report is from 2010 and 2011.

Other major findings:

Unemployment rates are relatively low for recent graduates in education (5.0%), engineering (7.0%), health and the sciences (4.8%) because they are tied to stable or growing industry sectors and occupations.
Graduates in psychology and social work also have relatively low rates (8.8%) because almost half of them work in healthcare or education sectors.
Unemployment is generally higher for non-technical majors, such as the arts (9.8%) or law and public policy (9.2%).
People who make technology are still better off than people who use technology. Unemployment rates for recent graduates in information systems, concentrated in clerical functions, is high (14.7%) compared with mathematics (5.9%) and computer science (8.7%).
Even as the housing bubble seems to be dissipating, unemployment rates for recent architecture graduates have remained high (12.8%). Graduate degrees and work experience did not shield these graduates from a sector- specific shock; graduates with experience in the field have the same jobless rates as the economy overall (9.3%).

The Georgetown study confirms that a college education still pays off in an economy recovering from recession. Earnings, however, also depend on what employed college graduates took. Median earnings among recent college graduates range from $54,000 for engineering majors to $30,000 for majors in arts; psychology and social work; and life and physical sciences. The highest paying majors continue to be in engineering.

Graduate degrees continue to bring good value. The overall unemployment rate for people with graduate degrees is 3.3 percent, ranging from a low 2.3 percent for people who obtained a degree in language and drama education and also obtained a graduate degree to a high 6.9 percent for people who obtained a degree in architecture and also obtained a graduate degree not necessarily in the same field. With the exception of arts and education, where pay is traditionally low, workers with graduate degrees average between $60,000 and $100,000 per year.

Not all graduate degrees outperform all bachelor’s degrees on employment. For example, experienced college graduates in healthcare have lower unemployment rates than people with graduate degrees in almost every other field except life and physical sciences.

See the full updated report at: Hard Times, College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings 2013: Not All College Degrees Are Created Equal.

Spring College Enrollments Down Nationally; Private Enrollment Up .5 Percent

2013-05-17T11:08:00.001-04:00

The National Student Clearinghouse released a new report Thursday estimating college enrollment declined by 2.3 percent (19,105,651) in Spring 2013 compared to Spring 2012 (19,550,391). Private, nonprofit colleges were the only sector to post an increase in Spring enrollment (.5 percent). The largest enrollment decreases were among four‐year, for‐profit institutions (‐8.7 percent) and two‐year public institutions (‐3.6 percent).

The enrollment increase for private, nonprofit colleges and universities has been consistent over the past three years in the NSC data. Private, nonprofit college enrollment has grown from 3.4 million in Spring 2011 to 3.6 million this year.

NSC said the report continues a trend observed in its fall 2012 report, which found that fall 2012 enrollment (20,195,924) declined 1.8 percent compared to fall 2011 (20,556,272). NSC notes “The finding is consistent with the improving labor market: as the economy recovers, more students are returning to the workforce.”

Among the other findings:

The Midwest experienced the greatest decrease in overall enrollment compared to spring 2012 (‐2.6 percent). There was very little decrease in the Northeast (‐0.9 percent) compared with other regions. Overall, the number of adult learners (students over age 24) decreased at more than twice the rate of traditional age students (‐3.6 percent compared to ‐1.4 percent).
Overall, the rate of decrease was larger for women than for men (‐2.7 percent compared to ‐1.7 percent), but women still accounted for over 57 percent of spring 2013 enrollments.
While spring enrollments are typically lower than fall enrollments, the overall difference between the two has been growing, with the spring 2013 total being 5.4 percent lower than fall 2012.

For details see: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center: Current Term Enrollment Estimate, Spring 2013.

Fiscal Cliff Agreement and Higher Education

2013-01-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

President Obama has signed the fiscal cliff agreement approved by the Senate and House earlier this week. There are some extraordinary tax victories for higher education in this deal, as well as some overall limits on deductions that we'll need to study more closely. Regarding the broader federal budget cuts which were set to go into effect January 3 (from the August 2011 Budget Control Act), the fiscal cliff deal did not eliminate the cuts, but rather diminished and delayed them until March.

Here are the specifics:

The bill makes permanent tax code Sec. 127 -- employer provided education assistance -- for both graduate and undergraduate course work. Sec. 127 allows up to $5,250 annually of tax-free employer-provided tuition assistance for working students. The Sec. 127 benefit has been a temporary provision since 1978. NAICU co-chairs the 127 coalition, made up of business, labor, and higher education, that has been trying to make this provision permanent for decades. This is great news for all students with employers who provide tuition assistance!

