MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES, IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF APPEARING IN THESE CHAMBERS AND ADDRESSING MY DISTINQUISHED COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE ON EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

FOR

THAT REASON, I AM ESPECIALLY DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS WITH THIS COMMITTEE MY PROPOSALS FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT.

THOSE OF US IN THE HOUSE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION ARE WELL AWARE OF THE KEY ROLE THIS COMMITTEE HAS PLAYED IN MARSHALLING IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES THROUGH THE CONGRESSIONAL PROCESS. I RECENTLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THIS COMMITTEE UNDER YOUR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, MR. CHAIRMAN, DURING CONSIDERATION OF THE LEGISLATION EXTENDING A NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN 1976. AS YOU MAY RECALL, MR. CHAIRMAN, I INTRODUCED MY OWN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY REAUTHORIZATION BILL AT THAT TIME, AND I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT MANY OF MY MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE INCORPORATED IN THE 1976 ACT EVENTUALLY SIGNED INTO LAW. THAT EXPERIENCE ILLUSTRATED TO ME THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGNING AND INTRODUCING PROPOSALS WHICH CLEARLY SPEAK TO THE NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. ONCE AGAIN, I PLACE BEFORE YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING, MY OWN LEGISLATION WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE LATER THIS WEEK. MY BILL SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ON THOSE TITLES IN THE EXPIRING ACT WHICH IMPACT SIGNIFICANTLY ON STUDENT ACCESS AND RETENTION AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL AND

INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT; THEREFORE, IT WOULD AMEND TITLES

II, III, IV AND IX OF THE CURRENT LAW. I SHOULD EMPHASIZE THAT THE HOUSE BILL, H.R. 5192, REPORTED OUT OF THE EDUCATION AND

LABOR COMMITTEE ALREADY INCLUDES SEVERAL OF MY MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS.

IN

I HAVE PREPARED AN EXTENSIVE WRITTEN STATEMENT WHICH REVIEWS EACH COMPONENT OF MY BILL IN GREAT DETAIL, AND I ASK PERMISSION TO HAVE THIS STATEMENT ENTERED INTO THE COMMITTEE'S RECORD. THE INTEREST OF BREVITY, HOWEVER, LET ME LIMIT MY REMARKS THIS MORNING TO MY PROPOSALS INVOLVING TITLES III AND IV.

TITLE III - STRENGTHENING DEVELOPING INSTITUTIONS

TITLE III IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF DIRECT, INSTITUTIONAL AID IN THE ENTIRE FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. CONSEQUENTLY, MANY POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN FUNDING AVAILABLE UNDER THIS PARTICULAR TITLE. TITLE III FUNDS HAVE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN UNDERGIRDING THIS NATION'S SMALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES WHICH ENROLL STUDENTS FROM A RANGE OF ECONOMIC, RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS. THESE SMALLER SCHOOLS INCLUDING SOME WOMEN'S COLLEGES, COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TWO YEAR INSTITUTIONS WITH AN INDIAN CONSTITUENCY HAVE RECEIVED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THIS TITLE. TITLE III MONIES HAVE ALSO PROVIDED A MAJOR LIFELINE OF FEDERAL SUPPORT TO HISTORI CALLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS. IN FACT, MANY INCORRECTLY VIEW TITLE III AS EITHER A "BLACK PROGRAM" OR A PROGRAM EXCLUSIVELY SERVING BLACK INSTITUTIONS.

HOWEVER, INFORMATION I HAVE REVIEWED

ALREADY THIS

CONCERNING AWARDS OVER THE 14 YEAR. LIFE OF THE PROGRAM SUGGESTS
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE GRANTS -SOME ESTIMATES RANGE AS HIGH
AS 70 PERCENT HAVE GONE TO NON-MINORITY INSTITUTIONS. WHILE
BLACK COLLEGES HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY OPERATED AS IMPORTANT BENEFICI-
ARIES OF THE TITLE III PROGRAMS, I BELIEVE IT IS A SERIOUS ERROR
TO CHARACTERIZE TITLE III AS A "BLACK PROGRAM".
MISIMPRESSION HAS PRECIPITATED ATTACKS ON THE TITLE FROM A NUM-
BER OF FACTIONS, A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL COLLEGES ARE EXPERIEN-
CING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF DECLINING STUDENT ENROLL-
MENT, AND THESE INSTITUTIONS SEE TITLE III FUNDS AS A POTENTIAL
SOURCE OF ADDITIONAL INSTITUTIONAL AID. I AM AWARE THAT THIS
COMMITTEE HAS ALREADY HEARD TESTIMONY FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF
HISPANIC ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE ALSO CHARGED THAT CURRENT TITLE
III PROVISIONS FAIL TO CHANNEL AN ADEQUATE PROPORTION OF FEDERAL
DOLLARS TO THIS CONSTITUENCY WHICH DOES NOT CONTROLL ITS OWN
INSTITUTIONS. FURTHERMORE, SOME COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATIONS
HAVE SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE PRESENT 24% SET ASIDE FOR THIS
CATEGORY OF INSTITUTIONS. THE TITLE III PROGRAM IS A FUNDING
MECHANISM UNDER SEIGE RIGHT NOW FROM MANY QUARTERS. THE POLITI-
CAL REALITY IS THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE FACT
THAT BLACK COLLEGES HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF TITLE
III FUNDS. THIS DISPLEASURE HAS LEAD TO CHARGES OF FINANCIAL
IRRESPONSIBILITY AND GENERATED CHARGES ABOUT THE FISCAL INTEGRITY
AND VIABILITY OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES. I CANNOT SUPPORT
THESE ATTACKS. YET I AM CONVINCED THAT THE ISSUES WHICH HAVE

