How will Republican gains affect higher ed? Learning Process

How will Republican gains affect higher ed?

Written on November 29, 2010 – 8:55 am | by Justin Fraser

The Republican victories in the mid-term elections have education professionals of all stripes wondering how the new regime will affect them. Now that Republicans have regained control of the House of Representatives and won several new seats in the Senate, questions abound over how higher ed policies may shift in the coming years.

Among the likely priority shifts: Republican leaders have wanted to focus more broadly on outcomes and costs of all colleges, not just for-profit universities. This may prove a boon for the highly-scrutinized sector, which has taken heat over dubious recruiting practices and high student debt.

Republicans could block bills aimed at for-profits and try to overturn the Obama administration’s “gainful employment” proposal, which would penalize programs whose graduates carry unmanageable levels of debt.

In fact, the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities is already drawing up plans to win support of the dozens of new legislators coming to DC. Past history shows freshman representatives have been more receptive to proprietary institutions.

Adding to the “What’s next” question is the track record of new Speaker of the House John Boehner. In his past role as chairman of the House education committee, Boehner oversaw debates about renewing the Higher Education Act, where he was shown to be a supporter of for-profit colleges and student loan providers, putting him at odds with Democrats’ pursuit of tighter regulation and overhauls of federal loans.

Meanwhile, community college heads are wondering if, due to their low graduation rates, their schools will be in the line of fire if the for-profit college probe expands to all of higher education.

But the big question is how Republican pledges to cut spending will hit education institutions. Budgetary cuts could mean less money for federal research, student aid and college arts priorities. But on the positive side, spending on Pell Grants and college-prep programs has historically received strong bipartisan support.

How do you think the party shift in Washington will affect education? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

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