[Federal Register: May 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 92)]
[Notices]
[Page 27109-27110]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my07-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance: Hearing
AGENCY: Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Education.
ACTION: Notice of an opening hearing.
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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, (202) 219-
2099.
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 (202) 219-2099 or via e-mail at hope.gray@ed.gov. 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:
ACSFA@ed.gov. 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: ACSFA@ed.gov or Tracy.Deanna.Jones@ed.gov.
Please include your name, title, affiliation, complete address
(including internet
[[Page 27110]]
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 (202) 219-3032.
You may also contact the Advisory Committee staff directly at (202)
219-2099. 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 (202) 512-1530.
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.
[FR Doc. E7-9218 Filed 5-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P