cIcu | Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities

Seventy-one independent (private, not-for-profit) colleges and universities in New York State have enlisted to support veterans seeking higher education opportunities through the “Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program,” one component of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007. Veterans can begin using their new G.I. benefits on August 1, 2009. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) final list of program participants is scheduled for release today. The deadline for signing up for the new veterans’ student assistance program was June 15.

In its first year, the new Yellow Ribbon program has garnered considerable momentum from New York’s Independent Sector, exceeding ten percent of the nation’s total participation to date, with more private, not-for-profit colleges and universities participating than any other state. A preliminary tally by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) finds that 580 private, non-profit colleges and universities have submitted Yellow Ribbon participation agreements to VA, of which 71 are New York institutions.

Keep Reading

Q: Federal regulations affect how colleges and universities do their work, and how much it costs. What are Congress and the Department of Education doing to consider this issue? A: Through the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Congress has directed the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, an independent committee created by Congress to advise on higher education and student aid, to review and conduct an analysis of federal regulations affecting higher education. For the statutory language and a fact sheet, click here and here.

Q: How can higher education officials and students participate in the Advisory Committee’s efforts? A: The Advisory Committee is now accepting public comment to help identify regulations that are duplicative, no longer necessary, inconsistent with other federal regulations, and/or overly burdensome.

Q: What does the Committee mean by “duplicative, no longer necessary, inconsistent with other federal regulations, and/or overly burdensome”? A: The Committee staff has defined each of these terms. For example, for “overly burdensome,” please consider whether a regulation, disclosure or report requirement requires “an effort in which the total time, dollar cost, or FTE (full-time employees and/or full-time equivalent students) necessary appear to be excessive and out of proportion to the benefits derived—for the federal government and/or for the institution or agency.”

Q: What type of individuals or entities does the Committee want to hear from? A: The Committee will focus its report on disclosures, reporting requirements and regulations associated with Title IV of the Higher Education Act. These requirements related to student aid funding and may involve many offices on campus, from financial aid, legal counsel and institutional research to the registrar, campus security/police, student health, etc. The individual tasked with compliance may have the broadest sense of impact, but individual offices may be closest to the effect that the Commission is trying to assess.

Q: What’s the Advisory Committee’s timeline? A: The Committee and its review panelists will provide recommendations with respect to streamlining and/or eliminating regulation in a report to Congress that is due no later than two years after the negotiated rulemaking process for the Higher Education Opportunity Act is complete. As a first step, the Committee will draft an initial report based on comments received by July 15.

Q: How can higher education officials and students learn about the study and its outcomes? A: The Committee issued an announcement that garnered attention from Inside Higher Ed (see “Feeling Burdened? Click Here,” May 21, 2009); The Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog included this post on May 20, 2009: “Feeling Overregulated, Colleges Get a Chance to Vent.” Interested observers should monitor the Committee’s Web site for developments.

Keep Reading

The new GI Bill offers many new or expanded benefits for veterans, including enhanced general educational benefits and a special program for veterans attending participating private colleges (the “Yellow Ribbon” program). Under Yellow Ribbon, the federal government will provide private colleges a dollar-for-dollar match for any additional tuition and fee aid they provide to veterans above their new benefit level (set at the state’s highest public in-state undergraduate tuition). Benefits under the new GI bill also include monthly housing allowances (determined by geographic area), and stipends for books and supplies. Several hundred thousand veterans are anticipated to be eligible and some benefits are transferable to spouses and children.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on March 31 published in the Federal Register final regulations for the program. Further, according to figures posted on the VA's Web site last month, veterans attending colleges and universities in New York State may receive up to $970 per credit hour along with up to $3,457 per term for fees before the “Yellow Ribbon” program goes into effect. The 2009-10 figures will appear on the VA’s Web site by August 1.

Please note that the VA has extended to June 15 the deadline for colleges to sign participation agreements. (The original cutoff date was to be May 15; see this update from Inside Higher Ed.) For helpful examples illustrating what the award level for New York could mean at the campus level, see these examples from NACUBO. For additional information, the VA’s Web site now includes a helpful Q&A document.

Staff at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) have created an invaluable collection of relevant information; see NAICU's Post-9/11 GI Bill mini-Web site. NAICU also has compiled an informal list of campuses that will participate in the “Yellow Ribbon” program.

Finally, a few related updates and references:

• Last Friday, May 1, the Department of Veterans Affairs starts accepting applications from Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans “Post 9/11 GI Bill” benefits via the “Apply Online” link on its Web site.

• If you’ve been wondering about how the transferability aspect of the new G.I. Bill works, this 3-page briefing on Defense Department rules was referenced in a May 1 Air Force Times story.

Keep Reading

New York State's Department of Health urges campuses to review the Pandemic Influenza Planning and Preparedness Packet for colleges and universities. Also see State Education Department and State Department of Health links and advisories.

Keep Reading

Please thank legislators for their commitment to programs that increase access to higher education, and for enacting the historic New York Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELPs). Click "Take Action" to share your personal story about the importance of student aid. Forward this link: http://capwiz.com/cicu/home/ to other supporters you know.

Keep Reading

Click the "keep reading" link below to become a fan of cIcu's new Facebook page, New York Student Aid Alliance. The page's main focus is to encourage individuals to get active and contact their elected officials to promote higher education in New York. Furthermore, the page is a source of useful updates and information regarding New York higher education.

Keep Reading

For years the subliminal messaging most of us received was that"no price tag is too high for a quality higher education." As we rethink virtually everything in this post-AIG, post-Madoff, post-housing bubble world, it may be time to ask if that graduation cap tassel is really worth the financial hassle.

Keep Reading

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) has argued that all that government support should result in more transparency.And the Internal Revenue Service is working to raise reporting standards for nonprofit colleges and universities."We receive tax benefits that total millions of dollars," says Colin S. Diver, president of Reed College."The old days, when even the elite private institutions could say, 'We're a private club" and shut the doors, are gone."

Keep Reading