Access to college means ensuring that all students who wish to pursue a higher education have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their socioeconomic, demographic, geographic or academic backgrounds. It includes the opportunity to earn admittance, experience a supportive environment during their studies, and graduate from college prepared to succeed in the workplace and participate as a citizen of the world.
While state and federal governments, as well as institutions, play a role in ensuring that the path to college is as smooth as possible for all students, state and federal governments play an especially important role in ensuring equal access to college. The states and federal government, in partnership with the nation's P-12 system, have a responsibility to focus the most effective strategies for access and inclusion on the precollege years and work to reduce barriers in the transition from secondary to postsecondary education. AASCU is assisting institutions through two initiatives focused on college readiness that offer insights for policymakers.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun to implement changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill Program. AASCU is actively monitoring this implementation and the effect it is having on veterans and campuses. AASCU and its member institutions continue to be asked to testify before Congress to provide observations and share perspectives. As Congress continues to revamp and review the implementation, AASCU will remain actively engaged in discussions with policymakers, advocating positive change that will reduce confusion and lead to a more simplified process.
AASCU institutions enroll significant numbers of low-income and first-generation students. Ensuring that these students are college ready is important, but just as important is having a substantially supportive environment at the postsecondary level. To this end, AASCU has historically supported institutional funding that rewards enrollment and success of this population of students.
Looking forward, Congress will be reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. AASCU will work to strengthen teacher development programs and prioritize critical applications learned from our college ready efforts in order to better prepare high school graduates not only with an understanding of curricula, but also armed with the skill sets needed to achieve college success.