WASHINGTON – AAUW applauds Congress for passing the Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137) conference report last night, which updates existing programs and provides new ways to make college more accessible and affordable to all.
"An educated, highly trained workforce is necessary in this competitive global economy. This legislation will help put college within the reach of more Americans by addressing rising tuition costs and investing in student programs-many of which are vital to the continued success of women students," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. "AAUW urges President Bush to sign this legislation quickly."
The legislation updates the Higher Education Act to better serve the growing number of nontraditional students – the majority of whom are women with work or family responsibilities. It allows such students to qualify for year-round Pell grants, which will help them attend summer classes or go to school part time. AAUW also supports the legislation's intent to increase funding for on-campus child care and to expand the type of institutions eligible to receive these grants.
In addition, the legislation creates the Patsy Mink Graduate Fellowship Program, named in honor of the former congresswoman and AAUW member who played a primary role in passing Title IX. AAUW led the support for this new program, which will help diversify the professoriate by providing fellowships for doctorates or other terminal degrees to women and minorities, who then complete a teaching requirement after graduation.
"We are particularly pleased that the legislation includes the Mink program, because women are still underrepresented among full-time, tenure track faculty," said Lisa M. Maatz, AAUW director of public policy and government relations. "Women tend to be concentrated in less-senior instructional positions and at two-year institutions, rather than at research universities."
The bill also includes provisions to increase women's representation in science, technology, engineering, and math and aligns the Higher Education Act hate crimes categories with the ones used by the FBI.
"AAUW led the effort to improve campus hate crime reporting, as part of our ongoing work to improve the campus climate for all students," said Maatz.
