[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 166 (Friday, August 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51815-51816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21720]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance; Meeting

AGENCY: Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Education.

ACTION: Notice of upcoming meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming partially closed meeting of the Advisory Committee on 
Student Financial Assistance. Individuals who will need accommodations 
for a

[[Page 51816]]

disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e., interpreting services, 
assistive listening devices, and/or materials in alternative format) 
should notify Ms. Hope M. Gray at 202-708-7439 or via e-mail at 
[email protected] no later than Monday, September 11, 2000. We will 
attempt to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee 
availability of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is 
accessible to individuals with disabilities. This notice also describes 
the functions of the Committee. Notice of this meeting is required 
under Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. This 
document is intended to notify the general public.

DATES AND TIMES: Monday, September 25, 2000, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and 
ending at approximately 5:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, September 26, 2000, 
beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at approximately 2:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The University of Vermont, Waterman Building, Memorial 
Lounge, 85 South Prospect Street, Burlington, Vermont 05405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian K. Fitzgerald, Staff Director, 
Advisory Committee on Advisory Committee on Student Financial 
Assistance, Portals Building, 1280 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Suite 601, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-7852 (202) 708-7439.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Committee on Student Financial 
Assistance is established under Section 491 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 as amended by Public Law 100-50 (20 U.S.C. 1098). The Advisory 
Committee serves as an independent source of advice and counsel to the 
Congress and the Secretary of Education on student financial aid 
policy. Since its inception, the Committee has been charged with 
providing technical expertise with regard to systems of need analysis 
and application forms, making recommendations that result in the 
maintenance of access to postsecondary education for low- and middle-
income students; conducting a study of institutional lending in the 
Stafford Student Loan Program; assisting with activities related to the 
1992 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965; conducting a 
third-year evaluation of the Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) 
and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) under the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1993; and assisting Congress with 
the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
    The congressional mandate requires the Advisory Committee to 
conduct objective, nonpartisan, and independent analyses on important 
aspects of the student assistance programs under Title IV of the Higher 
Education Act. The Committee traditionally approaches its work from a 
set of fundamental goals: promoting program integrity, eliminating or 
avoiding program complexity, integrating delivery across the Title IV 
programs, and minimizing burden on students and institutions.
    Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act has provided the 
Advisory Committee with a significantly expanded agenda in six major 
areas, such as, Performance-based Organization (PBO); Modernization; 
Technology; Simplification of Law and Regulation; Distance Education; 
and Early Information and Needs Assessment. In each of these areas, 
Congress has asked the Committee to: monitor progress toward 
implementing the Amendments of 1998; conduct independent, objective 
assessments; and make recommendations for improvement to the Congress 
and the Secretary. Each of these responsibilities flow logically from 
and effectively implements one or more of the Committee's original 
statutory functions and purposes.
    The proposed agenda includes: (a) Discussion sessions on 
implementing the provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 
and their impact on all Title IV programs, in particular, examining the 
condition of access for low- and middle-income students in the areas of 
federal, state and institutional early intervention programs, 
remediation and academic support services, and (b) the Committee's 
plans for fiscal year 2001. In addition, other Committee business will 
be addressed. Space is limited and you are encouraged to register early 
if you plan to attend. You may register through Internet at 
[email protected] or [email protected]. Please include your 
name, title, affiliation, complete address (including Internet and e-
mail--if available), and telephone and fax numbers. If you are unable 
to register electronically, you may mail or fax your registration 
information to the Advisory Committee staff office at (202) 401-3467. 
Also you may contact the Advisory Committee staff at (202) 708-7439. 
The registration deadline is Friday, September 15, 2000.
    The Advisory Committee will meet in Burlington, Vermont on Monday, 
September 25, 2000, from 9:00 a.m. until approximately 6:00 p.m., and 
on Tuesday, September 26, from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 2:00 p.m. 
The meeting will be closed to the public on September 25, from 
approximately 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to discuss personnel matters. The 
ensuing discussions will relate to internal personnel rules and 
practices of an agency and will disclose information of a personal 
nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion 
of personal privacy if conducted in open session. Such matters are 
protected by exemptions (2) and (6) of Section 552(b)(c) of Title 5 
U.S.C. A summary of the activities at the closed session and related 
matters which are informative to the public consistent with the policy 
of Title 5 U.S.C. 552(b) will be available to the public within 
fourteen days after the meeting.
    Records are kept of all Committee proceedings, and are available 
for public inspection at the Office of the Advisory Committee on 
Student Financial Assistance, Portals Building, 1280 Maryland Avenue, 
S.W., Suite 601, Washington, D.C. from the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m., weekdays, except Federal holidays.

    Dated: August 21, 2000.
Brian K. Fitzgerald,
Staff Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 00-21720 Filed 8-24-00; 8:45 am]
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