Legislative efforts for the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) are expected to begin with the next Congress in 2003. However, the student aid profession and NASFAA must begin our work this year in order to have a full discussion of its recommendations to the Congress for changes in the HEA.

NASFAA staff will participate in two listening sessions at the Conference in Nashville that are designed for you to identify issues and concerns that need to be addressed in the Association's Reauthorization recommendations to Congress. These informal listening sessions are your opportunity to benefit your office, school, and students by helping shape the law that will guide student aid policy through the end of this decade. These sessions will be held on:

• Monday July 23 from 10:45 a.m. to noon in room Delta C and repeated on
• Tuesday July 24 from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. in room Delta B.

We know it seems as if we just concluded the last HEA Reauthorization, but it's that time of the legislative calendar when NASFAA prepares to develop recommendations for changes in the HEA. Reauthorization is a once every five- or six-year legislative event. We must begin our planning and consultation efforts well in advance of actual congressional action in order to engage our Membership to the greatest extent possible in discussions on changes it deems important to the effective delivery of federal student aid funds and services to schools, as well as extending educational opportunities for our students. NASFAA always seeks the most Member input possible so that we can develop Reauthorization recommendations on behalf of the Membership that have the widest possible acceptance and that represent effectively the needs of professional aid administrators, schools and students.

While we have not yet formally named an internal Association "task force" on Reauthorization issues, we have taken some preliminary steps to lay the foundation for its work. We anticipate this year's reconstituted Federal Issues Committee will examine and make recommendations to the Reauthorization Task Force in the area of reducing the regulatory burden on schools and students. The Graduate/Professional Issues Committee will examine and make recommendations to the Task Force in the area of the federal role in financing graduate and professional education. The Technology Initiatives Committee will examine and make recommendations to the Task Force in the area of distance education and financial aid. These three NASFAA committees will transmit their recommendations for changes in their specific HEA areas to the Task Force for review and incorporation into the final NASFAA document to be transmitted to the Congress, Administration, and other higher education associations.

Again, the purpose of these Nashville Conference listening sessions is to allow you to identify issues and concerns that need to be addressed in the Association's Reauthorization recommendations. We also are working with the regional associations to arrange for similar listening sessions at all their annual meetings. We have just concluded two - one at WASFAA and one at EASFAA, both of which went very well and received high evaluations from the participants. We believe these listening sessions should be informal so participants can express to NASFAA staff their concerns about the HEA or offer suggestions regarding both the congressional legislative process or how NASFAA should proceed in developing recommendations to the Congress. If you'll be attending the Conference, please plan on attending and participating in the Reauthorization listening sessions.