The bill also makes permanent the improvements to the Student Loan Interest Deduction (SLID) and Coverdell ESA's. For SLID, the 5-year limit on claiming the deduction is now permanently removed, and the income caps are permanently increased. Also, the annual tax-free contribution limit for Coverdell Savings Accounts is now permanently at $2,000.

The items that were made permanent listed above are subject to annual income caps of $400,000 single and $450,000 married or joint. It appears that the following items maintain their lower income caps since the higher tax rates were applied only to the “Bush-era” tax cuts:

· The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), created in the 2008-09 stimulus package that is an expansion of the HOPE tax credit and is partially refundable, was extended for five years.

· The tuition deduction that expired at the end of 2011 was retroactively extended for two years. This means it will cover all of 2012 and 2013, and is now set to again expire on December 31, 2013.

The charitable giving provisions are a mixed bag.

The IRA charitable rollover was retroactively extended for two years. Like the tuition deduction, it will now cover 2012 and all of 2013. Of concern to the charitable sector, however, is the reinstatement of what's known as the "Pease limitation.”

The Pease limitation (named after Rep. Don Pease) reduces the value of itemized deductions for high-income ($250,000 single/$300,000 married or joint) taxpayers to 3% of adjusted gross income (AGI) in excess of the income threshold. The reduction can't exceed 80% of the total deductions. If the Pease limits had been in place for 2012, the threshold for a single taxpayer would have been about $173,000.

The Pease limits were created during the Clinton administration, but were gradually phased out in President Bush's 2001 tax bill, and have not been in effect since 2010. It now has been reinstated as a revenue raiser in the fiscal cliff deal. We're working with CASE and others in the charitable giving sector to determine the potential impact to giving -- including new interactive possibilities with the IRA rollover, now that it's back in place. Since rollover gifts are not counted towards a donor’s income, this should lead to a lower AGI and, depending on how many itemized deductions a donor takes, less of a hit from the Pease limitation.

Sequestration

The bill delays the date of the FY 2013 sequestration order by two months to March 1, 2013. This delay reduces the total amount of the sequester by $24 billion (from $1.2 trillion to $1.176 trillion) over 10 years. This change is paid for by lowering the FY 2013 and 2014 spending caps and increased revenues from a Roth IRA provision.

The delay means that Congress has two more months to find $85 billion in cuts from FY 2013. While the total has lowered from $109 billion, the remainder of the current sequestration process remains unchanged: if Congress does not find savings of $85 billion by March 1, the automatic across the board cut will take half from defense spending, and half from non-defense spending.

Current funding for FY 2013 is being provided through a continuing resolution, which will expire March 27. NAICU will continue to monitor how the Appropriations Committees and congressional leadership work towards this new deadline, and the implications for research and student aid funding.

Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons Testifies on the Role of Data in Higher Education

2012-09-20T14:01:00.000-04:00

Representing NAICU and the nation's private, nonprofit colleges and universities, Tracy Fitzsimmons, president of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., testified on Capitol Hill today during a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the role of data in higher education. (Click here for the text of her written testimony.)

The hearing, titled “Assessing College Data: Helping to Provide Valuable Information to Students, Institutionsand Taxpayers,” was held by the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. An archived webcast of the hearing will be available on the subcommittee’s website.

“The question of data – what we should collect, how we should use it, and the role of the federal government in that collection process – is central to an array of education policy questions,” Fitzsimmons said. “I think everyone would agree that good data helps inform good decisions—whether that be in the classroom or in Congress. There is less agreement, however, in defining ‘good’ data, and in determining how much is enough.”

Fitzsimmons asked Congress to be wary of implementing data requirements that inadvertently:

make it more difficult for colleges to give at-risk students a chance;
alter the very nature of higher education— away from emphasizing independent thought and creative problem-solving, and toward equating value with financial return;
shift the historical focus of need-based federal student aid away from the student toward the institution; and
alter the fundamental role of the federal government in higher education – essentially federalizing what has been a pluralistic, local, and entrepreneurial network.

Fitzsimmons has served as Shenandoah’s president since 2008, and is a member of the NAICU board of directors.

Avalanche of Tax Activity Hits Capitol Hill

2012-08-01T17:14:00.000-04:00

Multiple tax bills are in motion on the Hill, with conflicting reports on the status of higher education provisions in each bill.

