FR Doc 07-1490
[Federal Register: March 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 59)]
[Notices]
[Page 14542-14543]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28mr07-55]
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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 Upcoming 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). 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
Thursday, April 5, 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. 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: Friday, April 13, 2007, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and
ending at approximately 3 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Portaland State University, Smith Memorial Student Union,
Rooms 327-329, 1825 SW Broadway Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97207.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Erin B. Renner, Director of
Government
[[Page 14543]]
Relations or Ms. Julie J. Johnson, Assistant Director, Advisory
Committee or Student Financial Assistance, Capitol Place, 80 F Street,
NW., Suite 413, Washington, DC 20202-7582, (202) 219-2099.
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 the hearing on Friday, April
13 in Portland, Oregon to conduct activities related to its
congressionally requested study to make textbooks more affordable
(Textbook Study). This one-year study, which was requested by the U.S.
House of Representative Committee on Education and Labor (formerly
Education and the Workforce), will investigate further the problem of
rising textbook prices; determine the impact of rising textbook prices
on students' ability to afford a postsecondary education; and make
recommendations to Congress, the Secretary, and other stakeholders on
what can be done to make textbooks more affordable for students. Over
the course of the study, the Committee will conduct three field
hearings that will include testimony from stakeholders around the
country who are currently working to make textbooks more affordable for
students.
The proposed agenda includes expert testimony and discussions by
prominent higher education community leaders, state representatives,
and institutions that will share what they are doing to make textbooks
more affordable for students. The Advisory Committee will also conduct
a public comment and discussion session.
The Advisory Committee invites the public to submit written
comments on the Textbook Study to the following e-mail address:
ACSFA@ed.gov. Information regarding the Textbook Study will also be
available on the Advisory Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/ACSFA.
To be included in the hearing materials, we must receive your
comments on or before Thursday, April 5, 2007; additional comments
should be provided to the Committee no later than May 7, 2007.
Space for the hearing is limited and you are encouraged to register
early if you plan to attend. You may register by sending an e-mail to
the following address: ACSFA@ed.gov or Tracy.Deanna.Jones@ed.gov.
Please include your name, title, affiliation, complete address
(including Internet and e-mail 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 Friday,
April 6, 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.
Dated: March 22, 2007.
Dr. William J. Goggin,
Executive Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 07-1490 Filed 3-27-07; 8:45 am]
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