NYT: Bush Panel Considers Revamping College Aid and Accrediting

[DeepModem Mom]

Panel Considers Revamping College Aid and Accrediting
By SAM DILLON
Published: April 12, 2006

Months after suggesting that standardized testing should be brought to colleges and universities, a higher education commission named by the Bush administration is examining proposals to change sharply how the nation's colleges are accredited and how federal student aid is administered.

One proposal calls for scrapping the current system of accreditation, which has been done largely by private regional bodies, in favor of a National Accreditation Foundation that would be created by Congress and the president. Another proposal calls for streamlining the federal student aid system, replacing some 17 grant, loan and tax-credit programs with just one, or perhaps three, federal aid programs.

The commission, which includes corporate and academic officials, was set up last fall by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to examine college costs and accountability.

Sweeping proposals like the accreditation idea have seemed to turn the commission's deliberations into a tug-of-war between corporate executives and educators over how to solve problems in the nation's higher education system.

"The commission is sending out firebolts, one after another," said Carol Geary Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, which represents 1,100 postsecondary institutions....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/12/education/12commission.html

[bluestateguy]

1. Classic big government conservatism

Federal mandates for student aid, standardized testing and accreditdation: this from the party that supposedly used to be for local government, decentralization and states rights.

[Demeter]

15. And Don't Forget the Mandatory Chapel and Religion Classes!

and burkahs, can't forget the burkahs, either.

[KansDem]

24. They used to be for term limits, too.

But that platform plank disappeared shortly after the 2004 elections.

[salin]

30. and which used to be for abolishing the Dept of Education

now, instead, they want to start - in essence - a DOE for colleges and Us.

What a monumentally bad idea.

[rodeodance]

2. so they want accountability from colleges?--clean your own house first!

The commission, which includes corporate and academic officials, was set up last fall by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to examine college costs and accountability.

[meegbear]

3. And they'll add any college that doens't allow military recruitment ...

will lose accreditation.

[saigon68]

27. To produce an endless supply

Of Hitler youth

[Mel]

4. I thought this comment was rather disgusting

<snip>During a February meeting in San Diego, Trace Urdan, a senior research analyst for the investment banking firm Robert W. Baird & Company, said state colleges and universities "amount to state-run enterprises and suffer from all the inefficiency and poor decision-making of Soviet-style factories."</snip>


The proposals are laid out in the issue papers, which are available at www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/reports.html.

[DELUSIONAL]

5. These assholes are insulting college graduates and hardworking

students.

"Soviet-style factories" -- under anything that the bush gang does -- out goes freedom, critical thinking -- free speech -- anything that we assumed was our birthright as Americans.

These creeps intend to be in power forever.

[DUHandle]

11. The issue papers have been moved

[Mel]

17. after fishing for it I found it

So do you think they moved that link on purpose?
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/index.html

[willing dwarf]

6. Under the guise of standardization and accountablity

sounds like the Liberal liberal arts colleges would be doomed. I guess they've achieved control over the younger years, now they want to stamp out liberal values on campus.

Fortunately all of this conservative fixation on pragmatic bean counting should ultimately push the inspired who see there is more to life than what can be counted and measured to rise up and simply assert the value of liberal values such as tolerance and open-ended inquiry.

I'd venture to guess that most of the quantum leaps we've made in understanding how the universe works ( a pragmatic understanding) has come through the unmeasureable process of free thinking and open-ended consideration of ideas.

[Missy Vixen]

7. Why don't we call this what it is?

>Another proposal calls for streamlining the federal student aid system, replacing some 17 grant, loan and tax-credit programs with just one, or perhaps three, federal aid programs.<

"Streamlining"? I doubt it. "Killing" would be a better description of what's about to happen. Every program that comes to the attention of * is on the chopping block. We can't give out aid to college students. They'll get an education and won't vote Republican. Plus, they're needed in Iraq for the War Without End, aren't they?

We all know that the group that brought us the bloated and criminally ineffective Department of Homeland Security could definitely "streamline" financial aid for college students. BS.

The screaming had better be loud and long from those of us who were able to go to school on grants and loans; if it's not, everyone else's kids will lose even more than they already have.

Julie

[Triana]

8. Remember the 'no child's behind left' program?

Same thing *Resident dickhead will do to the college loan and grant programs. Say buh-bye...

:mad:

[Rambis]

9. they will dictate whats new

They are going to tell our Universities what course from school X is and what it will count for at their institution. The Universities will have no say in this it will be decided for them and universal. I wonder how Berkley is going to feel when * tells them to accept Human Physiology from NW central state of Missouri for their Physiology course. Whoo boy!

Another plan that I don't understand very well is to somehow put arbitrary values on schools education and trade shares on the NY stock exchange. I listened to the program at a conference and I understood it at the time but I don't now.

