After years of extensions, varied drafts, and extensive hearings and negotiations, in a bipartisan fashion, Congress reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (H.R. 4137) passed the House and the Senate on July 31, 2008.    President Bush signed the bill into law on August 14, 2008.

The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 would not have been possible the hard work, discipline, forward-thinking, leadership and commitment of the HBCU and PBI communities.  For seven years, members of the HBCU and PBI communities worked with NAFEO to provide the background information, outcomes data, testimony, and collective voice from presidents, administrators, faculty, students, and alumni needed by federal policymakers to ensure that the legislation reflects an awareness of the mission, capacity, accomplishments and needs of our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and is sensitive to the needs of our students.

The College Opportunity and Affordability Act passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote on Feb 7, 2008.  A slightly different version of the bill passed the Senate on Jul 29, 2008 by unanimous consent.  The Conference Committee met on July 31, 2008 to resolve differences in the two versions of the bill.  The conferenced bill passed the House and the Senate on the same day.

The bill focuses on expanding access, increasing affordability, and enhancing accountability. Among other things, it holds colleges accountable for keeping their costs in check; it simplifies the application process for federal financial aid; it curbs unethical practices in the student loan marketplace; it increases financial aid; it makes a college education more accessible for students with disabilities; and it forgives loans for students who enter high-demand fields.  

From the black college community’s perspective, the Act is a tremendous accomplishment that adds increased funding and programmatic support for HBCUs unparalleled at any time since the inclusion of the original Title III provisions. From the perspective of PBIs, the Act signals a new day of federal support. From NAFEO’s perspective, we were delighted to have lead efforts solo or in partnership with UNCF, TMCF, HACU, or AIHEC to get included into the bill a number of enriching provisions, including but not limited to: the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Teacher Excellence; the addition of  all eligible HBCUs with qualifying PhD and Masters programs in the Act; the inclusion of a new provision for PBIs; the Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act; provisions strengthening HBCU capital financing. HBCUs and PBIs fared exceptionally. See, Baskerville Letter of July 31, 2008.

A summary of provisions of The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 that may be of particular interest to you may be found on this Website, along with the House and Senate voting records.  We are also posting a sample letter that I encourage all readers of this Website to send to your Representative and Senators who voted for the bill, thanking them for their support. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to call NAFEO or send us an Email by clicking “Contact” on this Website.

Warm regards,
Lezli Baskerville
President and CEO