Platforms to Policies- A Look at Presidential Contributions to Higher Education

1. Platforms to Policies- A Look at Presidential Contributions to Higher Education Stephanie Wells, MEFA & Bernie Pekala, Boston College

2. Founding Fathers & Mothers Planting the Seeds of Aid • 1643- First financial aid award was created at Harvard University. • George Washington • John and Abigail Adams

3. Thomas Jefferson- “Itis safer to have the whole people respectably enlightened than a few in a high state of science and the many in ignorance.” • Abraham Lincoln

4. Presidential Trivia • Where did John Adams go to college? Answer: • John Adams graduated from Harvard College • What two presidents died on July 4th? Answer: • Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, creators of the Declaration of Independence, died on July 4, 1826. Adams dies just hours after Jefferson, on the 50th anniversary of the Revolution. • Bonus- What were the last words Adams spoke before he died? Answer: • “Thomas Jefferson survives.”

5. Fast Forward to Franklin D. Roosevelt! • Education was essentially a non-issue in the Democratic platforms in 1932, 1936 and 1940. Thanks Great Depression and world war! • Signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI Bill.

6. I  THE NEW DEAL! Go Franklin Go! • American Legion support • In 2008, the GI Bill was updated once again.

7. Big Bill, Big Benefits • GI Bill helped millions of US veterans and helped spur the postwar economic boom that built many of America’s suburbs.

8. Dwight Eisenhower • 1958 National Defense Education Act

9. John Kennedy • 1960 platform proposed a program of loans and scholarship grants for higher education. • Signed amendments to the 1958 National Defense Education Act.

10. Lyndon Johnson Great Society and War on Poverty- Substantial pieces of legislation that had the following goals: • Help low-income people via education and health programs • Stimulate the economy for new jobs • Remove race and sex barriers to educational and employment opportunities Don’t mess with Texas

11. LBJ’s Great Society and War on Poverty • 1964 Civil Rights Act • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Clean Air Act • Medicare and Medicaid • Higher Education Facilities Act • Elementary and Secondary Education Act • Operation Head Start • Higher Education Act of 1965

12. Richard Nixon • 1968 Republican platform • Generally bogged down with the Vietnam War and Watergate with no significant higher education legislation signed.

13. Gerald Ford

14. Jimmy Carter! • Created the Department of Education • A campaign promise kept • Strong ties to NEA made some nervous • One of the few major accomplishments of the Carter administration

15. Ronald Reagan • Made campaign promise to abolish ED • Reductions in spending rejected by Congress • Believed education responsibility laid with the states

16. Presidential Trivia • Which President created the Direct Lending program? Answer: • President George H.W. Bush created the Direct Lending pilot program to save an estimated $1 billion • Who is the first President to hold an MBA? Answer: • President George W. Bush earned his MBA from Harvard Business School

17. Bush-Clinton • 1992 Democratic platform encouraged investment in education, including lifelong learning. • Domestic G.I. Bill • Bill Clinton signed the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993. • In 1993, Clinton signed the National and Community Service Trust Act • Built on the first National Service Act signed by President H.W. Bush in 1990.

18. George W. Bush created tax incentives to help families save for college tax-free- ex. 529 college savings plans In 2003, George W. Bush signed the Strengthen AmeriCorps Program Act, which nearly doubled the number of AmeriCorps members. Signed the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act George W. Bush

19. George W. Bush, in 2008, signed the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loan Act (ECASLA) in reaction to the capital market crisis. Also in 2008, (originally scheduled for 2003), George W. Bush signed the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). George W. Bush (cont.)

20. President Barack Obama Platforms to Policies

21. Campaign Promise- Fully refundable tax credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university. Where does it stand? No legislation changes yet Passed under Bush 43- Modifies Hope Credit for 2009 & 2010 Maximum $2,500 tax credit Increases income range eligibility to $80K for single filers and $160 K for joint filers Adds required course material expenses such as computer Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit

22. Campaign Promise: Simplify the financial aid process by eliminating the FAFSA and its complicated calculations altogether. Streamline by enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used and eliminating the need for a separate application. Where does it stand? Continued reduction and elimination of questions on FAFSA IRS Data Retrieval Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid

23. Campaign Issue: A common reason that high school students decide not to attend college is that they discover they are unprepared for it in 12th grade. Provide $25 million annually in matching funds to state efforts Where does it stand? College Access Challenge Grant Program- Created by Bush 43, additional funding under Obama $150,000,000 appropriated for 2010 Average 2008 Award- $1,172,620 Any state agency designated by the governor of the state may apply. College Readiness Programs

24. President Barack Obama On March 25, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the much publicized Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.

25. Campaign Promise: Save taxpayer money highlighting; Direct Loan vs. FFEL costs Where does it stand? 100% Direct Lending as of July 1, 2010 Technical Assistance State and non-profit servicing US loan servicing jobs Eliminate Costly Bank Subsidies

26. Campaign Promise: Inflation adjustment model Mandatory Funding What passed? Mandatory funding with appropriated base Scheduled Model Expand Pell Grants for Low-Income Students

27. Campaign Promise- Community colleges serve 12 million people each year, almost half the undergraduate students in the U.S. Create a Community College Partnership Program to strengthen community colleges by providing grants. What passed? American Graduation Initiative Investment of $12 billion in Community Colleges over next 10 years will likely be unfunded. Community colleges have planned around this and embraced accountability to Federal Govt. Community College Partnership Program

28. 110th Congress

29. What is next?? • HEOA Shame Lists • Tuition. Price, Increases • Net Price Calculator • Perkins Loans Program Modification • Modified Direct Loan Program • FAFSA Simplification • Asset caps • IRS based/Asset Elimination

30. Stay Involved!! • Contact your elected officials to weigh in on the issues. • Write letters to media outlets. • Stay involved in the political process. • Discuss the issues in a civil and constructive way. • Vote!

31. Thank you! November 2, 2010- Remember to Vote!