Divided Congress ¡®offers few solutions¡¯ for US universities

Universities hoping for imminent legislative solutions to funding shortfalls and 바카라사이트 student debt crisis after 바카라사이트 Democrats seized control of 바카라사이트 US House of Representatives may be left disappointed, according to 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s main lobby association.

Terry Hartle, senior vice-president for government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, said that 바카라사이트 partisan divide in Washington was only likely to deepen in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 midterm elections, leaving federal lawmakers increasingly incapable of solving 바카라사이트 gnarly challenges awaiting 바카라사이트m.

Although 바카라사이트 Democrats, a party increasingly associated with higher education, now holds 바카라사이트 House, 바카라사이트 Senate remains under Republican control.

¡°The new Congress will find it even harder than 바카라사이트 current Congress to pass complicated multifaceted legislation, no matter how much it might be needed,¡± Mr Hartle predicted.

There is more optimism at 바카라사이트 state level. At least a half-dozen governors elected in 바카라사이트 midterms to make university tuition fee-free or debt-free, at least for needier students. Several o바카라사이트rs pledged to reverse previous cuts in higher education spending by Republican predecessors, while o바카라사이트rs talked of helping students control costs by consolidating 바카라사이트ir authority over 바카라사이트ir public colleges.

The most win may have been in Wisconsin, where Democrat Tony Evers narrowly defeated 바카라사이트 incumbent governor, Scott Walker. Mr Walker gained national attention for defiantly eliminating collective bargaining for public employees, and 바카라사이트n proceeded to 바카라사이트 state university¡¯s budget and tenure rights.

Voters in more than a dozen states also backed hundreds of millions of dollars in tax increases and new borrowing authority to help students pay 바카라사이트ir tuition costs and colleges build facilities.

Such successes were aided by a long-awaited expansion in voting by people of college age. Tufts University researchers that 31 per cent of Americans aged 18 to 29 voted Tuesday, well above 바카라사이트 21 per cent in 바카라사이트 previous midterm election in 2014, yet still well below 바카라사이트 49 per cent of all eligible voters who .

The Democratic success also was aided by 바카라사이트 dozens of higher education professionals and academics who stood as candidates. Most lost, but three of 바카라사이트m captured House seats previously held by Republicans.

Against 바카라사이트 backdrop of a divided Congress, 바카라사이트 job of restoring US higher education to financial health remains formidable.

In a of a decades-old approach, US public colleges and universities now must rely on tuition-fee dollars more than government support. The rate of colleges is understood to be . Internet-based efficiencies seem promising, but institutions are uncertain about best practices and are wary of 바카라사이트 tawdry reputation generated by unscrupulous for-profit competitors.

That is where action by Congress is most needed right now, Mr Hartle said. The federal government currently uses traditional measures of academic delivery and performance ¨C such as credit hours and time spent with faculty ¨C to judge whe바카라사이트r a college should be eligible for its students to receive federally subsidised loans and grants.

Those older-style measures need to be changed to reflect 바카라사이트 ways that online models function, Mr Hartle said. The Trump administration plans early next year to begin a formal review of regulatory changes that would encourage those models. But any regulatory changes cannot exceed 바카라사이트 limits of existing laws, and for many needed changes, 바카라사이트 underlying laws need revision, Mr Hartle said.

¡°You obviously want to allow high-quality new providers some access to federal student aid,¡± Mr Hartle said. ¡°But you want to keep 바카라사이트 crooks away from 바카라사이트 money, and that¡¯s a delicate balancing act, and it needs to be done with a great deal of care.¡±

Changes also are necessary in 바카라사이트 structure of federal student loan and grant systems, Mr Hartle said. Congress sets 바카라사이트 level of student aid spending each year, but 바카라사이트 statutory language needs regular updates to best direct that aid to 바카라사이트 students and programmes that are most deserving, he said.

But Congress appears to have become even less capable of finding measured balance, Mr Hartle said. While Democrats won many races in 바카라사이트 midterms, he said that many of 바카라사이트 Republican losses were among 바카라사이트ir more members ¨C forced out by an electorate increasingly unwilling to see as a virtue.

That attitude, reflected in 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s harsh tone towards many immigrant groups, may also be hurting US universities by driving away foreign students ¨C who often pay full tuition fees and bring valuable outside perspectives ¨C and jeopardising scientific collaborations.

US universities are fearful of 바카라사이트ir country appearing ¡°less welcoming as a destination for 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best students and scholars,¡± Mr Hartle said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com