On Wednesday, July 25, the Senate passed S. 3412, which would extend a host of tax provisions set to expire on December 31 of this year. Included in that bill were one-year extensions of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), Section 127 employer-provided education assistance, and improvements made to the Student Loan Interest Deduction (SLID) and Coverdell Education Saving Accounts (ESAs). These items would all be extended one year, until December 31, 2013. All of the items in this bill would only be available to taxpayers earning less than $250,000 annually.

The House is expected to vote tomorrow (August 2) on its version of 2012 expiring provisions. The House bill includes only Section 127, SLID and Coverdell ESAs. It does not include an extension of the AOTC. The House bill extends tax provisions from the 2001/2003 Bush-era tax bills that are set to expire on December 31, 2012. The AOTC was enacted in 2008 in economic stimulus legislation backed by the Obama administration. It is also a temporary provision, and had previously been renewed with other expiring provisions. The items in the House bill would be extended for one year, until December 31, 2013, and would not be subject to income cap limitations.

The AOTC is becoming quite controversial. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, opposes extending the AOTC and feels it was never meant to be a permanent part of the law, but was part of a package of economic stimulus provisions meant to be “targeted, timely and temporary.” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has taken the lead in supporting the AOTC and has introduced legislation to improve it and make it permanent. House Ways and Means members generally support the college tax credit, but House Republicans are less enamored with its partial refundability and high cost.

Also in play is another bill coming out of the Senate Finance Committee. This second bill – which is expected to be voted on tomorrow – would retroactively extend for two years another group of provisions that expired on December 31, 2011, including the IRA charitable rollover and tuition deduction. The bill would extend these items covering all of 2012 and 2013.

Even though there is significant activity on tax extenders, Congress will begin its August recess in a few days without moving forward with House/Senate conferences on any of these bills. The battle over the final tax extender bill to be sent to the president will likely occur in the lame duck session of Congress after the November elections.

VA Extends "Principles of Excellence" Deadline to August 1

2012-06-29T17:14:00.000-04:00

This afternoon we received notice from Robert Worley, Director of the Education Service at the Department of Veterans Affairs, that the deadline for institutions to indicate their acceptance of the VA’s Principles of Excellence outlined in Executive Order 13607 has been extended to August 1. (For background, see our June 22 Washington Update story).

The notice also indicated that the VA is working with the Departments of Education and Defense to develop and disseminate guidance on complying with the principles. The VA has sent a letter to institutions informing them of the delay.

This decision comes on the heels of a request from the higher education community for clarification on the expectations for institutions agreeing to the principles. In addition, a June 28 letter from Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) requested a delay in the deadline. The senators’ letter also asks for a response to the questions raised by the higher education community, and information on any other action the VA is contemplating in regard to implementation of the Executive Order.

Save the Date: 2013 NAICU Annual Meeting & Advocacy Day, February 3-6, 2013

2012-06-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

Please hold the date for the 2013 NAICU Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day, February 3-6, in Washington, D.C. It will be the single most important national higher education event held in the nation’s capital next year. The meeting, titled “Capitol Conversations,” comes only three months after the American people have voted on both the presidency and members of Congress.

With the federal government’s expanding role in both student aid and oversight of colleges, independent higher education is facing unprecedented challenges in Washington. Our institutions are being pressed on several fronts: fraud and abuse, state authorization, tax policy, teacher preparation, student aid funding, gainful employment, and college affordability, among others.

We need you to share your institution’s story, and the issues that are impacting your students and your college or university.

Coming on the heels of the November elections, our newly added Advocacy Day on Tuesday, February 5, will give you the ideal opportunity to take our message to the Hill, as an influential community leader and constituent. To prepare you for meetings with your individual representatives or state delegation, we will provide you with talking points and a briefing on the most urgent policy issues, and assist you, in consultation with your state executive, in arranging Hill visits.

You also have the opportunity to leverage your Washington visit with other activities – donor visits, a regional alumni event, and visits to the Washington-based national news organizations and higher education trade media. You will have a chance to network with your colleagues from across the nation, and to catch up with old friends.

Once program details and online registration become available over the summer we will notify you. Until then, we encourage you to mark the NAICU Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day on your calendar for February 3-6, 2013.

