This week, the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee will be finalizing re-authorization of the Higher Education Act (originally enacted in 1965) that would continue federal assistance to colleges and universities, including various grant and loan programs for students, childcare and campus safety programs, and requirements to promote sex and race equity.
We know that there is a serious lack of childcare facilities for young parents trying to complete their education and, insofar as campus crime is concerned, colleges and universities often fail to report and prosecute sexual assaults against women students. So it will be important to contact your Senators and urge that they support these provisions. Thanks to Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-VT), chair of the Labor and Human Resources Committee, and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) provisions to expand campus childcare programs have been included.
The Senate committee will complete mark-up of the bill Wednesday morning, April 1st. At that time, Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) will be offering amendments to authorize campus sexual assault prevent grants and to enact The Fair Play Act, S. 933/H.R. 1987. The Fair Play Act would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make information regarding men's and women's athletic programs at institutions of higher education easily available to prospective students and prospective student athletes. It would require the Secretary of Education to prepare a report and place it on the Internet and to establish a toll-free telephone service to provide the public with information about various universities' implementation of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and athletic opportunities for girls and women.
Action on the Higher Education Act has already occurred on the House
side where we find both good news and bad news. A House committee
marked up the bill (H.R.
3293) earlier in March. The good news is that committee members
included parts of a proposal to expand child care facilities for
students, but the bad news is that they refused to include various provisions
which would have promoted campus safety.
Even worse, there wil be a serious threat on the House floor when California
Representative Frank Riggs offers his amendment (H.R.
3330) to prohibit any school that participates in programs authorized
by the Higher Education Act from using racial or gender preferences in
admissions decisions. The final vote for the full House is planned for
the end of April. The Riggs amendment, if adopted, would abolish all
affirmative action programs for colleges and universities. We need
to oppose the Riggs amendment; so please contact your House representative
during the Spring recess, April 2nd to 21st.
Would you be able to help out by contacting your
Senators and Representative?
Here's what is needed: please call your Senator and urge him/her
to support provisions which expand childcare facilities on campus and to
strengthen requirements to promote campus safety and to improve reporting
of violent crimes. We also would like a strong show of support for Sen.
Wellstone's amendments, including granst to prevent sexual assault and
to promote accountability by colleges and universities of gender equity
requirements under title IX. There is no bill number as yet, but
please identify the legislation as the Higher Education Re-Authorization
Act.
Then during the Spring recess (4/2 to 4/21): Please tell your House member that affirmative action programs continue to help women and people of color overcome educational barriers. Women still have a long way to go to achieve equality; the gender gap in higher education has narrowed but has not disappeared. In addition to preserving affirmative action programs, tell your House member that childcare programs for students are absolutely essential and that campus safety should be promoted through federal requirements and grants to encourage their compliance.
You can reach any member of Congress by dialing the main switchboard at 202-224-3121 or looking up their phone/fax/mail/email address.
Thanks for all your help.