NOTICES

STATE BOARD
OF EDUCATION

Affordability of Post-Secondary Education; Public Hearings

[38 Pa.B. 5831]
[Saturday, October 18, 2008]

   Notice is hereby given that the Council of Higher Education of the State Board of Education has scheduled a series of five regional public hearings to receive input from college students, recent graduates, parents, higher education officials and others regarding the affordability of post-secondary education in this Commonwealth. This issue has been and is increasingly a serious concern of the Council. It is the first issue addressed in the Master Plan for Higher Education approved by the Board in September 2005. With costs to attend college continuing to escalate, combined with relatively flat Federal, State and institutional financial aid and increasingly restricted public and private loan markets, the Council of Higher Education seeks to understand how these factors are impacting the ability of those wishing to attend college to afford postsecondary education without taking on worrisome debt burdens that must be repaid after graduation.

   The dates and locations of the five regional public hearings are as follows. Hearings will begin at 10 a.m., and will continue until all testimony is received. A lunch break may be scheduled if necessary. Individuals must register in advance to present testimony at the hearing. Participants will each be assigned a 10-minute time slot to present their testimony. Participants will be assigned a 10-minute time slot when they register. Those registered to present testimony are requested to arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time slot and be prepared to present their testimony prior to their designated time.

   Persons interested in presenting testimony must telephone or email the State Board of Education office at (7l7) 787-3787, (TTY) (717) 783-8445 or babaker@state. pa.us, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. by the deadlines listed for each location as listed.

   Testimony is limited to no more than 10 minutes. Those registered to testify must provide 25 copies of their written comments at the time testimony is presented. Written comments may be more extensive than the testimony presented during the 10-minute time slot.

   Individuals with disabilities needing special accommodations in order to participate or attend the hearings, such as sign language interpreter services, must contact the State Board of Education office at the previously listed telephone number by the deadline date for registration at each session. Alternative formats of the documents (for example, Braille, large print, cassette tape) can be made available to members of the public upon request to the State Board Office.

   Individuals unable to attend the hearing are encouraged to submit written comments directly to the State Board of Education on or before 4 p.m., November 5, 2008. Copies of testimony will be provided to each member of the State Board of Education. Comments should be sent to Council of Higher Education, State Board of Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333.

   Persons with disabilities are invited to submit testimony in alternative formats such as Braille or taped testimony and by means of the telephone. Written and alternative formats of testimony will be afforded the same thoughtful consideration by the Committee as oral testimony. Written and alternative formats of testimony may be as long as the writer wishes; 25 copies of written testimony are required.

   Should registrants scheduled to provide testimony need to cancel their participation, the State Board requests that they immediately notify the State Board office by calling (717) 787-3787 or email at babaker@state.pa.us.

Schedule of Public Hearings

Date/Time	Location	Registration Deadline
October 23 10 a.m.	Luzerne County    Community College Conference Center--    Room 131 1333 South Prospect Street Nanticoke, PA 18634 (570) 740-0200	October 22
October 24 10 a.m.	Community College of    Philadelphia Center for Business &    Industry C2.5--Lecture Room 1700 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 (215) 751-8010	October 23
October 28 10 a.m.	Harrisburg Area    Community College Cooper Student Union--Room 204 One HAAC Drive Harrisburg, PA 17110 (717) 780-2300	October 27
October 29 10 a.m.	Community College of    Allegheny County Dining Room--NWG-N524 Boyce Campus, Monroeville 595 Beatty Road Monroeville, PA 15146 (724) 327-1327	October 28

   In addition, one additional hearing will be scheduled in the Northwest region of the State at a location and date to be identified on the State Board of Education web page on the Department of Education web site (www.pde. state.pa.us).

Resources:

Master Plan for Higher Education, State Board of
   Education
www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed/cwp/view.asp?Q= 115321&A=3

Colleges and Universities Education Digest--2004-2005,
   Department of Education
www.pdehighered.state.pa.us/higher/cwp/view.asp?a= 11&q=128621

Measuring Up 2006--State Report Card on Higher
    Education, National Center for Public Policy and
    Higher Education
measuringup.highereducation.org/_docs/2006/statereports/PA06.pdf

JIM BUCKHEIT,   
Executive Director

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 08-1919. Filed for public inspection October 17, 2008, 9:00 a.m.]

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