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Higher Ed Agendas Under Obama or Romney

President Obama’s campaign recently released a brochure detailing how he might approach education issues during a second term. And there are now several articles popping up, including a comprehensive one from Inside Higher Ed, that look as how either an Obama second term or a new President Romney would look like.

Based on his first term, a second Obama term seems likely to bring greater scrutiny and regulation to all aspects of higher education. But the President is equally likely to continue his strong support for federal financial aid programs and his emphasis on college access and completion for low-income students, at least within the constraints of tight federal budgets. A Romney administration would likely propose changes to federal financial aid eligibility and student loan repayment options, but could offer some relief on reporting regulations.

Though they might handle it differently, neither administration is likely to go easy on colleges in terms of accountability. The focus of either administration would certainly be on rising tuition and questions about quality and value.