[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 44 (Friday, March 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 10438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4901]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance; Hearing

AGENCY: Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Education.

ACTION: Notice of upcoming hearing.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming hearing of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial 
Assistance. individuals who will need accommodations for a disability 
in order to attend the hearing (i.e., interpreting services, assistive 
listening devices, and/or materials in alternative format) should 
notify the Advisory Committee no later than Friday, March 19, 2004, by 
contacting Ms. Hope M. Gray at 202-219-2099 or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. We will attempt to meet requests after this date, but 
cannot guarantee availability of the requested accommodation. The 
hearing site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. This 
notice also describes the functions of the Advisory Committee. Notice 
of this hearing is required under section 10(a)(2) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act. This document is intended to notify the general 
public.

DATES: Tuesday, March 30, 2004, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 
approximately 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The University of Illinois at Chicago, Student Service 
Building, 1200 W. Harrison Street, Conference Room A, Chicago, IL 
60607.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Brian K. Fitzgerald, Staff 
Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Capitol 
Place, 80 F Street, NW., Suite 413, Washington, DC 20202-7582, (202) 
219-2099.

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 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. In addition, Congress expanded 
the Advisory Committee's agenda in the Higher Education Amendments of 
1998 in several important areas: access, Title IV modernization, 
distance education, and early information and needs assessment. 
Specifically, the Advisory Committee is to review, monitor and evaluate 
the Department of Education's progress in these areas and report 
recommended improvements to Congress and the Secretary.
    The FY 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2673), which was 
signed into law on January 23, 2004, directs the Advisory Committee to 
examine the Federal financial aid formula and application forms in 
order to simplify and streamline the programs to make the system 
easier, more responsive, and fairer for students and families. The 
Advisory Committee is well suited to conduct this study, drawing upon 
the expertise of its 11 members and its experience conducting other 
broad studies on financial aid issues. The Advisory Committee also has 
the particular mission of examining the impact of these issues on low- 
and moderate-income students, a specific goal of the study.
    The Advisory Committee has scheduled this regional field hearing to 
gather additional feedback about financial aid simplification. The 
proposed agenda includes expert testimony and discussion of the 
following issues: (a) The impact of complexities in the financial aid 
process on access to postsecondary education, particularly for low-
income students; (b) opportunities for simplification in the financial 
aid process and forms; and (c) specific issues related to financial aid 
simplification, such as early notification of financial aid 
eligibility. The agenda also includes an afternoon session during which 
the general public is invited to provide oral and/or written testimony 
to the Advisory Committee on these issues. The Advisory Committee also 
invites the public to submit written comments regarding this study to 
the following e-mail address: [email protected]. We must receive your 
comments on or before April 23, 2004.
    Space for the hearing is limited and you are encouraged to register 
early if you plan to attend the hearing. You may register through the 
Internet by emailing the Advisory Committee at [email protected] or at 
[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) 219-3032. 
Also, you may contact the Advisory Committee staff at (202) 219-2099. 
The registration deadline is Monday, March 22, 2004.
    Records are kept of all committee proceedings, and are available 
for public inspection at the Office of the Advisory Committee on 
Student Financial Assistance, Capitol Place, 80 F Street, NW., Suite 
413, Washington, DC from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. Information regarding the 
simplification study will also be made available on the Advisory 
Committee's Web site, www.ed.gov/ACSFA.

    Dated: March 1, 2004.
Dr. Brian K. Fitzgerald,
Staff Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 04-4901 Filed 3-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M