[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3159-S3160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1670. Mr. LEE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 1502 proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill S. 1260, to
establish a new Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the
National Science Foundation, to establish a regional technology hub
program, to require a strategy and report on economic security,
science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to
establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title I of division F, insert the following:
Subtitle D--Transparency in Higher Education
SEC. 6131. TIME FOR TRANSPARENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--Title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 487(a), by adding at the end the following:
``(30) The institution will publish information in
compliance with section 494A.''; and
(2) in part G, by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 494A. INSTITUTIONAL PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION.
``(a) Publication of Information.--
``(1) In general.--Each institution of higher education
participating in a program under this title shall publish on
the institution's website and in an alternative format, on an
annual basis, the information described in paragraphs (2) and
(3). To the extent that such data is available, an
institution may use data that the institution is already
collecting in accordance with other Federal requirements.
``(2) Information.--Each institution of higher education
described in paragraph (1) shall publish, with respect to the
institution as a whole and with respect to each program of
study offered by the institution, the following information
for the most recent fiscal year for which the information is
available:
``(A) For each of the following, the percentage and number
of students enrolled at the institution or in the program of
study, as applicable, who receive the following:
``(i) Federal grant aid, including Federal Pell Grants
under subpart 1 of part A, Federal Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grants under subpart 3 of part A, or any other
Federal postsecondary education grant aid or subsidy.
``(ii) Federal student loans, including Federal loans under
part D.
``(iii) State grant aid.
``(iv) Institutional grants.
``(v) A student loan from a State.
``(B) Student body enrollment status, including as a--
``(i) first-time, full-time student;
``(ii) first-time, part-time student;
``(iii) non-first-time, full-time student; and
``(iv) non-first-time, part-time student.
``(C) Information about students that includes the
following:
``(i) The percentage of students who do not complete the
program of study the student initially started upon
enrollment.
``(ii) The percentage of students who transfer.
``(iii) The percentage of students who complete the program
of study the student initially started upon enrollment.
``(iv) The average length of time for a student to complete
the program of study.
``(v) The percentage of students who continue on to higher
levels of education.
``(vi) The percentage of former students who received
financial aid who are employed at 2, 4, and 6 years after
graduating, disaggregated by program of study.
``(vii) The median earnings of former students who earned a
degree or credential and received financial aid on the date
that is 10 years after the date the students first enrolled
in a program of study at the institution, disaggregated by
program of study.
``(viii) The median earnings of former students who
received financial aid on the date that is 10 years after the
date the students first enrolled in a program of study at the
institution, disaggregated by program of study.
``(3) Publication of default and non-repayment rates.--In
addition to the information described in paragraph (2), each
institution of higher education described in paragraph (1)
shall publish, with respect to the institution as a whole and
with respect to each program of study offered by the
institution, the following information for the most recent
fiscal year for which the information is available:
``(A) The average amount of total Federal student loan debt
accrued upon graduation.
``(B) The average amount of total Federal student loan debt
accrued by students who leave the institution without having
graduated.
``(C) Federal student loan default rate.
``(D) Federal student loan non-repayment rate.
``(E) Default and non-repayment rate, including as a--
``(i) first-time, full-time student;
``(ii) first-time, part-time student;
``(iii) non-first-time, full-time student; and
``(iv) non-first-time, part-time student.
``(F) Default and non-repayment rate, of--
``(i) students who complete a program of study;
``(ii) students who transfer; and
``(iii) students who do not complete a program of study.
``(b) Privacy.--
``(1) Compliance with ferpa.--In carrying out this section,
an institution of higher education and any personnel of the
institution shall not share any personally identifiable
information and shall act in accordance with section 444 of
the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g,
commonly known as the `Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974').
``(2) Prohibition on use of information.--Information
published pursuant to this section shall not be used by a
Federal employee, agency, or officer, or an institution of
higher education to take action against an individual.
``(3) Penalties.--The Secretary shall establish penalties
for a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) that includes both a
monetary fine and up to 5 years in prison.
``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed to authorize or permit the Secretary or any
employee or contractor of the Department to mandate, direct,
or control the selection of practices or curriculum by an
institution of higher education.''.
(b) GAO Report.--
(1) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study that compiles all the institutional
publication of information pursuant to section 494A of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, as added by subsection (a).
[[Page S3160]]
(2) Report.--Not later than October 1 of the fourth fiscal
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall submit a report containing
the results of the study under paragraph (1) to the
appropriate committees of Congress
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