Roundup: News You Need to Know, Wed., Dec. 6th

School in Michigan Proposes Controversial "Race-Neutral" Admissions Policy

A law school in Michigan has proposed a new admissions policy that it believes will preserve diversity without violating the states new affirmative action ban. Wayne State University developed what it considers a "race-neutral" plan that will give preference to three categories of students: Native Americans, those who have overcome prejudice or discrimination, and those who live in Detroit. Professors advocating the plan believe that distinctions in several Supreme Court between Native Americans and other ethnic groups allow for continued preferences. Higher Ed Watch thinks if not the U.S. District Court, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals will disagree.

New York Regents Adopt Oversight Regulations for Commercial Colleges

The New York State Board of Regents voted yesterday to enforce new oversight regulations on commercial colleges that either move into the State of New York or change owners. The regulations require new owners of commercial colleges to receive the State Education Departments approval. New colleges will be observed for five years before they are granted the right to award degrees, and the Department can limit the colleges growth during that time. Commercial colleges in New York have come under scrutiny after the Department discovered problems such as low academic rigor, insufficient student services, and high leadership and faculty turnover.

Finance Committee Discusses How to Target and Simplify Education Tax Benefits

A U. S. Senate Finance Committee hearing yesterday on federal education tax incentives focused on how tax benefits can be simplified and better targeted to those in need. Susan Dynarski, a Professor at Harvard, advanced a controversial proposal to combine federal tax breaks and the Pell Grant into a "super education tax credit." The credit would be refundable, available to students at the beginning of the school year, and cover tuition, fees, room, and board. The other witnesses concurred that benefits should be simplified and refundable to low-income students, as middle class students benefit the most from the current system. The Senate Finance Committee was very interested in Dynarskis proposal, which is little surprise given their jurisdiction. The House Education and the Workforce Committee and the Senate HELP Committee might not be so interested in the idea of replacing the Pell Grant with a "super education tax credit," though. What might the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees think of the reverse: ending all education tax benefits and transferring the money to larger Pell Grants, under the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Education Committees? On Capitol Hill, there are Democrats, Republicans, and then theres political turf. Guess which is most important.