Tuesday, April 18, 2006
8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CST

Hilton Austin Hotel
500 East 4th Street
Austin, Texas 78701

Welcome to the online registration for the Community College Financial Aid Policy Summit. The Summit will bring together the two-year financial aid community to discuss policy priorities and develop a legislative agenda in preparation for the 80th Texas Legislative session.

During the summit, we'll focus on these areas for discussion:

• current political issues and developments in Texas
• ways to increase funding for the Texas Education Opportunity Grant
• policy priorities for developing a legislative agenda for the two-year community

Community colleges will be critical to meeting the state's goals outlined in Closing the Gaps by 2015, Texas's master plan for higher education. At the same time, reduced state funding, increased tuition, mandates on accountability measures, and increased reliance on student loans greatly affect financial aid in community colleges.

The Summit will provide an opportunity to address some of these issues and develop recommendations that the two-year community can bring to state legislators. Highlights include a speaker panel featuring representatives of some of the leading legislators in the Texas House and Senate. Discussion with the panel should offer insight into legislative priorities. Roundtable discussions following the panel will provide time for looking closer at the policy needs and objectives of community colleges given legislative directions in higher education.

Please join us for an informative and productive discussion that will benefit the entire two-year community. Stronger community colleges mean an even better future for our students.

  

Want to know more about the Center for Financial Aid Policy in Community Colleges? Contact Donna Smith at (800) 252-9743, ext. 6780, or send an e-mail at