***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Subcommittee to Discuss Opportunities to Better Prepare Disadvantaged Students for College Success

***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Subcommittee to Discuss Opportunities to Better Prepare Disadvantaged Students for College Success

The following was published by the House Committee on Education and Labor on Jan. 24, 2014. It is reproduced in full below.

On Tuesday, January 28th 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,“Keeping College Within Reach: Sharing Best Practices for Serving Low-income and First Generation Students." The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Each year the federal government invests billions of dollars to help students prepare for higher education and manage the costs associated with earning a degree. However, more must be done at the state and institutional level to ensure low-income and first generation students have the support necessary to access and complete a postsecondary education program.

In recent years, a number of colleges and universities have taken steps to provide enhanced support services to disadvantaged students. Some schools have implemented additional counseling programs to help students manage their coursework and degree costs. Others have strengthened data collection to better understand students’ needs and capabilities, and develop appropriate tutoring or coursework strategies to help students succeed.

As the committee continues preparing for the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Tuesday’s hearing will provide members an opportunity to explore institutional efforts to better serve low-income and first generation students, while also discussing possible policy changes to strengthen federal programs geared toward helping disadvantaged students earn a college degree. To learn more about this hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings. WITNESS LIST

Dr. James Anderson

Chancellor

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC

Mrs. Mary Beth Del Balzo

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

The College of Westchester

White Plains, NY

Mr. Josse Alex Garrido

Graduate Student

University of Texas-Pan American

Edinburg, TX

Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider

President

DePaul University

Chicago, IL

Source: House Committee on Education and Labor