The association of State Higher Education Executive Officers is fully committed to increasing educational attainment in the United States and applauds the aims of the of the Obama administration’s initiatives to improve the adequacy and effectiveness of federal student financial assistance programs and to foster innovation to enhance student learning.
The President’s speech emphasizes the importance of state policy leadership in reaching national goals, recognizing many of the initiatives already underway in the states. His comments also acknowledge the complexity and difficulty of these challenges, without shrinking from our shared responsibility for providing both opportunity and effective, quality education for all Americans. Success for our nation will take renewed commitment and even higher levels of creative innovation in our states, in our colleges and universities, and in the elementary and secondary schools that prepare our students. Success will require more effective, creative teaching and learning, better quality assurance, rigorous but flexible learning assessment, and well-targeted, adequate financial support from both states and the federal government. We appreciate the initiative, we share the openness to change, and we are committed to working together to create, refine, and implement more effective policies.
We are grateful for the President’s commitment, and we look forward to working to meet these goals with the Administration, the Congress, and our governors, our legislators, and our colleagues in America’s schools, colleges, and universities.
STATE HIGHER EDUCATION EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Paul E. Lingenfelter George Pernsteiner Teresa Lubbers
President President-Elect Chair of the Executive Committee and
Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education
Robert L. King, Chair Daniel Klaich, Vice Chair
SHEEO Federal Relations Committee SHEEO Federal Relations Committee
President Chancellor
Kentucky Council for Postsecondary Education Nevada System of Higher Education
