Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs Get Bipartisan Backing
HEADLINES
Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs Get Bipartisan Backing (Inside Higher Ed, December 6, 2023) The Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act would create a quality assurance system for participating degree programs, establish a process for existing and new accreditors to oversee the programs, and enforce a guarantee on price alignment, which the bill says would ensure “students and taxpayers receive a positive return on investment.”
Professors Union Report Says Florida Higher Ed Policies Must be Fought 'Tooth and Nail' (Tallahassee Democrat, December 6, 2023) A prominent professor’s union released a report warning that the Florida Governor's higher education policies represent an attack on academia and democracy. A bill authorizes the development of policies for tenured professors to undergo a “comprehensive” review every five years. It also changes higher education accreditation policies that "threaten" the status of state universities without oversight.
Washington Watch: New Negotiated Rulemaking Tables in Early 2024 (Community College Daily, November 30, 2023) The rulemaking sessions, taking place on January 8-11, February 5-8 and March 4-7, will cover various topics, including federal recognition of accrediting agencies and related issues, institutional eligibility, including state authorization, Title IV funds, and distance education.
‘What is Happening in Florida Will Not Stay in Florida.’ Are NC Colleges Next? (The News & Observer, December 7, 2023) Florida’s changes have been widely publicized — and often criticized — but North Carolina leaders are making moves in the same direction. For example, a law requiring public universities and the state’s community colleges to switch accreditation agencies in each 10-year accreditation period. The North Carolina law, passed this summer, is nearly identical to provisions passed in Florida last year.
USDE to Take Another Swing at Accreditation Rules (Inside Higher Ed, November 30, 2023) The Education Department says it will update the regulations for accreditation agencies, state authorization, and the definition of distance education. The spring 2024 round of rule-making could be the Biden administration’s final chance to make changes to federal higher education policy in its first term.
Registration Open – 2024 CHEA/CIQG Annual Conference – “Quality Assurance Matters” Join us at next month’s 2024 CHEA/CIQG Annual Conference scheduled for January 29-February 1 in Washington, D.C. This year’s in-person event promises to build on the excitement and successes of last year’s Annual Conference. The theme for the four-day conference is “Quality Assurance Matters,” a premise that seeks to engage the global CHEA/CIQG community. Register today!