Advocate Online

From Capitol To Campus

When the smoke cleared at the end of final session of the 106th Congress, higher education walked away with one of the largest increases in federal funding ever, an impressive 24.9 percent increase over fiscal year 2000.

The spending package increases Pell Grant funding by 15 percent, raising the maximum Pell Grant from $3,300 to $3,750.

Other higher education programs will also see increases. The Work-Study program will be increased by $77 million, to $1.01 billion. The Supplemental Grants program will grow by $60 million, to $691 million. TRIO will receive $730 million, an increase of $85 million. Overall, education received an 18 percent increase, the largest one-year increase in education funding in the Department of Education's history.

The higher education community, including the NEA government relations department, is awaiting President George W. Bush's first budget submission to Congress to get some indication of what his priorities in higher education will be.

Bush had little to say about higher education during the presidential campaign. More recently, he has suggested he will ask Congress to restructure the Pell Grant program to increase the maximum award for first-year students. Beyond this, little is known about the new president's take on higher education.

Roderick R. Paige, Bush's choice for secretary of education, has a higher education background—a doctoral degree from Indiana University, 20 years as college football coach, and a stint as dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern University—but is expected to concentrate on K-12 issues.