Reminder - VA Yellow Ribbon Deadline May 15

2012-05-09T10:58:00.000-04:00

The Department of Veterans Affairs has asked us to send a friendly follow-up to our late March reminder that the deadline for submission of Yellow Ribbon program agreements is rapidly approaching. Institutions wishing to participate in the program during the 2012-13 academic year must submit an agreement by Tuesday, May 15.

In the past, some institutions lost eligibility for the program because they didn’t realize they had to submit a new agreement each year. After this year, this should no longer be a problem because the 2012-13 agreement will remain in effect for future years, unless an institution specifically withdraws from the program or modifies the terms of the agreement.

The Yellow Ribbon Program Agreement form and an updated “Frequently Asked Questions” document are posted on the VA website.

Inflation-Adjusted Net Tuition at Private Colleges Drops 4.1 Percent in the Last Five Years

2011-11-07T14:04:00.055-05:00

Average inflation-adjusted net tuition and fees (published tuition and fees minus grants from all sources and federal tax benefits) at private, nonprofit colleges and universities actually dropped 4.1 percent, from $13,520 in 2006-07 to $12,970 in 2011-12, according to the College Board.

The College Board also reported five-year trends for net total cost of attendance. Total cost includes tuition and fees plus room and board charges. In the last five years, the inflation-adjusted net total cost of attendance at private, nonprofit colleges has remained fairly constant, increasing only 1.95 percent from $22,610 in 2006-07 to $23,060 in 2011-12.

Click on chart to enlarge. Note: Prices have been rounded to the nearest $10. Source: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges, Trends in Student Aid 2011; calculations by the authors.

The net tuition findings were reported in the College Board’s Trends in College Pricing 2011 report. A statement by NAICU President David L. Warren on the College Board’s findings is here.

Additional Data

Other pertinent data on tuition, student aid, and affordability trends from the College Board.

In 2011-12, full-time students at private, nonprofit four-year institutions receive an estimated average of approximately $15,530 in grant aid from all sources and federal tax benefits. This reduces the average published tuition and fees of $28,500 to an average net tuition of $12,970.
The College Board reports that private, nonprofit colleges increased published tuition and fees by an average of 4.5 percent in in 2011-12. According to NAICU’s own annual tuition survey, the percentage annual increases in the past three years are among the lowest since 1972. They were also outpaced by increases in institutionally provided student aid. In the 10 years preceding the economic downturn, annual tuition increases at private nonprofit colleges averaged 6 percent.

The Bottom Line

By holding tuition increases to some of the lowest levels seen in decades and boosting institutional student aid budgets, private nonprofit colleges and universities are working to keep students’ out-of-pocket costs as low as possible, while still providing a quality academic experience. Through these efforts, private, nonprofit colleges remain the best higher education value for millions of students.

NAICU President Submits Testimony on Nontraditional Students for Advisory Committee Hearing

2011-10-13T10:28:00.008-04:00

NAICU President David L. Warren submitted the following statement on under-served students for the fall 2011 hearing of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Aid Assistance. In it, Dr. Warren addresses the growth in the nontraditional student population and measures by private nonprofit institutions to improve retention and completion rates.

Hearing of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance

September 30, 2011

Written Testimony on Nontraditional Students

Submitted by David L. Warren, President

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

Washington, D.C.

Thank you for soliciting written testimony to supplement the hearing proceedings that are focused on strategies, policies and practices for improving college degree and certificate completion among nontraditional students. The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) represents close to 1,000 of America’s private nonprofit postsecondary institutions, characterized by campuses both large and small, from the Ivy League, women’s colleges, historically black and Hispanic-serving institutions, as well as the broad spectrum of faith-based colleges, all of whom dedicate themselves to serving a student population as diverse as the nation itself.

Recent postsecondary education projections released by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveal that postsecondary enrollments will continue to grow, reaching 23 million by 2020 (an increase of 13% from 2009) . According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), this will be insufficient to support the 4.5% annual degree attainment rate increase necessary to achieve President Obama’s ambitious, yet worthy, 2020 goal of making the U.S. first in the world in college completion. Unless we significantly increase the proportion of students that complete their degrees, the nation will not reach the 2020 goal. Nontraditional students – broadly defined as any postsecondary student who is not between the ages of 18 and 24 attending full-time – have quietly come to dominate the higher education college-going landscape. This fact makes them a key demographic in higher education, as well as critical to meeting the nation’s goals. NCES predicts that between 2009 and 2020, enrollment of nontraditional students aged 25 to 34 will increase by 21%, and enrollment of adults 35 and above will increase by 16%. Further, students attending part-time will increase by 16%, and first-time freshman by 11%.