[loveandlight]

10. total control

They are working very fast now, I think, worrying that they may not be in power much longer (I still have a glimmer of hope for 2006 and 2008). But once they get all these programs changed, and ruined, it will be that much harder to turn it back around. Some things are reversible, if a sensible government gets into power, such as the prescription drug mess or the No Child Left Behind disaster. Other things they've done are a lifetime or longer irreversible disaster, like the take over of the judicial system and environmental destruction. I have never in my life felt so much hatred and disgust, so much anger at our lack of any ability to combat these changes. Some days I just want to scream and pull my hair out and lose control. Other days I cry. They will leave nothing alone. Total control. Our educational system is already falling behind other countries. We know real science is unimportant to these people, so once they gain control of higher education everything will be under conservative and religious scrutiny. Think about it, control of the media, control of the government, control of the judiciary, and now control of our educational systems. What is left? The American taliban at your service.

Can we stop them if the Democrats gain power in Congress in 2006? Will they even let that happen with all the voting machines in place? For me, I think, 2006 will be the final story. Because we know the majority of American people are now catching on to these crooks and liars and if allowed a fair election would vote them out. We will see. Hopefully before it is too late.

[cap]

12. anything they touch turns to crap

let's see who's gonna make a boatload of money off of this one at the expense of the average American.

Havent seen anything by this commission but my gut feel is this:

Privatization of the college money flows so that some corporation makes an obscene profit while dumbing down the college experience and saddling kids with huge amounts of debt. Figure out new ways of excluding more people from higher ed ... most of the jobs that arent high touch are going overseas.

Privatization of research so that basic research is starved in favor of corporate research. Aka making universities the skunks works of corporations. This will set American industry back in the future... Because basic research for ground breaking discoveries depends on arcane work done 20 years ago.

Removing accreditation for any liberal oriented courses such as those on xxx studies (fill in the blank with women's, gay, black, asian, etc). Remove accreditation for any studies that might conflict with the conservative agenda such as effective policy administration and public works, environmental studies.

Removing courses that teach any form of critical thinking in favor of rote memorization.
Return to the Great Books philosophy of liberal arts (teach Dead White Males without any perspective or contrary view).

It'll be interesting to see what from the Orwellian doublespeak of this administration will take. But rest assured, Neil Bush's software company will make millions from it.

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. Would all the already earned college credits then be invalidated?

So, if someone wanted to return to college to pursue a higher degree, would they be fucked in having any of their previously earned credits accepted?

Does this mean that all the credits Bush "earned" in college will be invalidated? :evilgrin:

BushCo is a total blight on the US and the world at large. Nothing like making it more difficult and costly for any American to reach for their dream. :mad:

[underpants]

18. No but it will be understood that they learned the "old truth"

not the "new truth"---that is what this is aimed at I am sure.

[Orangepeel]

14. great. like there isn't enough standardized testing

I guess there are still too many Americans with critical thinking skills

[dethl]

16. Dethl to Bush: Leave my f*cking college education ALONE!!

Bush just wants to be able to cut more funding from colleges to fund his war/buddies.

And I don't want to take a damn standardized test. I've been taking them for years (since I started the 1st grade until my junior year of high school) and I'm TIRED of them. College students have better things to do than these worthless tests...like class...and life.

</rant>

Edited subject for offensive language.

[underpants]

19. Standardized test?? LOL college gets REAL easy via e-mail

No need to go to class anymore just get one nerd to memorize all the answers and the blue bloods get A's and everyone else doesn't and therefore will only ever be a worker bee.

Look into the Hudson Institute and it's two tiered educational system. That is what this is all about.

[Miss Chybil]

20. They need better regulation on accredidation. I agree.

We have "schools" here now that will train you to become a "law enforcement officer" or a "corrections officer." Those jobs are difficult to qualify for and once you have qualified, they send you through their own training academies. These "schools" are stealing people's financial aid for a worthless "degree."

[bemildred]

21. Another power grab. nt

[jsamuel]

22. The War on Education

[ChairmanAgnostic]

23. faith based accrediting? golly!

[xxqqqzme]

25. so instead of regulating big business

we gonna regulating children learning.

[jimbot]

26. Before they start dorking around with colleges

They need to show proof that NCLB actually results in national K-12 improvement in math, science, writing, communications, etc. From what I've seen on an international scale we keep becoming less competitive in providing fundamental skills to our students.
If we just look at math, the U.S. doesn't even rank in the top 20 countries for math skills (link here)
Here is a sampling of where we are (note: the study is from 2003...sorry for the formatting)

Country/upper rank/lower rank
Germany 17 21
Ireland 17 21
Slovak Republic 19 24
Norway 21 24
Luxembourg 22 24
Poland 22 26
Hungary 22 27
Spain 25 28
Latvia 25 28
United States 25 28
Russian Federation 29 31
Portugal 29 31
Italy 29 31

[Kitsune]

28. That's ONE way of getting Bob Jones to be an accredited university... *nt*

[progressivebydesign]

29. Where will Neil Bush fit in with his cheezy educational company?

Cuz there is NOTHING Bush will do that will not enrich a family member, friend, or donor. It's not in his nature.