[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 8847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1534]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


A National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education's Commission on 
the Future of Higher Education

AGENCY: A National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education's Commission on 
the Future of Higher Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of an 
upcoming public hearing with members of A National Dialogue: The 
Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education 
(Commission). Notice of this meeting is required by section 10(a)(2) of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is intended to notify the public 
of their opportunity to attend.

DATES: Monday, March 20, 2006; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in Boston, MA, at the 
Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Oldham, Executive Director, A 
National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education's Commission on the 
Future of Higher Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20202-3510; telephone: (202) 205-8741.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission is established by the 
Secretary of Education to begin a national dialogue about the future of 
higher education in this country. The purpose of this Commission is to 
consider how best to improve our system of higher education to ensure 
that our graduates are well prepared to meet our future workforce needs 
and are able to participate fully in the changing economy. The 
Commission shall consider Federal, State, local and institutional roles 
in higher education an analyze whether the current goals of higher 
education are appropriate and achievable. The Commission will also 
focus on the increasing tuition costs and the perception of many 
families, particularly low-income families, that higher education is 
inaccessible.
    The agenda for this public hearing will begin with presentations 
from panels of invited speakers addressing the four areas of focus for 
the Commission: access, accountability, affordability, and quality. 
After the presentations by invited speakers, there will be time 
reserved for comments from the public.
    If you are interested in participating in the public comment period 
to present comments to the Commission, you are requested to reserve 
time on the agenda of the meeting by e-mail or phone. Please include 
your name, the organization you represent if appropriate, and a brief 
description of the issue you would like to present. participants will 
be allowed approximately three to five minutes to present their 
comments, depending on the number of individuals who reserve time on 
the agenda. At the meeting, participants are also encouraged to submit 
four written copies of their comments. Persons interested in making 
comments are encouraged to address the following issues and questions:
    (1) How accessible is higher education today? Is this changing?
    (2) Do students have access to the institutions best suited to 
their needs and abilities?
    (3) What is the real cost of educating college students? How fast 
is it rising?
    (4) What is the true price of a college education?
    (5) What is the quality of higher education in America?
    (6) How well are universities meeting specific national needs?
    Given the expected number of individuals interested in providing 
comments at the meeting, reservations for presenting comments should be 
made as soon as possible. Persons who are unable to obtain reservations 
to speak during the meeting are encouraged to submit written comments. 
Written comments will be accepted at the meeting site or may be mailed 
to the Commission at the address listed above.
    Individuals who will need accommodations for a disability in order 
to attend the meeting (e.g., interpreting services, assistive listening 
devices, or materials in alternative format) should notify Carrie Marsh 
at (202) 205-8741 no later than March 3, 2006. We will attempt to meet 
requests for accommodations after this date but cannot guarantee their 
availability. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with 
disabilities.
    Individuals interested in attending the meeting must register in 
advance because of limited space issues. Please contact Carrie Marsh at 
(202) 205-8741 or by e-mail at [email protected].
    Opportunities for public comment are available through the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/index.html. Records are kept of all Commission proceedings 
and are available for public inspection at the staff office for the 
Commission from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Dated: February 13, 2006.
Margaret Spellings,
Secretary, U.S. Department of Education.
[FR Doc. 06-1534 Filed 2-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M