Monthly Archives: July 2010

Federal Language Re: Textbook Costs Goes Into Effect

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It appears that textbook costs to students may be lower in the future given recent federal legislative language.

The federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 went into effect on July 1, 2010 . Part of the language included in the bill will require the relationship between many textbook publishers and colleges to change.

As of July 1, 2010, publishers are required to disclose prices and revision information when marketing textbooks to professors, which will allow them to choose lower-cost options. In addition, publishers are required to offer all of the items in the textbook bundles for sale separately so students will not be forced to pay for materials they do not need. Finally, the Act encourages Colleges to provide a list of assigned textbooks for each course so students can shop around for the best deal.

Program for Veterans’ Spouses Reinstated

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This fall the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program (MyCAA) will be available again beginning October 25.

This past winter (February 2010) MyCAA was paused after a surge of applications threatened to drain its budget. At the time the program provided tuition of up to $6,000 for any military spouse to train for a portable career, one capable of enduring frequent military moves.

When the program returns the benefits will top out at $4,000. In addition, only spouses of junior service members “E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2” will be eligible and those eligible for the program will be restricted to pursuing associate degrees,certificates, and licenses.

U.S. Senate Committee Considers Veterans’ Benefits

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The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held another hearing on legislation that would streamline benefits for veterans under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

S. 3447 would revamp the benefit formula that has been in place since the Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect last year. The bill, as currently written, would establish a new national cap on benefits for private colleges – both for- and non-profit.

The new cap would be derived from the average tuition and fees of all private and public baccalaureate institutions across the nation, instead of the maximum benefit on the highest tuition of any public program in a given state. 

Many higher education officials are supportive of the concept of setting a national standard of benefits and agree with the goal of erasing inequities between states. However, there is concern that the currrent discussion regarding a cap would result inveterans at private institutions receiving less funding in nearly 25 states. Language for the bill is still being hammered out.

In addition, the bill would make small changes with regards to funding for undergraduate education at public institutions and extend benefits to more members of the National Guard and Active Guard Reserve.  This could potentially lead to coverage for an additional 30,000 whom were not covered by the original law.

Finally, the bill extends housing allowances to students taking courses purely online. Though the current GI Bill provides no allowance to students taking on distance education courses, the legislation under consideration would provide those students with 50 percent of the allowance given to residential students.

Governor Holds First Public Hearing on Budget

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On Tuesday evening in Tacoma, the Governor and staff held the first of four currently scheduled statewide public hearings in Tacoma.

The media estimated approximately 450 individuals in attendance in the standing-room only crowd at the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

Approximately 140 people signed up to speak and raised several ideas with regards to the services government should and should not deliver.

Some of the ideas that were expressed, and are echoed on the transforming the budget website set up by the Governor, include no longer providing meals to state workers during meetings, reducing the number of license plates for Washington registered cars from two to one, and legalizing marijuana.

Others shared the areas of government that should not be cut including affordable housing, preservation of recreation areas, and education and health care.

The next public hearing on the budget is scheduled for July 21 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Everett Community College.

Governor Launches Budget Idea Website

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On the heels of the Governor’s statewide tour regarding the 2011-13 budget an interactive website was launched.

Over the next month Governor Gregoire plans to hold public hearings in Everett, Spokane, and Vancouver to share the budget decisions facing Washington and the resources that will be available for the budget as well as hear from the public their ideas and thought about what services the government should and should not deliver.

The website, launched the same day as the first public hearing in Tacoma, is an interactive website that will allow Washingtonians to share, comment, and vote on budget ideas.

The most highly rated ideas by viewers will rise to the top of the list and be considered by state budget writers.  Ideas will be posted between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

NGA Provides Further Details on Common Set of Measures for Higher Education

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Earlier this week the new chair of the National Governor’s Association announced plans to create a common set of measures to monitor progress and compare states for higher education.

The report released along with the announcement is expected to be followed by a technical guide to states in the coming weeks.

In addition, the initiative will also incorporate the following actions in the coming months.

  • Develop a series of best practices and a list of policy actions governors can choose to use;
  • Hold a national summit;
  • Provide grants to states to design policies and programs to reach these goals; and
  • Hold a learning institute for governors’ senior advisors.

Senate Passes Financial Legislation That Will Benefit Students

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Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed sweeping financial reform. The bill will lower the fees colleges pay when students use debit and credit cards and increase oversight of private student loans.

Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 creates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the Federal Reserve that will have authority over most consumer lending including private student loans. In addition, the bill creates an ombudsman position to oversee private student loans.

The bill also requires the Federal Reserve to set “reasonable and proportional” fees for transactions involving debit cards issued by banks with assets of more than $10 billion.  This will provide great benefit to campus bookstores nationwide.

