AACRAO and Federal Relations Update

AACRAO Update 150% Direct Loan Legislation Postsecondary Institution Ratings System Higher Education Act Reauthorization FY 2015 Budget Negotiated Rulemaking DoD MOU Issues to Watch

AACRAO Update Tom Green was recently named to head AACRAO Consulting and SEM Initiatives. He replaces Bob Bontrager who is focusing on health matters. The AACRAO Board accepted two recent reports, one from the Task Force on International Admissions and Credential Evaluation and one from the Program Task Force. Expect to hear more on these soon.

AACRAO Update AACRAO Research has released several studies and surveys including Electronic Transcripts and Costs and Enrollment Management Career Profile. Watch for “60 second surveys” on current topics of interest. Several publications were released this year, including: Helping Veterans Succeed; Retention, Disposal, and Archive of Student Records; and Assessment’s New Role in Higher Education.

AACRAO Update A new book on Transfer is scheduled for release by the Baltimore Annual Meeting. A team of AACRAO members are working on developing core competencies for the admissions, registrar, and enrollment management professions. Upcoming meetings: Strategic Enrollment Management conference October in Los Angeles; AACRAO Annual Meeting, April in Baltimore

AACRAO Update Elections for AACRAO Leadership will be opening October 3, 2014 and will close in early November. Voting is online at voting.aacrao.orgvoting.aacrao.org Open positions include: –President Elect –Vice President for International Education –Vice President for Leadership and Management Development –Vice President at Large –The Nominations and Elections Committee

150% Direct Loan Legislation U.S. Education Department announces changes to NSLDS compliance reporting in 2013 Final requirements published Feb Deadline extended from July 1 to October 1 AACRAO, NASFAA, Education Dept. hosts joint webinar series Updated Guidance from the Education Dept.

College Rating System New rating system for college by 2015 Institutions to be evaluated on measure of access, affordability, and outcomes. Calls on Congress to tie federal student aid to college performance by 2018, such that students who enroll at high performing colleges would receive larger Pell Grants and more favorable rates on student loans.

College Rating System Expands programs and options in an effort to help struggling borrowers repay their debt. Challenges institutions to offer students a greater range of affordable, high-quality options, such as competency-based learning, course redesign, the use of technology for student services and more efforts to recognize prior learning. Other efforts to promote competency-based education

HEA Reauthorization Senate HELP Committee’s comprehensive draft Higher Education Affordability Act House’s piecemeal legislative package –Simplifying the Application for Student Aid Act (H.R. 4982) –Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act (H.R. 4983) –Empowering Students through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (H.R. 4984)

Federal Budget Update FY 2014 Budget –Sets annual spending levels at just above $1 trillion in both the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years –Softens second round of cuts under sequestration –Ends a $3 billion program that sets aside a portion of the Education Department's loan servicing contracts for nonprofit lenders –Reduces the compensation that guarantee agencies receive for rehabilitating loans in the defunct bank- based student lending program

Federal Budget Update President Obama’s FY 2015 Blueprint –Education Department would receive $68.6 billion in discretionary funding, $1.3 billion more than last FY –Increases maximum Pell Grant award by $100, from $5,730 in to $5,830 in –Expands income-based repayment plans –Makes permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit –Provides $7 billion over 10 years for College Opportunity and Graduation Bonuses

Federal Budget Update U.S. House and Senate fail to reach agreement on the 12 annual spending bills for FY 2015 Continuing Resolution –$1 trillion stopgap spending bill to fund the federal government through December 11 –Education and other government programs funded at levels similar to FY 2014 –Congress will return to FY 2015 appropriations during lame duck session

Negotiated Rulemaking Program Integrity and Improvement –Topics include cash management of Title IV funds, state authorization for online programs, underwriting standards for PLUS loans, clock-to-credit-hour conversions, and repeat coursework provisions Violence Against Women Act Gainful Employment –NPRM published March 13 th – draft rule does not do enough to protect students from predatory practices.

DoD MOU DoD published final rules for its Voluntary Education Programs May 2014 Incorporates additional provisions outlined in the "Principles of Excellence“ TA-participating schools must also be certified to participate in Title IV student aid programs Slight revision published in July, deadline pushed back to September 5

Issues to Watch November Midterm Elections Rulemaking to expand Income-Based Repayment –Two public hearings on the planned for the fall in Washington, D.C. and in Anaheim, CA –Rulemaking sessions scheduled for February 2015 Campus Sexual Assaults Competency-Based Education Federal Unit-Record Data System

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