http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-915784.mp3
Albany, NY – EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CRACKS DOWN ON FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES, LINKING LOANS TO AFTER GRADUATION INCOME -
Just as we we're finishing this show, the Obama administration dropped a bombshell on for-profit colleges. It released a proposal that would tighten colleges' access to federal student aid.
The proposed regulations would require for-profit career colleges to better prepare students for "gainful employment" or risk losing access to federal dollars. The proposed rules seek to protect students from taking on unsustainable debt they cannot repay, and to protect taxpayers from high loan default rates.
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told reporters, "While career colleges play a vital role in training our workforce some of them are saddling students with debt they cannot afford in exchange for degrees and certificates they cannot use. These schools- and their investors- benefit from billions of dollars in subsidies from taxpayers, and in return, taxpayers have a right to know that these programs are providing solid preparation for a job."
For-profit lobbyists are calling the rule both "unwise and unnecessary." The public now has 45 days to comment on the proposed rule changes, and the department hopes to publish the final rule by November 1.
Glenn Busby reports. (1:35)
**(The full NPRM may be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/news/student-aid-rules-protect-borrowers-and-taxpayers
Here is the Department of Education's complete news release:
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/proposed-rule-links-federal-student-aid loan-repayment-rates-and-debt-earnings
Plus here is one analysis of the impact::
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-23/obama-cracks-down-on-for-profit-colleges-links-u-s-student-aid-to-income.html )**
"LIFE'S LITTLE COLLEGE ADMISSION INSIGHTS: TOP TIPS FROM THE COUNTRY'S MOST ACCLAIMED GUIDANCE COUNSELORS"
Part One: College Costs -
It's that time of year when students are heading back to college many concerned about the cost of their higher education.
TBOOK spoke recently with Eric Yaverbaum about his 6th book, Life's Little College Admission Insights: Top Tips from the Country's Most Acclaimed Guidance Counselors."
In this part of our conversation, we spoke about the growing cost of going to college, especially with respect to the economic problems.
Glenn Busby reports. (4:00)
FREE TEXTBOOKS? THE OPEN COLLEGE TEXTBOOK ACT -
Free textbooks? That should pique the interest of any college student or family which pays thousands of dollars for books to get a college degree.
It could become a reality if congress passes new legislation introduced by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Last week, we explained Senator Durbin's College Textbook Affordability Act, which just took effect.
This week, we've assembled a panel of people in education to talk about his newly introduced Open College Textbook bill. They include:
Dr. D. Steven White, Professor of Marketing & International Business at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth,
Nicole Allen, Textbooks Advocate for The Student PIRGS,
Rashi Mangalick, Senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and
U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), Assistant Senate Majority Leader.
Glenn Busby reports. (11:15)
**(The web address given at the conclusion of the above story for listeners
seeking additional information about Senator Durbin's proposed bill is:
http://www.studentpirgs.org/textbooks
A summary of the bill can be found at this link:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1714&tab=summary
The open source sites mentioned by Professor White in the above story include:
http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/
http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
http://www.ocwconsortium.org/ )**
THE ACADEMIC MINUTE
"TITLE IX" - SHOULD CHEERLEADING BE CONSIDERED A SPORT? -
Should cheerleading be considered a sport? Not for now, at least. That's the ruling of a federal judge in a Title IX lawsuit against Quinnipiac University. The district judge said the university violated Title IX by shortchanging female students of athletic opportunities. Judge Underhill said one way the University did this was by counting members of a newly created competitive cheer team as athletes for purposes of complying with the federal gender-equity law.
This ruling came on the heels of the 38th anniversary of Title IX. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said when the law passed in 1972, "less than 30-thousand female students participated in sports and recreational programs at NCAA member institutions." Duncan also said "thanks largely to Title IX, that number has increased six-fold and at the high school level, the number of girls participating in athletics has increased ten-fold" which brings us to our "Academic Minute."
This week's episode features Dr. Nancy Niemi, Associate Professor and Chairperson, Department of Education, at the University of New Haven.
The Academic Minute is hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, a celebrated philosopher and medical ethicist, and President of Mount Holyoke College. (2:30)