The President is expected to sign the bill soon.

U.S. House Subcommittee Approves Education Appropriations Bill

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Yesterday, the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education approved a $176.4 million FY11 appropriations bill.

The bill provides $2 billion more for the U.S. Department of Education’s discretionary programs than was allocated in FY10, but $1.5 billion less than the Obama Administration requested.

In addition, the bill moves $5.7 billion for the Pell Grant shortfall, which would have been moved to the mandatory side of the budget under Obama’s budget, and counts it as part of Obama’s discretionary budget request.

No education amendments wer adopted in the subcommittee.

The next step for the appropriations bill is the full House Appropriations Committee. The full committee has not scheduled a time to work the bill to date. There is some speculation that a full committee work-up of the bill may not take place, which means Congress would have to pass a Continuing Resolution in order to provide FY11 funding for U.S. Department of Education programs.

Governors Budget Task Force Hits the Road

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In June Governor Gregoire announced a new state budget process for the 2011-13 biennium. Her intention is to develop a new biennial budget with more transparency, community involvement, and expert outside advice.

As a part of this process the Task Force will hit the road to hold several public hearings this summer across the state.  The focus of the hearings will be to share the budget decisions facing Washington and the resources that will be available for the budget.

In addition, the hearings will provide an opportunity for the public to share their ideas and thoughts about what services the government should and should not deliver.

To date four public hearings have been scheduled.

July 19 – Tacoma – 7:00-9:00 p.m.
University of Washington – Tacoma, Phillip Hall, Milgard Assembly Room, 1900 Commerce St.

July 21 – Everett – 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Everett Community College, Parks Building, Multi-Purpose Room, 2000 Tower St.

July 27 – Vancouver – 7:00-9:00 p.m
WSU-Vancouver, Admin Bldg., Room 110, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue

July 29 – Spokane – Time TBA
Spokane City Hall, City Council Chambers, 808 W Spokane Falls Blvd.

Governors Budget Task Force Named

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In June Governor Gregoire announced a new state budget process for the 2011-13 biennium. Her intention is to develop a new biennial budget with more transparency, community involvement, and expert outside advice.

As a part of this effort Governor has asked leaders from across the state in a variety of fields to serve on the Governor’s Committee on Transforming Washington’s Budget. This panel will serve in an advisory capacity to the Governor during the budget development process. The charge of the committee is to quest budget assumptions, serve as a sounding board, and lend guidance.

The members of this Task Force include:

Patricia Akiyama, Director of External Affairs, Port of Seattle
Representative Gary Alexander, House Republican Caucus
Sandra O. Archibald, Dean, UW Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs
Rick S. Bender, President, Washington State Labor Council
Rodney L. Brown, Jr., President, Washington Environmental Council
Don C. Brunell, President, Association of Washington Business
Larry Cassidy, retired business owner and former member of NW Power and Conserv. Council
Brian Cladoosby, Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Richard Davis, Coordinator, WashACE (Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy)Commissioner Mike Doherty, Chairman, Board of Clallam County Commissioners
Senator Karen Fraser, Senate Democratic Caucus
Carver Gayton, Emeritus and founding Executive Director of Northwest African American Museum and former Commissioner of Washington State Employment Security Department
Dr. Deborah J. Harper, President, Washington State Medical Association
Deborah Heart, President-Elect, Washington State School Directors Association
Dr. Thelma A. Jackson, Owner/President of Foresight Consultants and former school board member
Eric Johnson, Executive Director, Washington State Association of Counties
Eric D. Johnson, Executive Director, Washington Public Ports Association
Mary Lindquist, President, Washington Education Association
Representative Kelli Linville, House Democratic Caucus
Mike McCarty, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Washington Cities
Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform, Washington Policy Center
Stephen F. Mullin, President, Washington Roundtable
Fred A. Olson, former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor
Chief Don Pierce, Executive Director, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Stephen Reynolds, Chairman, President, and CEO, Puget Sound Energy
David Rolf, President, SEIU Healthcare 775NW
Orin Smith, former Chief Financial Officer of Starbucks and former director of Office of Financial Management
Lyn Tangen, Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Vulcan
Suzanne Petersen Tanneberg, Vice President of External Affairs and Guest Services, Children’s Hospital
Melinda Travis, Spokane community leader
Remy Trupin, Executive Director, Washington State Budget and Policy Center
Marilyn Watkins, Policy Director, Economic Opportunity Institute
Senator Joe Zarelli, Senate Republican Caucus
David A. Zeeck, President and Publisher, The News Tribune
Cristobal Guillen, President/CEO, Association of Washington State Hispanic Chambers of Commerce