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July
25, 2001
The
Honorable Howard "Buck" McKeon
Chairman
Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness
H2-230 Ford House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The
Honorable Patsy T. Mink
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness
2210 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr.
Chairman and Representative Mink,
The United
States Student Association and the State PIRGs want to thank
the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness' commitment
to address distance education issues. We agree that the current
Higher Education Act's distance education provisions should
be reexamined. However, we are writing on behalf of our three
million student constituents to ask that you delay further
movement of H.R. 1992, "The Internet Education and Equity
Act of 2001." We feel that this important issue warrants further
consideration before legislative action is taken.
It is
uncertain how changes in the three key provision of H.R. 1992;
the 50 percent rule, the 12-hour rule and incentive compensation,
will impact institutions or students. We agree that as technologies
in distance education have evolved, these provisions - designed
to curb abuses in distance education - must be re-evaluated.
However, we have serious concerns that any substantive changes
made to these safeguards absent of a clear understanding of
the impacts may harm students.
We think
that it would be well advised to consider the studies currently
being conducted by the Department of Education, through both
the Distance Education Demonstration Program and their work
on the incentive compensation bans, before moving forward.
This combined with the work being done by the Institute of
Higher Education Policy and the Advisory Committee on Student
Financial Aid will provide important insight into the issues
surrounding distance education.
According
to the College Board in 1998-99, almost half of all students
graduated with more than $19,000 in debt. In addition, 29%
of low-income students work more than 35 hours a week. We
cannot afford to gamble on an issue that is so important to
the future of our educational system, or the students that
it serves. We owe it to those most in need of more flexible
educational options, working students, student-parents and
those in need of more up-to-date job-training to be vigilant
about the quality of education offered to them with the federal
government's seal of approval. We urge you to delay further
movement of H.R. 1992 until the impacts of this legislation
to both students and institutions can clearly be determined.
Sincerely,
Corye
Barbour
U.S. Student Association Legislative Director
Ellynne
Bannon
The State PIRGs' Higher Education Project
cc: The
Honorable Johnny Isakson
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