On Wednesday, Nov. 13, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will give opening remarks at the second of four open forums being held in November to gather public input on the Administration's proposals to address college value and affordability. He will hold a brief media availability following his remarks.
Announced last August by President Obama, the proposal includes developing a college rating system that provides useful information for students to compare and select colleges, while also encouraging institutions to improve. The forums are an opportunity for members of the public to provide feedback on the Department's proposal – especially the rating system — and to hear additional ideas for promoting college access, affordability, and outcomes.
In addition to the open forum, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary Jamienne Studley will hold separate roundtables with local students and faculty to engage in more focused conversations with stakeholders on the President's affordability proposals and rating system.
The forum will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the public. Duncan will be introduced by GMU’s President, Angel Cabrera.
Individuals desiring to present comments or feedback at an open forum should register by sending an e-mail at least three days prior to the open forum to [email protected] with the subject "Open Forum Registration." Each participant will be limited to five minutes for comments. The Department will notify registrants of the location and time slot reserved for them. An individual may make only one presentation at the open forums. Walk-in registrations will also be accepted for any remaining time slots on a first-come, first-served basis at the Department's on-site registration table.
For those unable to attend the forums in person, their ideas may also be submitted online, by sending an e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to the U.S. Department of Education headquarters in D.C. Transcripts from the open forums will be made available on the Department's college affordability Web site,www.ed.gov/college-affordability, shortly after each event. More information on the President's plan to improve college value and affordability is available on this site, as well as additional details on upcoming open forums, town hall meetings, and roundtable discussions across the country.