The House of Representatives passed a major bill on Feb. 7 approving measures aimed at helping more students cover the cost of college education. The legislation comes in response to the rapidly increasing costs of college and includes a number of provisions aimed at making the student-loan process more efficient and giving government a greater role in colleges' financial aid practices.
The House overwhelmingly supported the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, HR 4137, voting 354 to 58 to pass the bill. The bill is a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which allows federal government involvement in higher education and created many financial aid programs.
The College Board reported in 2007 that tuition and fees have increased over the past five years at both private and public institutions of higher education. At Tufts, yearly tuition has increased by almost $7,000 over the past five years, from $28,896 in 2003 to $35,842 in 2007, according to Director of Financial Aid Patricia Reilly.
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act seeks to curb the price increases.
"Trying to make a dent in the college affordability problem is a top priority," said Jessica Schafer, press secretary to Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass).
Schafer said the bill would help colleges cut back on tuition increases by implementing programs to help lower other costs, such as need-based grants and energy-efficient practices. "If we provide for need-based grant aid, then colleges won't have to spend their money there," she said.
The bill also requires schools with the largest percentage increases in tuition to report the reasons for the increases to the Department of Education.
"[The bill] directs those schools to create an equality-efficiency task force to examine their operating costs and make recommendations about keeping prices down," Schafer said.
It is "focusing attention on those schools with the largest percentage tuition increase," she said.
Another aim of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act is to simplify the federal student aid process. One step it takes in this direction is updating the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA, a national test for financial aid applicants, currently includes over 100 questions. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act directs the Department of Education to reduce the number of questions on the form by utilizing information that the government already has. It would also allow students to fill out yearly updates, instead of requiring them to submit a new FAFSA every year.
The bill also provides for a new FAFSA "easy form." If a low-income family meets the requirements for the highest federal student aid contribution, that family will only be required to fill out a simpler, two-page FAFSA.
The bill is "setting up a way for students and families to get an early estimate" of their expected family contributions and federal aid packages, Schafer said. College-bound juniors and seniors could fill out forms to receive these estimates while still in the college planning stage.
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act will also make information on textbook costs more accessible in advance to both students and colleges.
Another provision of the bill gives greater transparency to the student loans program. It requires stricter disclosure of lending practices from colleges and provides more rights for students seeking loans. It requires that "lenders fully disclose the terms and conditions of the loans," Schafer said.
The U.S. Senate passed a similar version of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act last year, said Catherine Ribiero, press secretary to Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.).
Ribiero said the two bills are headed to a conference committee of House and Senate members. She anticipates that the conference will take place this spring. From there, the two branches will finalize the bill and send it to President George W. Bush.
Tierney, a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee, was a strong proponent of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act.
"Attending and graduating from college should not be an impossible dream in America," Tierney said in a statement. "Yet, students continue to confront skyrocketing tuitions that may force them to make difficult and potentially life-altering decisions. Some students end up taking on substantial debt, while others put their hopes of pursuing higher education on hold. Others may forgo college completely because of its cost."
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