Higher Education Amendments

(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #265 (388-7))

Higher Education Amendments - =Title I: Amendments to the Higher Education Act= - Extends the authority of the Commissioner of Education to make grants to eligible students under the Higher Education Act of 1965. Extends the authorization for appropriations for specified provisions of such Act.

Requires the Commissioner to publish by July 1, in the Federal Register, a schedule of expected family contributions for purposes of eligibility for basic educational opportunity grants under such Act. States that if Congress, by resolution, disapproves such schedule the Commissioner shall publish a new schedule together with a statement identifying the recommendations made in connection with such resolution.

Includes as part of the criteria the Commissioner shall use in promulgating regulations with respect to such expected contribution any educational expenses of other dependent children in the family. Includes as part of "effective family income" as defined under such Act, Social Security payments to the student which would not have been paid if such individual were not a student.

Directs the Commissioner to enter into the three-year agreements with two to five States for the purposes of processing grant applications of residents of those States.

Extends the authorization for appropriations in such sums as may be necessary for payments to the States for incentive grants to students under such Act.

Extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 1977 for the special programs for students from disadvantaged backgrounds (Trio programs).

Permits the institutions to subtract the veterans whose eligibility for veterans' educational assistance expired on May 31, 1976, from the number of veterans necessary to establish eligibility for assistance under the programs of veterans' cost of instruction payments to institutions of higher education. Requires the Commissioner to report annually to the Congress on such program.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal yar 1980 for work-study programs under such Act. Authorizes institutions receiving funds under such programs to use a protion of such funds for administrative expenses and for job location and development programs. Authorizes the Commissioner to enter into agreements with eligible institutions for programs which locate and develop jobs for currently enrolled students, if such institution provides specific assurances to the Commissioner.

Extends the authorization for appropriations to enable the Commissioner to make grants to institutions of higher learning for cooperative education programs under such Act. Authorizes appropriations for training, demonstration, research grants or contracts for such programs. Sets forth the requirements which institutions of higher learning must meet to become eligible for cooperative education grants.

States that in approving applications for such grants the Commissioner shall give priority to programs which show the greatest promise of success. Sets forth cirteria for making such determination.

Authorizes grants for training of persons in the planning, administration, and coordination of programs of cooperative education, and for demonstrating and exploring the feasibility of innovative cooperative education.

Requires that, in the case of a default on a loan made under the direct student loan program under such Act, the Commissioner be notified of such default in a report describing the total number of loans from such loan fund which are in default. Repeals the requirement that the Commissioner be notified when a student is no longer in good standing for payments to be suspended to such student. Authorizes institutions to permit borrowers to pay less than the $30 per month repayment minimum under such Act in cases of hardship.

Requires that any agreement between an institution and a student for a loan from such funds shall provide that the liability to repay such loan be cancelled upon the death or permanent and total disability of the borrower.

Increases the ceiling on the amount an institution may receive as reimbursement for its costs of administration of the direct student loan program.

Imposes civil penalties on students who misapply or fraudulently obtain a loan.

Permits a student to receive assistance under such Act only if the student is maintaining satisfactory progress in his course of study, according to the standards and practices of the institution.

Authorizes the Commissioner to prescribe regulations to provide a fiscal audit of eligible institutions with regard to funds obtained from a student who has a loan insured or guaranteed under such Act.

Provides that an institution which has engaged in false advertising or substantial misrepresentation of its programs, charges or employability of its graduates may be terminated or suspended until the Commissioner finds that such practices have been corrected.

Requires each institution having an agreement or contract relating to student assistance under such Act to establish a fair and equitable refund policy pursuant to regulations to be developed in concert with student organizations, other interested parties and relevant Federal agencies.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1978 for incentive grants to the States for the design and development of programs to increase the proficiency of institutional and State financial aid administrators.

Authorizes appropriations for community service programs under such Act and for continuing education programs as defined in this Act. Sets forth how such appropriations are to be allotted to the States and American territories. Requires any State to be eligible for such assistance to create a State advisory council which shall submit a State plan which establishes a comprehensive and coordinated Statewide system of community service and continued education programs. Prohibits the Commissioner from requiring any State to make any agreement or submit any data which is not specifically required under such Act.

States that in a judicial review of the Commissioner's disapproval of a State plan or suspension from participation in any such programs, the Commissioner shall have the burden of proof that the State's plan or administration of such plan is at variance with any of the provisions of such Act.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make available technical assistance to States and to institutions of higher education. Extends appropriations for college library programs under such Act. Repeals provisions of such Act relating to financial assistance to the Library of Congress for the acquisition and cataloging of library material.

Extends appropriations for assistance to developing institutions, education professions development programs, and improvement of undergraduate instruction of programs under such Act.

Directs the Commissioner to authorize grants to institutions for the renovation and modernization of undergraduate and graduate academic facilities. Sets forth the criteria which the Commissioner shall use in determining the priorities of eligible construction projects. Dfines "renovation and modernization" for purposes of this Act.

Extends the graduate program grants and general assistance grants to institutions of higher learning under such Act.

Requires the Commission to conduct hearings before disapproving any State Commission plan filed pursuant to such Act for grants to community colleges and occupational education. Authorizes appropriations for such grants through fiscal year 1977.

Provides an extension of authorizations for title X, grants for State planning for community colleges.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to existing community colleges to: (1) assist them in modifying their educational programs and instructional delivery systems to provide educational programs for persons whose educational needs have been inadequately served; and (2) assist them in expanding their enrollemnt capacity or in establishing new educational sites.

Revises the Federal share of carrying out projects through grants to enable community colleges to lease facilities.

Extends appropriations through fiscal year 1977 for occupational education programs under such Act.

Repeals provisions of such Act relating to: (1) programs for institutions of higher education to share technical educational and administrative facilities and resources; and (2) law school clinical experience programs.

Sets forth funding requirements for specified provisions of such Act.

Prohibits institutions of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance from using such funds to undertake any study or project containing an express or implied provisions that any person of a particular race, religion, sex, or national origin be barred from performing such study or project.

Requires that any administrative hearing conducted in connection with alleged violations of such Act be held within the boundaries of the jurisdiction where the alleged violation occurred.

=Title II: Amendments to Other Acts= - Provides that funds granted, under the National Defense Education Act, for international studies be used to stimulate locally designed programs upon the request of the locality, and not for the development of new curriculums.

Extends the authorization of appropriations to carry out the provisions of the General Education Provisions Act through fiscal year 1977.

Makes it unlawful for any Federal agency to require the imposition of quotas, goals, or any numerical requirements on the student admission practices of institutions of higher education receiving Federal funds.

Prohibits funds authorized under the Foreign Studies and Language Development seciton of NDEA to be used for activities involing any aspect of the religion of secular humanism.