FR Doc 04-6118
[Federal Register: March 18, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 53)]
[Notices]
[Page 12845-12846]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18mr04-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance; Hearings
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. 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 Monday, April 5, 2004, by
[[Page 12846]]
contacting Ms. Hope M. 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 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: Thursday, April 15, 2004, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending
at approximately 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Museum
Gallery, Ground Floor, 919 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90015-
1421.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Brian K. Fitzgerald, Staff
Director, Advisory Committee on 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. In addition, Congress expanded
the Advisory Committee's agenda in the Higher Education Amendments of
1998 in 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 FY2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2673), which was
signed into law on January 23, 2004, directs the Advisory Committee to
examine the federal financial aid formula and application forms in
order to simplify and streamline the programs to make the system
easier, more responsive, and fairer for students and families. The
Advisory Committee is well suited to conduct this study, drawing upon
the expertise of its eleven members and its experience conducting other
broad studies on financial aid issues. The Advisory Committee also has
the particular mission of examining the impact of these issues on low-
and moderate-income students, a specific goal of the study.
The Advisory Committee has scheduled this regional field hearing to
gather additional feedback about financial aid simplification. The
proposed agenda includes expert testimony and discussion of the
following issues: (a) The impact of complexities in the financial aid
process on access to postsecondary education, particularly for low-
income students; (b) opportunities for simplification in the financial
aid process and forms; and (c) specific issues related to financial aid
simplification, such as early notification of financial aid
eligibility. The agenda also includes an afternoon session during which
the general public is invited to provide oral and/or written testimony
to the Advisory Committee on these issues. The Advisory Committee also
invites the public to submit written comments regarding this study to
the following e-mail address: ADV_COMSFA@ed.gov. We must receive your
comments on or before April 23, 2004.
Space at the hearing is limited and you are encouraged to register
early if you plan to attend the hearing. You may register through the
Internet by e-mailing the Advisory Committee at ADV_COMSFA@ed.gov or
at Tracy.Deanna.Jones@ed.gov. Please include your name, title,
affiliation, complete address (including Internet and e-mail--if
available), and telephone and fax numbers. If you are unable to
register electronically, you may mail or fax your registration
information to the Advisory Committee staff office at (202) 219-3032.
Also, you may contact the Advisory Committee staff at (202) 219-2099.
The registration deadline is Monday, April 5, 2004.
Records are kept of all Committee proceedings, and are available
for public 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
simplification study will also be made available on the Advisory
Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/ACSFA.
Dated: March 12, 2004.
Brian K. Fitzgerald,
Staff Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 04-6118 Filed 3-17-04; 8:45 am]
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