H.R. 4137: College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008.

[Kris Martin-Baker]

Has anyone managed to wade all the way through this thing and find out what, if anything, us web types need to know from it?
I skimmed this:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4137&tab=sum...
but I'm having trouble keeping my eyes focused on it. So I thought I'd see if I could leach off your knowledge.
Thanks,
Kris

[Steve]

Hi Kris -

There was a brief discussion on this subject on the HighEdWeb mailing list. With thanks to Dave Brondsema at Cornerstone University for the initial look and Christopher Rooney at the University of the Arts who initially brought it up, and to you whose third mention made me want to follow up, here are the relevant paragraphs that we found:

Section 109:

Requires the Secretary to develop a net price calculator and, within three years of this Act's enactment, HEA-funded IHEs to adopt and make available for use on their websites such net price calculator to help students, families, and consumers determine the net price (tuition minus grants and discounts) of IHEs.

[SL: Fees?]

Expresses the sense of Congress that IHEs should participate in efforts to provide concise, easily accessible, on-line consumer information to prospective students and their families that is consistent across IHEs while permitting opportunities for more in-depth exploration of specific IHEs.

[SL: See http://www.voluntarysystem.org/ ]

Section 115:

Requires IHEs to disclose on their websites and in their informational materials: (1) that they cannot limit students to recommended lenders and must process loan documents from any eligible lender; (2) the model disclosure form information regarding preferred lenders; (3) the maximum federal student aid available; and (4) their cost of attendance.

Section 801:

Conditions a school's eligibility for student assistance funding under title IV on its providing notice on its internet website of its recognition by the Secretary as a legitimate degree-granting institution for immigration and federal employment purposes. Requires an accreditor to be on such list for its authority to be recognized for any federal purpose.

-Steve