***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Subcommittee to Explore Strengths and Weaknesses of Federal Higher Education Data

***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Subcommittee to Explore Strengths and Weaknesses of Federal Higher Education Data

The following was published by the House Committee on Education and Labor on Sept. 18, 2012. It is reproduced in full below.

On Thursday, September 20 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will hold a hearing entitled, “Assessing College Data: Helping to Provide Valuable Information to Students, Institutions, and Taxpayers." The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

In an effort to improve transparency, the 2008 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act increased institutions’ collection and submission of data to the federal government. This data covers a wide range of topics, from tuition and financial aid distribution to student demographics and graduation rates. While there is widespread agreement that taxpayers and students benefit from increased information about the higher education investment, some have expressed concerns that the data collection process imposes a significant and costly burden on institutions.

As Congress begins preliminary discussions on the next reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Thursday’s hearing will provide an opportunity to review the data currently collected by the federal government and examine whether it is helpful to students, institutions, and taxpayers. For more information about the hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov. WITNESS LIST

Mr. Mark Schneider

Vice President, Education, Human Development and the Workforce

American Institutes for Research

Washington, D.C.

Dr. James Hallmark

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

The Texas A&M University System

College Station, TX

Mr. José Cruz

Vice President for Higher Education Policy and Practice

The Education Trust

Washington, D.C.

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons

President

Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA

Source: House Committee on Education and Labor