BEEN SURFACED MUST BE DIRECTLY ADDRESSED IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT TITLE III FOCUS ON INSTITUTIONS ENROLLING SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF MINORITY AND OTHER LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

BEFORE I DISCUSS THE APPROACH I HAVE TAKEN IN MY BILL TO
CONFRONT THESE CONCERNS, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE COMMITTEE'S
ATTENTION TO SOME LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT BLACK HIGHER EDUCA-
TION INSTITUTIONS. BLACK COLLEGES WERE ESTABLISHED TO SERVE
A SEGMENT OF THIS NATION'S POPULATION WHEN BLACK STUDENTS WERE
EXCLUDED FROM ADMISSION TO MOST PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTIONS
BY LAW OR SOCIAL PRACTICE. DURING THE LATER PART OF THE LAST
CENTURY, THE MOST DISMAL PERIOD IN THE STRUGGLE TO ENFORCE
THE CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS OF BLACKS, THESE INSTITUTIONS
MAINTAINED A CONTINUING EMPHASIS ON THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF
BLACK AMERICANS LONG BEFORE THE LANDMARK LEGISLATION THAT WAS
TO FOLLOW ALMOST ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER IN THE 1960's. THE
TALENTED BLACK LEADERSHIP WHICH HAS SERVED IN THIS COUNTRY'S
ARMED FORCES DURING BOTH WORLD WARS WAS LARGELY EDUCATED AT
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES. EVEN TODAY, 75 PERCENT OF THE
OFFICERS COMMISSIONED IN THE VARIOUS BRANCHES OF THE SERVICES
CONTINUE TO GRADUATE FROM THESE INSTITUTIONS. SIMILARLY,

THREE QUARTERS OF BLACK AMERICANS RECEIVING PH.D DEGREES HAVE
RECEIVED INSTRUCTION AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AS WELL AS
80 PERCENT OF ALL BLACK FEDERAL JUDGES AND 85 PERCENT OF BLACK
PHYSICIANS. I DARESAY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR ELECTED
AND APPOINTED POLICY MAKERS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS

HAVE ALSO ATTENDED AN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE. WHILE WE MAY ENGAGE IN ACADEMIC DEBATES CONCERNING THE MERITS OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES, THESE INSTITUTIONS COMPRISING LESS THAN 5 PERCENT OF THIS NATION'S HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY - STILL AWARD MORE THAN HALF OF ALL BACCALAUREATE DEGREES EARNED BY BLACKS.

SUPPORTERS OF BLACK COLLEGES HAVE REPEATLY BEEN ASKED TO
EXPLAIN THE CHARGES OF SO-CALLED FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT AT
MANY OF THESE INSTITUTIONS. MANY OF THE PROBLEMS EVIDENT AT

SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS OCCUR AS A RESULT OF STAFF AND RESOURCE
LIMITATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, A 1975 UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND
SURVEY OF MEMBER INSTITUTIONS DISCLOSED THAT ALMOST HALF OF
THE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS CAME FROM FAMILIES WHOSE TOTAL AN-
NUAL INCOMES WERE UNDER $5,000. OVER 80% OF THESE UNDERGRADUATES

CAME FROM FAMILIES WHOSE ANNUAL INCOME WAS LESS THAN $10,000
AND ONLY 2% CAME FROM FAMILIES WHOSE BACKGROUND EXCEEDED 20,000.
IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE AVERAGE TUITION AT A
BLACK PRIVATE SCHOOL WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF THE NA-
TIONAL AVERAGE FOR PRIVATE FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS. ELEVATING
COSTS AT PRIVATE BLACK COLLEGES WOULD CERTAINLY DRASTICALLY
REDUCE ACCESS BY BLACKS TO FOUR YEAR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
ALREADY A DISPROPORTIONATLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS AT
BLACK COLLEGES REQUIRE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, FOR INSTANCE
MORE THAN 80% OF THE STUDENT ATTENDING PRIVATE BLACK COLLEGES
RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID IN 1974-75, AN INCREASE OF 10.9% OVER
THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND MORE THAN 40% OVER 1958-59. THE STUDENT