Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Sen. Lamar Alexander Address
Attendees at ACE’s Annual Meeting
Feb. 10, 2009
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| Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is introduced by ACE
President Molly Corbett Broad. |
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
adressed higher education leaders from around the country yesterday at
the American Council on Education’s (ACE) 91st Annual
Meeting, which concludes today in Washington, DC.
Duncan, whose speech was carried live by CSPAN, praised the level of funding for
education included in the economic stimulus package and indicated that
the Obama administration might back the restoration of funds cut by the
Senate that are in the House bill.
The Senate’s $780-billion version of the stimulus package,
passed on Feb. 6, retained the Pell Grant and research funding in the
House bill, but eliminated funds for infrastructure projects. The state
fiscal stabilization fund, which is designed to provide funds for public
colleges and universities, was retained but sharply reduced. (See a
side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate bills here.)
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| Sen. Lamar Alexander |
In his remarks, Alexander, a former secretary of education and
president of the University of Tennessee, told leaders that they need to
reign in college costs or risk the same rejection by customers that the
American automobile industry has suffered. He suggested that higher
education leaders would then be in a position to ask Congress to make
cuts to the federal rules and regulations that accompany federal grants
and loans.
“I am convinced,” he told the presidents and chancellors,
“that the greatest threat to higher education is not underfunding,
but overregulation.
“But to persuade members of Congress to listen to you about
regulations, you are going to have to persuade them that you don't
automatically raise tuition every time Congress increases the Pell Grant
or student loans.”
To help students manage the cost of attending college, Alexander
suggested that institutions consider innovations such as implementing a
three-year baccalaureate degree and making community college tuition
free.
To listen to both speeches in full, see the following:
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan MP3
(13MB)
Sen. Lamar Alexander MP3
(45MB)
Also read the overviews of yesterday’s sessions in this
morning’s Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of
Higher Education:
Politicians Praise and Pressure Colleges
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges Urged to Take Action as They Prepare to Reap
Billions in Stimulus Bill
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.)
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