E7-9218. Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance: Hearing

AGENCY:

Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Education.

ACTION:

Notice of an opening hearing.

SUMMARY:

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming hearing of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (The Advisory Committee). This notice also describes the functions of the Advisory Committee. Notice of this hearing is required under Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. This document is intended to notify the general public.

Date and Time:

Tuesday, June 5, 2007, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at approximately 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

Holiday Inn on the Hill, Federal North Room, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper, Deputy Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Capitol Place, 80 F Street, NW, Suite 413, Washington DC 20202-7582, [phone].

Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance is established under Section 491 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by Public Law 100-50 (20 U.S.C. 1098). The Advisory Committee serves as an independent source of advice and counsel to the Congress and the Secretary of Education on student financial aid policy. Since its inception, the congressional mandate requires the Advisory Committee to conduct objective, nonpartisan, and independent analyses on important aspects of the student assistance programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, and to make recommendations that will result in the maintenance of access to postsecondary education for low- and middle-income students. In addition, Congress expanded the Advisory Committee's mission in the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 to include several important areas: access, Title IV modernization, distance education, and early information and needs assessment. Specifically, the Advisory Committee is to review, monitor and evaluate the Department of Education's progress in these areas and report recommended improvements to Congress and the Secretary.

The Advisory Committee has scheduled this one-day hearing to discuss release of its new report related to its congressionally requested study to make textbooks more affordable (Textbook Study). This one-year study, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor (formerly Education and the Workforce) to investigate further the problem of rising textbook prices and determine the impact of rising textbook prices on students' ability to afford a postsecondary education. In addition, other discussions will focus on two components of the Advisory Committee's three-year Innovative Pathways Study: Expected Family Contribution and early financial aid information.

The proposed agenda includes expert testimony and discussions by prominent higher education community leaders, Congressional staff, state representatives, and institutions on (a) the Advisory Committee's Textbook Study recommendations; (b) legislative efforts to simplify the student aid application and delivery process; and (c) the National Advising Corps. The Advisory Committee will also conduct a public comment and discussion session.

Individuals who will need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the hearing (i.e., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, and/or materials in alternative format) should notify the Advisory Committee no later than Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by contacting Ms. Hope Gray at [phone] or via e-mail at [e-mail]. We will attempt to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee availability of the requested accommodation. The hearing site is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The Advisory Committee invites the public to submit written comments on the agenda topics to the following e-mail address: [e-mail]. Information regarding the topics covered at the hearing will also be available on the Advisory Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/​ACSFA. We must receive your comments on or before Tuesday, May 29, 2007 to be included in the hearing materials.

Space for the hearing is limited and you are encouraged to register early if you plan to attend. You may register by sending an email to the following address: [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Please include your name, title, affiliation, complete address (including internet and email address, if available), and telephone and fax numbers. If you are unable to register electronically, you may fax your registration information to the Advisory Committee staff office at [phone]. You may also contact the Advisory Committee staff directly at [phone]. The registration deadline is Tuesday, May 29, 2007.

Records are kept for Advisory Committee proceedings, and are available for inspection at the Office of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Capitol Place, 80 F Street, NW.—Suite 413, Washington, DC from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Information regarding the Advisory Committee is available on the Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/​ACSFA.

Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as well as other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/​news/​fedregister/​index.html.

To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington DC area at [phone].

Note:

The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/​nara/​index.html.

Dated: May 9, 2007.

William J. Goggin,

Executive Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.