Nontraditional students experience multiple barriers to successful and timely degree and credential completion, and most fail in their efforts to overcome them. Many of these students juggle several competing responsibilities, and their main identity is not tied to that of being a college student; it is an aspect of their lives that frequently takes a back seat to other more pressing responsibilities. Many are employed full-time, have dependents, attend part-time and must periodically “stop-out” of college. These factors present substantial roadblocks to completion, and present a challenge for institutions to find ways to help remove these obstacles. In short, serving nontraditional students requires flexibility, support and multiple pathways to help them achieve their education goals. Fortunately, some national longitudinal data exists (NPSAS, BPS, B&B) that identify and follow students with these risk factors, illuminating the issues they face. Private nonprofit colleges and universities across the nation have already utilized this baseline knowledge, together with on-campus data and experience, to craft programs that have proven to be successful in supporting and serving these students.

While enrolling a highly diversified student body, independent colleges and universities see 79% of their undergraduates earn their bachelor’s degree within six years . Further, among four-year postsecondary institutions, independent colleges and universities enroll 26% of all undergraduate students while conferring 31% of all bachelor’s degrees . This level of student success leads the postsecondary community. It has been achieved while educating a greater proportion of students considered most at-risk for non-completion than in the other four-year institution sector . More than one-fifth of students enrolled at an independent four-year institution have a family income below $25,000 a year, and over one-third are financially independent; approximately one-quarter are employed full-time and almost one-fifth delayed their postsecondary enrollment after high school. Further, more than one-quarter are older than twenty-five, and about one-quarter attend part-time. Finally, almost one-fifth of these students have dependents, many juggling the responsibility of being a single parent as well.

These factors long ago necessitated finding innovative ways to reach out and support the needs of the nontraditional student. The success of this history of sustained effort, emphasis and commitment to the success of all students is well documented. Data show that 68% of first-generation students who attend four-year private nonprofit institutions succeed in earning a bachelor’s degree within six years, compared with only 33% at colleges and universities nationwide . For students enrolling with up to three risk characteristics, the six-year bachelor degree completion rate at nonprofit institutions is just under 50%, exceeding the success rates of peer institutions by almost five percentage points . Further, 61% of students with family incomes below $25,000 attain a bachelor’s degree within six years at a four-year independent college versus 49% at a public four-year; and almost 60% from the lowest quartile of SAT or ACT test scores earn a bachelor’s degree within six years compared to 47% attending a public institution. Despite these successes, we recognize that we can – and must – strive to do even more.

In an effort to identify and highlight the programs driving our sector’s level of student success and achievement, NAICU, in partnership with the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), launched an initiative entitled Building Blocks to 2020. Our goal is to identify, collect, and publicize proven programs, making them more visible on a national scale. NAICU does so that others can learn from and/or replicate them, leading to higher levels of student success across the spectrum of higher education institutional types and levels. To date, NAICU has gathered information on hundreds of diverse and successful programs, and has made them publicly available on its website in an effort to inform and encourage the postsecondary community in its entirety. The programs themselves demonstrate the many and varied pathways students require, if they are to navigate the complexities in their life circumstances. Further, the personal stories of hard work and achievement that underlie these programs build on the American spirit, and appeal to citizens across political ideologies. We believe that these programs can serve to inform policy makers and other key stakeholders about meaningful, proven programs that are currently underway. They are demonstrating positive gains in advancing both students and the nation toward their respective completion goals.

Following are just a few examples of the progressive and varied programs that have been quietly transforming the lives of nontraditional students, and are among the hundreds that are publicly available on NAICU’s Building Blocks to 2020 website.

