[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 92 (Monday, May 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27109-27110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9218]


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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 an opening 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 (The Advisory Committee). 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.

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 5, 2007, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 
approximately 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Holiday Inn on the Hill, Federal North Room, 415 New Jersey 
Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper, Deputy 
Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Capitol 
Place, 80 F Street, NW, Suite 413, Washington DC 20202-7582, (202) 219-
2099.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

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, and to make recommendations that 
will result in the maintenance of access to postsecondary education for 
low- and middle-income students. In addition, Congress expanded the 
Advisory Committee's mission in the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 
to include 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 Advisory Committee has scheduled this one-day hearing to 
discuss release of its new report related to its congressionally 
requested study to make textbooks more affordable (Textbook Study). 
This one-year study, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives 
Committee on Education and Labor (formerly Education and the Workforce) 
to investigate further the problem of rising textbook prices and 
determine the impact of rising textbook prices on students' ability to 
afford a postsecondary education. In addition, other discussions will 
focus on two components of the Advisory Committee's three-year 
Innovative Pathways Study: Expected Family Contribution and early 
financial aid information.
    The proposed agenda includes expert testimony and discussions by 
prominent higher education community leaders, Congressional staff, 
state representatives, and institutions on (a) the Advisory Committee's 
Textbook Study recommendations; (b) legislative efforts to simplify the 
student aid application and delivery process; and (c) the National 
Advising Corps. The Advisory Committee will also conduct a public 
comment and discussion session.
    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 Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by contacting 
Ms. Hope 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.
    The Advisory Committee invites the public to submit written 
comments on the agenda topics to the following e-mail address: 
[email protected]. Information regarding the topics covered at the hearing 
will also be available on the Advisory Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/ACSFA. We must receive your comments on or before Tuesday, 
May 29, 2007 to be included in the hearing materials.
    Space for the hearing is limited and you are encouraged to register 
early if you plan to attend. You may register by sending an email to 
the following address: [email protected] or [email protected]. 
Please include your name, title, affiliation, complete address 
(including internet

[[Page 27110]]

and email address, if available), and telephone and fax numbers. If you 
are unable to register electronically, you may fax your registration 
information to the Advisory Committee staff office at (202) 219-3032. 
You may also contact the Advisory Committee staff directly at (202) 
219-2099. The registration deadline is Tuesday, May 29, 2007.
    Records are kept for Advisory Committee proceedings, and are 
available for 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 
Advisory Committee is available on the Committee's Web site, http://www.ed.gov/ACSFA.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister/index.html.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington DC area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations 
is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: May 9, 2007.
William J. Goggin,
Executive Director, Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. E7-9218 Filed 5-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P