The National Science Foundation (NSF), in carrying out the Obama administration's new push for greater public access to research published in scientific journals, will consider exclusivity periods shorter than the 12-month standard in the White House directive, as well as trade-offs involving data-sharing and considerations of publishers'…

As a new GI Bill moved through Congress in 2008, a handful of influential politicians grew concerned. Would such a generous education program trigger an exodus of service members during two wars? At the Pentagon's urging, the lawmakers proposed a fix: Give troops the option to transfer their benefits to a child or spouse. That policy quickly…

As tuitions continue to rise, Congress is looking for ways to mitigate the costs of college attendance for students and their families. Legislators are giving particular scrutiny to how colleges spend money from their endowments, which have grown significantly over the past decade. Some lawmakers have proposed that institutions with endowments of…

The status of higher education bills is reported, including those signed (civil-rights appropriations, energy appropriations, science and science education, etc.) those unsigned (adult education, archives, education and health appropriations, etc.) and those that did not pass. (MLW)

The United States House of Representatives' committees that make policy of importance to higher education are described, subcommittee leaders are profiled, and members are listed by political party. Telephone numbers are also provided. (MSE)

Many scientists and policymakers are urging the federal government to set priorities for the scientific projects the government should support, but few can agree on how those priorities should be determined or on how much say researchers should have in the process. (MLW)

The Internal Revenue Service has acknowledged that audits of graduate students receiving stipends were based on inconsistent interpretations of tax law but deny any policy to increase monitoring of graduate students' tax returns. (MSE)

Salient issues in higher education policymaking and recent changes in appropriations levels are highlighted for each state and for the federal government. Also identified are the upcoming congressional agenda, hearings, regulations, new reports, and studies under consideration. (MSE)

On any given day, higher education is represented in Washington, by not only lobbyists, but also students, administrators, experts on a variety of related issues, and professors turned legislators. A typical day finds these groups in varied activities directed at influencing policy. The American Council on Education is at the center of higher…

Congress has earmarked $440 million for projects involving specific universities for fiscal 1997, a 49% increase from the previous year but far from the $763 million earmarked in fiscal 1993. The funds are not subject to the competitive review typically used for distributing federal money. Critics say absence of review makes the awards a poor…

Some protesters contend that a Defense Department policy barring homosexuals from becoming commissioned military officers contradicts campus regulations against discrimination. The controversy concerns ROTC cadets, whose scholarships may be in jeopardy if the corps were banned from their campus. Cadets also find the summer training builds…

The Carnegie Corporation's new Commission on Science, Technology, and Government will look for ways in which federal and state governments can better incorporate scientific and technological knowledge into their policy and administrative decisions. The panel includes university presidents, Nobel-prize-winning scientists, and former high-level…

A University of Great Falls (Montana) faculty vote to unionize and a National Labor Relations Board decision that the faculty were employees, not managers, may be a breakthrough for faculty unionization at private colleges, signaling change in NLRB philosophy. Counting of the vote, taken in 1996, was delayed until December 1997, whereas…

Proposed substantial changes in federal regulations concerning accreditation process and the standards used for awarding federal student aid funds are criticized for the degree to which they increase potential for bureaucratic interference. A major concern is the accuracy of data on which bureaucratic decisions are made. (MSE)

A study found that a typical research university would raise its overhead rate significantly if it constructed a new building by borrowing or using its own money, but, if it won a congressional earmark, the overhead rate could decline slightly. This encourages colleges to seek construction money directly from Congress. (MSE)