The Degree Start and Degree Completion programs at Albright College (PA) are accelerated degree programs for working adults and provide a convenient route to earning or completing a degree. Degree Start allows students to earn the general studies portion of their bachelor’s degree in as little as two years, while working full time. After two years, students can transfer to Albright’s Accelerated Degree Completion Program (DCP) or a traditional Albright daytime degree program.
Mary Baldwin College's (VA) Adult Degree Program serves adult students returning to college. The program provides individualized academic counseling, and flexible course options that facilitate access and completion. Students may attend courses online, in the classroom, in hybrid formats, or in tutorials. Faculty and advisers serve students out of nine regional centers throughout Virginia.
The Return to Learn program at Rider University (NJ) provides assistance to adult learners who have completed more than 60 credits but have not earned a degree. Funded by a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, the program provides prior fee forgiveness, individualized counseling, and online course and degree options to qualified adult learners.
The Resumed Undergraduate Education (RUE) program at Brown University (RI) targets students that are over the age of 25 and have begun college elsewhere, left before earning a degree, and are now returning after more than a five-year absence in academic study. This program offers the option to study part-time, and also offers social events throughout the year. Each RUE student is assigned an academic advisor who assists in planning a course of study that will lead to degree completion.
The Women with Children Program at Wilson College (PA) is a residential program offered for single women with children that are 20 months and older. Prospective students and their families undergo a separate interview process to make sure that the family is ready for residential life. Students are able to benefit from all of the programs offered on campus and to participate in co-curricular activities. Child care for children of the appropriate ages is provided without charge to the student.

NAICU and private nonprofit institutions nationwide have been, are, and will remain committed to the success of all students, and will continue to strive for higher rates of meaningful degree and credential completion. NAICU is likewise committed to identifying and disseminating information on the innovative and successful programs of its institutions, and advocating for their expansion and duplication across the higher education community. We support and remain highly engaged in this important national effort, embracing our responsibilities to our students, the postsecondary community, and the nation.

Click here to view the full PDF version of the testimony submitted to the advisory committee including end notes.

NAICU Members in the News

2011-09-21T13:48:00.006-04:00

Here is a look into recent happenings that have taken place at our member institutions.

Carnegie Mellon University will open a branch in Rwanda next year, making it the first American university to operate a full-fledged campus in Africa. The institution will offer master’s degrees in information technology and in electrical and computer engineering, and is hoping to attract about 150 students by 2017. (Chronicle of Higher Education)
Despite the effect of the uninspiring economy on Rochester-area colleges, higher education continues to remain an important part in the local economy. Many of the schools in the Rochester area continue to allot money toward campus improvement including $900 million toward construction and renovation of new facilities. Preliminary estimates by these colleges – among them, the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Nazareth College, St. John Fisher College, and Roberts Wesleyan College – show a fall enrollment total of about 85,500 — about the same as a year ago. (Democrat and Chronicle)
Columbia College President Gerald Brouder has announced a new tuition plan, titled Smart Step, and a new school brand. The plan will hold a student’s tuition constant for up to five years, allowing students and families to plan for future college expenses. The brand change includes a new logo, school flag, and additional school colors. (Columbia Missourian)
After reaching a low point in its financial history, Goddard College shut down the residential program and adopted its low-residency adult program as the sole campus offering. Since then, the school has re-flourished and re-emerged with a record high of students, money to spend, and a plan to expand its program across the country. (Chronicle of Higher Education)
Since hiring new athletic director Diana Cutaia, Wheelock College’s athletic department has drastically improved thanks to a single change in their philosophy: winning doesn’t matter. The more important aspects to the athletic program – such as improvement, enjoyment, character and team building – have brought the department’s collective record from 45 athletes with three wins the prior season, to 122 athletes and 40 wins last year. (Boston Globe)
Converse College President Betsy Fleming was in New York City during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She was inspired by the events she witnessed during the aftermath, the kindness and compassion of the human spirit, and reminds herself and her students to “live [life] to the fullest.” (Spartanburg, S.C., Herald-Journal)
Ruth J. Simmons will step down as president of Brown University at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year. She became Brown’s 18th president in 2001, and has since dramatically enriched the university and led it through difficult economic times. After her retirement as president, she will continue as a professor of comparative literature and Africana studies. (Brown University)

Legislative Update: What the Debt Deal Means for Student Aid

2011-08-01T16:48:00.000-04:00

Last night, President Obama and congressional leaders reached an agreement on a debt ceiling/deficit reduction plan. If approved by the full House of Representatives and Senate, the deal would provide a short-term reprieve to Pell Grants. A key piece of the deal is $17 billion toward the funding of the Pell Grant program in FY 2012 and FY 2013.

From the beginning of negotiations, Pell funding was included in bills offered by both House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). While this infusion of funds sidesteps a massive cut to the Pell Grant maximum for the 2012-13 award year, it is unfortunately paid for through the elimination of the in-school interest subsidy for graduate student loans.

The deal trumps House Budget Committee recommendations to prohibit using mandatory savings from student loan provisions to pay for Pell Grant increases. It also lists Pell Grants as an essential program for low-income individuals that would be protected in the event of an automatic across-the-board cut to meet deficit reduction targets.

