CECU Daily Update Email

​In Case You Missed It
CECU Applauds Increase of Annual Pell Grant Awards
Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities, commented on the increase of the annual Pell Grant award in H.R. 1865:
 
“Career Education Colleges and Universities warmly welcomes the news that the maximum Pell Grant award has been increased by $150 for the 2020-2021 school year. The action taken by President Trump’s Administration and the Congress will enable more students to access and afford career education.
 
“While the American economy continues to grow, there are still millions of Americans lacking in-demand skills and millions of job vacancies because employers cannot find job ready employees. Our members continue to work to address this demand and additional Pell Grant funding will ensure more students succeed.
 
“We hope the Congress can continue to find avenues of agreement to further education access, outcomes, and opportunities.” 

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​Education Politics and Policy
Cuts Averted in Budget Deal – Inside Higher Ed
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a budget bill that would increase spending on higher education programs and scientific research, while ignoring the deep cuts proposed by the Trump administration.
 
Ed Dept ends competency-based education experiments – Education Dive
The decision could affect more than a dozen institutions that had waivers in order to receive federal aid for their programs.
 
Bill Would Let College Savers Pay For Apprenticeship Programs, Student Loans – Forbes
With passage of the SECURE Act, children and young adults who want to become tradespeople would be able to use a 529 plan to help support that path. 

​Member Spotlight
Independence University Fulfills Christmas Wishes with Utah Foster Care
Independence University kicks off its first annual “IU Gives” campaign by partnering with Utah Foster Care’s Giving Tree, delivering Christmas cheer to dozens of children in the foster care system. 

​Meeting with VA officials
CECU's Exec. VP and Director of Government Relations, Mike Dakduk (middle), meets with senior Department of Veterans Affairs officials. Pictured here is Dr. Paul Lawrence (left), the Under Secretary of Benefits, and retired Army Sergeant Major Mike Stoddard (right), VSO Liaison for the Veterans Benefits Administration. 

​Education News
Adult learner enrollment keeps sliding, new data shows – Education Dive
The number of students who are older than 24 and enrolled in college declined by 2.7% to 6.2 million in the fall of 2019, according to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
 
Employee Morale at Education Department Among Lowest in Government – Politico
Three years into the Trump administration’s promised war on the administrative state, the attacks have hit their mark, with the morale of the government workforce showing a decline for the first time in six years. 

​Opinion
The Misguided Repeal of Gainful Employment – Inside Higher Ed
The accountability regulation wasn’t perfect, but it worked in weeding out poorly performing programs, Jonathan Kaplan writes. Let’s improve it, not kill it.
 
What Colleges Can Learn From Online Retail This Holiday Season – Ed Surge
This failure to evolve has come at the detriment of education providers and, more importantly, learners—who do not have access to the information or options that other shoppers enjoy.