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ED Initiates Rulemaking Process

August 23, 2006

Four public hearings have been scheduled in different cities this fall to solicit input from students, families, institutional administrators, and other stakeholders as the Department of Education begins the process of revising its student financial aid regulations. The hearings are the first step in "negotiated rulemaking," a process mandated by Congress that ED must follow to ensure broad input into the development and modification of Title IV rules. These hearings are scheduled as follows:

• September 19, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California
• October 5, Loyola University, Chicago
• November 2, Royal Pacific Conference Center, Orlando, Florida
• November 8, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

ED is soliciting comments on revisions needed to Title IV regulations, including those necessitated by recent statutory changes including the Higher Education Reconciliation Act, encompassing the new Academic Competitiveness and the SMART grant programs. They will also be looking at whether any recommendations put forth by the Secretary's Commission on the Future of Higher Education can be implemented through regulatory change. Written comments will also be accepted.

After gathering input at the hearings, ED proposes to establish as many as four negotiated rulemaking committees on ACG and SMART grant programs; student loan programs; other programmatic, institutional eligibility and general provisions; and accreditation. NACUBO will seek to represent its members on appropriate committees, and we encourage you  to share your thoughts and concerns with us.

ED's plans and more information on how to submit comments were published in the Federal Register  August 18.

NACUBO Contact:  Anne Gross, vice president for regulatory affairs, 202.861.2544