However, we still have lots of work to do this year. Even with the additional funding, Pell Grants will need an additional $1.3 billion in this fall’s appropriations process to maintain the $5,550 maximum grant. Funding for the other student aid programs – SEOG, Federal Work-Study, Perkins, TRIO, GEAR UP, graduate programs -- and for university research and the National Institutes of Health also needs to be approved this fall. These decisions will be made under the new spending cap set in the debt bill. The cap is $24 billion more than the House-passed budget, but $7 billion below last year’s total spending level.

The other part of the deal we will need to watch is the Special Joint Committee, which is charged with protecting another $1.5 trillion in cuts. The outcome is likely to be a big budget reconciliation bill, which is likely to target the undergraduate in-school interest subsidy for elimination.

We appreciate all that NAICU members, students, and other student aid advocates have done over the last six months to let Congress know the importance of federal student aid for low-income students and the nation. We look forward to more action in the fall.

--> What the Deal Means for Student Aid

Provides $17 billion for the Pell Grant program in FY 2012 and FY 2013

Eliminates the in-school interest subsidy for graduate and professional student loans to pay for Pell and provide some deficit reduction

Leaves a $1.3 billion gap in Pell Grant funding for FY 2012

Protects Pell Grants in the event of automatic cuts.

--> We Still Have Our Work Cut Out for Us

Pell Grants need an additional $1.3 billion in this fall’s appropriations process

SEOG, Perkins, FWS, TRIO, GEAR UP, graduate programs and research/NIH need to be funded in this fall’s appropriations process

Undergraduate in-school interest subsidy will be a target for elimination in the Joint Congressional Committee deliberations this fall

--> Basics of the Debt Ceiling and Deficit Reduction Deal

Increases debt ceiling by $900 billion immediately, to avoid default.

Cuts spending now by $1 trillion.

President can request an additional $1.2 - $1.5 trillion increase in early 2012.

Sets discretionary spending caps at $1.043 trillion for FY 2012. (That is $24 billion more than the House Budget Resolution, $7 billion less than last year.)

Sets discretionary spending caps at $1.047 trillion for FY 2013.

Creates a firewall between defense and non-defense spending.

Creates a Joint Congressional Special Committee to consider $1.5 trillion in additional cuts to be presented by Thanksgiving, and voted up or down before Christmas this year. (An additional $300 billion in savings will be realized through lower interest payments.)

If deficit reduction is less than $1.2 trillion, an automatic across-the-board cut will be applied equally to defense and non-defense spending, to make up the difference.

Requires House and Senate to vote on the Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment between October 1 and December 31, 2011.

Amends Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for budget enforcement procedures.

NAICU Members in the News

2011-07-12T15:53:00.009-04:00

Here is a look into recent happenings that have taken place at our member institutions. To submit your campus news, email joyce@naicu.edu.

Amherst College will appoint Carolyn A. Martin, chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to become its next president. (New York Times)

Aquinas College has chosen Sister Mary Sarah, O.P. as its new president as it marks its 50th year anniversary. (Business Wire)

Starting this fall, Benedictine University’s new program, “Illinois Back to Work” will provide financial assistance to workers who have been unemployed for at least 18 months. (State Journal-Register)

Carthage College’s president, Gregory Campbell, announced he will retire in August 2012. (Journal Times)

Duke and Stanford Universities each announced a foundation-supported effort to further the study of humanities. (Inside Higher Ed)

Franklin & Marshall’s new president, Dan Porterfield plans a new era for the college. (Lancaster Sunday News)

Hampshire College has chosen Jonathan Lash, president of World Resources Institute, as its next president. (Hampshire College)

Kettering University’s president, Stanley R. Liberty will end his tenure this summer. (Flint Journal)

Landmark College has named Peter Eden, Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Biotechnology at Endicott College, as the school’s fourth president. (WCAX-TV)

McPherson College’s president, Michael Schneider shares efforts to foster entrepreneurship at the school. (Inside Higher Ed)

New York University will partner with the University of the People, an online school, to further its higher education initiatives. (New York Times)

Northland College has reduced their debt by more than half. (Ashland Current)

Pine Manor College’s new president is Alane Karen Shanks who was previously vice president of administration and finance at Roxbury Community College. (Boston Globe)

