In providing the framework for the disbursement of billions of dollars in financial aid and institutional grants, the Higher Education Act (HEA) is the primary articulation of the federal role in higher education policy. Last reauthorized in 2008, the HEA needs modernization and significant reforms to address affordability, improve quality and boost college completion rates. However, a reauthorization of HEA remains elusive, leaving many to wonder when, if ever, Congress could agree on a new way forward. A glimmer of hope has emerged as a result of bipartisan interest in HEA in both the House and the Senate, but lead policymakers have competing visions about how the law should change.
In this webinar, AASCU’s Barmak Nassirian will discuss recent activity on Capitol Hill related to HEA reauthorization, briefly examine possible approaches that the two chambers may take and analyze the prospects of an HEA reauthorization in the 116th Congress.
Speaker
Barmak Nassirian, AASCU Director of Federal Relations
Barmak Nassirian is the director of federal relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). In this role, he coordinates federal legislative and regulatory matters and helps craft the association’s Public Policy Agenda.