Chancellor promotes increased access to college
for low-income students

University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway testified last week on behalf of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) at a U.S. Department of Education hearing in Kansas City, Mo., on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

The AAU selected Hemenway to represent the organization and present its priorities. They include:

• increase access to higher education for low-income students by strengthening support for grants and early intervention programs, particularly the Pell Grant program

• increase financial support for graduate education through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need and Jacob K. Javits Fellowship programs

• increase student loan borrowing limits, especially for graduate students

• improve student loan terms and conditions

• ensure the accountability of higher education institutions through accreditation

The Department of Education is developing proposals for the reauthorization and funding of the federal Higher Education Act. The act deals with student financial aid programs (grants, loans) as well as university accountability and accreditation issues.

The AAU is an organization of 62 leading public and private research universities. KU, a member of the AAU since 1909, is one of only 34 public universities in the nation that have been admitted into the AAU.

Hemenway, chancellor at KU since 1995, also is chair of the NCAA Division I governing board and serves on the board of directors of the American Council on Education, one of the nation's largest higher education advocacy groups.

Chancellor testifies; more layoffs possible under current budget plan

OTHER CAPITOL NEWS:

Governor honors KU pharmacy students as part of Kansas Pharmacists Week

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius honored students in the School of Pharmacy at KU along with pharmacists throughout the state recently when she officially proclaimed Feb. 23 through March 1 as Kansas Pharmacists Week.

Sebelius signed the proclamation to honor the service of the more than 2,500 licensed pharmacists throughout the state. She also recognized the contributions of the more than 40 KU pharmacy students who held their annual health fair in the Statehouse. The students provided free health screenings in the Statehouse for osteoporosis, diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. For more, see http://www.ur.ku.edu/News/03N/FebNews/Feb27/pharm.html

Members of KU unclassified employee organization meet legislators

http://www.ur.ku.edu/News/03N/FebNews/Feb24/upsa.html

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