Private colleges in Ohio, including Baldwin-Wallace College, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, and Oberlin College, offer programs to help students graduate in four years. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Rev. John Schlegel, recently retired president of Creighton University, discussed his future plans. (Omaha World-Herald)

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine has entered into a new student transfer agreement with Northern Essex Community College. (Boston Globe)

Stevenson University will start up a new football program this fall. (Owings Mill Patch)

The University of Hartford will collaborate with Hartford’s public schools on new measures in education and research. (Boston Globe)

Union College asks John Wagner to be its interim president for the third time. (Press Release)

NAICU Submits Statement for Upcoming Senate DREAM Act Hearing

2011-06-23T13:52:00.010-04:00

NAICU has submitted the following statement for the upcoming Senate hearing concerning the DREAM Act. In it, NAICU expresses its support of the bill and of DREAM Act students in their pursuit of higher education.

STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD OF
The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND BORDER SECURITY
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
UNITED STATES SENATE

AT A HEARING ENTITLED
“S. 952, DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF, AND EDUCATION FOR ALIEN MINORS (DREAM) ACT OF 2011”

PRESENTED
JUNE 28, 2011

Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Cornyn, and members of the Subcommittee; thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement of support for the DREAM Act of 2011, and for Chairman Durbin and the committee’s efforts to enact this important bill.

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education. Since 1976, NAICU has represented private colleges and universities on policy issues with the federal government. With more than 1,000 members nationwide, NAICU reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S. Members include traditional liberal arts colleges, major research universities, church- and faith-related institutions, historically black colleges and universities, women’s colleges, performing and visual arts institutions, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business and other professions.

NAICU has long-supported the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is also widely supported throughout the higher education community. It would affect students who came to the United States as illegal immigrants before they were 16 and who have been in the country for at least five years. The bill would grant temporary residency, during which time, these individuals would have the chance to earn permanent residency if they complete at least two years of college or serve at least two years in the armed forces with an honorable discharge.

Many of our member colleges and universities enroll DREAM Act-eligible students. These students deserve a chance to become successful U.S. citizens. They have worked hard pursuing their education. Our country has invested in them throughout their early education and in spite of formidable challenges, many are pursuing a college education. Our nation would benefit by allowing these young adults to become tax-paying contributors to the U.S. economy.

The continuing detainment and deportation of DREAM Act students is not only a waste of scarce federal resources, it is morally indefensible for us to punish these young people who were brought to the United States as infants or young children by their undocumented parents. Until the DREAM Act is able to be considered by Congress, these individuals should be able to continue to pursue their education or military service without the risk of being sent back to a country most of them have no familiarity with. Many of our member institutions with DREAM-eligible students are writing to President Obama requesting that he issue an Executive Order that would defer the deportation of these students until the DREAM Act is enacted.

The DREAM Act of 2011 includes important abuse-prevention measures. Participants would not be eligible for federal grant aid, including Pell grants, so enacting this bill would not add costs to the Pell program. Violation of this would result in tough criminal penalties for fraud. In addition, eligible students must submit to rigorous testing, background checks and medical exams.

In conclusion, failure to enact the DREAM Act will result in the deportation of students who have little or no connection with the country they were born in, and want to be contributing members of the U.S. economy. Our country is at a massive economic loss when we prevent these college educated young adults from legally entering the U.S. workforce. On behalf of the NAICU member colleges and universities, we thank you for your dedication to the DREAM Act and urge its prompt consideration.

University Endowments Continue to Dig Out

2011-06-10T15:02:00.005-04:00

In a time of continuing financial uncertainty, a new survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy brings some measure of reassurance as early reports of fiscal year 2011 endowment performances point to a second straight year of growth. Although college and university endowments have not fully recovered from the historic losses of the Great Recession, the16 institutions that responded to the Chronicle’s survey had earned a median 15-percent investment gain so far in FY 2011. Among the institutions surveyed, the University of Texas made the highest year-to-date investment return, with 18.5 percent on its $16.4 billion endowment.

Despite these steady gains, many endowment managers are taking protective measures against inflation and another economic downturn. The survey found that endowment-management companies have cut their assets in stock to 43 percent in 2010, as compared to 55 percent in 2006. Universities have also followed the trend by allocating only 31 percent of their funds to stocks.

It is important to note that most private colleges have modest endowments. Only 41 private universities have endowments worth at least $1 billion. Among the remaining 1,559 private colleges, the median endowment is just $18 million.

Media coverage: Chronicle of Higher Education

By Joyce Kim