Business-Higher Education Forum Urges Senate HELP Committee to Include Key Provisions in Education Bill

Seeks expansion of Student Access and Financial Responsibility Act and greater STEM focus

Washington, DC (September 28, 2009) – The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) today sent a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) requesting several specific additions to the Senate companion bill to the Student Access and Financial Responsibility Act (H.R. 3221), which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Sept. 22.

While BHEF supports provisions of the House bill, including increased financial aid for students, implementation of a simplified financial aid process, strengthened community colleges, and scaled-up programs and policies to support student success once enrolled in postsecondary education, it is asking for a more comprehensive Senate bill.

“Language in the House bill is narrow with respect to the focus of the applications and entities and groups that can apply [for financial aid],” the letter states. “In contrast to [President Obama’s FY-10] Race to the Top language, the Access and Completion Fund language does not highlight STEM as a priority for state applications despite the very low persistence rates in STEM disciplines and the connection to workforce needs and concerns. Nor does the House bill explicitly suggest a focus on Pell Grant recipients. We believe that increasing persistence and completion rates among the neediest students and among those in STEM disciplines should receive priority in the states’ application process.

Specifically, BHEF is urging the Senate to:

Permit a more diverse set of applications for the College Access and Completion Innovation Fund (Sec. 102 of HR 3221). The Senate should require that applicants for grants under these provisions demonstrate broad support for the goals of the program through participation of postsecondary institutions and ensure that these goals can be achieved without significantly increasing regulation by the state and without placing excessive data requirements that might discourage institutions’ participation.
Require that proposals implement or scale up programs that have either demonstrated success or are based on scientific evidence that would support their likely success, thinking this evidence-based approach will yield efforts that can help meet the aggressive goal laid out by President Obama.
Give priority to applications that focus on increasing persistence for students in STEM majors; Pell Grant recipients; and those from groups historically underrepresented in higher education.

The letter was signed by BHEF Chair David J. Skorton, president of Cornell University; BHEF Vice Chairman William H. Swanson, chairman and CEO of Raytheon company; and BHEF Executive Director Brian K. Fitzgerald.