STEM education. On Thursday, Rep. Bill Foster (R-IL) introduced the 21st Century STEM Competitive Jobs Act, cosponsored by Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Joe Kennedy (D-MA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY). The bill would support collaboration between schools and employers in order to help prepare students for careers in high-demand technical fields. The legislation would provide competitive grants to school districts that connect students and their coursework with future employers. To receive a grant, a school district would need to work with a local, regional or national employer and an institution of higher education to develop the curriculum and program metrics. Every program would need to include an internship or apprenticeship component, and be dual-credit so that students receive both high school and college credit for their coursework. On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship held a hearing on STEM education and the development of a high-skilled American workforce.

U.S. education data. On Thursday, the U.S. Education Department released The Condition of Education 2013. Published annually by the National Center for Education Statistics, the data showed that enrollment in higher education institutions has gone down slightly in the last year (by 1.6%), but the number of degrees awarded has increased (by 5.1%). The report also presents data on tuition levels and student debt.

House passes student loan rate bill. On Thursday, the House passed the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 1911) by a vote of 221 to 198. The bill would tie the interest rate on federal student loans to market rates. Without Congressional action, the interest rates on Stafford Loans are set to double on July 1 to 6.8%. The Smarter Solutions for Students Act would set the interest rate at the 10-year Treasury note rate plus 2.5 percentage points for undergraduate loans and plus 4.5 percentage points for graduate loans. Those rates would be capped at 8.5% and 10.5%, respectively, and the interest rates would be calculated yearly. Republican supporters of the bill said that it would allow students to access low rates when they are available, while many Democrats argue that it would leave students susceptible to drastic rate increases. Four Democrats voted in favor of the measure, while eight Republicans voted against it. The White House issued a veto threat against the bill Wednesday.

As a member of New England Council, we publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington. This edition is drawn from the Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, of May 28, 2013.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.

NAWI will hold its 48^th annual conference in partnership with the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI ) on Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, at the Omni Severin Hotel in Indianapolis.The National Association for Workforce Improvement (NAWI) will hold its 48^th annual conference in partnership with the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI ) on Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, at the Omni Severin Hotel in Indianapolis.

This year’s conference theme is: Engaging Minds for 21st Century Learning and Innovation: STEM Education in an E-Blended World.

NAWI is a leader in convening secondary and postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) practitioners to discuss current key education and training topics in "STEM/STEAM" and innovation education.

Key conference topics include:

• MOOCs and OERs (Massive Open Online Courses and Open Educational Resources)
• STEAM: Bridging Art and the Sciences in the 21st Century
• Problem-Based and Experiential Learning
• Developing the Next Generation of Makers
• Growing Innovation Entrepreneurs
• Innovative Ways to Fund STEM Education

Keynote speakers include:

• Gov. Mike Pence, Indiana
• David Russomanno, Dean, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI
• Darrell Bailey, Professor, Department of Music and Arts Technology, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI
• Glenda Ritz, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Indiana Department of Education
• Ann Higdon, Founder, Improved Solutions for Urban Systems (ISUS)
• Carol D’Amico, former Assistant Secretary of OVAE and Vice President of Project Lead the Way, who will moderate a distinguished panel from Vincennes University, Toyota, and Worcester Technical High School.

NEBHE's PBL Projects Presentation

NEBHE's authentic, industry-based “Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Challenges” are being incorporated into secondary and postsecondary STEM courses to enhance students’ content knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to work in teams. Attendees will be introduced to the web-based multimedia “PBL Challenges” (case studies) in the fields of sustainable technologies and optics and photonics, and will learn how to implement the Challenges and assess student learning. Attendees will receive instructional materials to take back to the classroom.

To register for the conference, please click here.

Nicole Schepker is project coordinator for Problem Based Learning Projects at NEBHE.

STEM visa bill doesn't move in Senate. While STEM Visa legislation passed the House of Representatives last Friday, the STEM Jobs Act was not considered by the Senate due to the objection of Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY). The bill passed the House by a near party-line vote of 245-139, and consideration by the Senate was proposed by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). The bill would offer visas for skilled immigrants who earn advanced degrees from American institutions in science, technology, engineering or math, collectively known as STEM fields. Many Democrats are opposed to the bill because the 55,000 visas that would be designated for STEM graduates would be redirected from the diversity immigration program, eliminating that lottery visa program. Democratic proposals create 55,000 new visas for the program, such as would occur under legislation sponsored by Sen. Schumer (S. 3553) which he asked be considered. Though many Republicans support the STEM Jobs Act, there is general opposition to increasing the total number of visas allotted, and Sen. Cornyn objected to consideration of that bill. Republicans have supported moving immigration legislation piecemeal, suggesting that compromise is hard to establish, while Democrats and the administration have said they would like to see comprehensive immigration reform.

Student loan overhaul bill. Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI) announced plans to propose legislation that would overhaul the federal student loan system. He said he will introduce the bill next week, use the lame duck session to gather feedback, and reintroduce the bill in the next Congress with any necessary changes. Rep. Petri outlined the provisions of the bill, saying it would change borrowing into income-contingent student loans. He also said his bill would simplify the system by granting only one type of loan and eliminate loan forgiveness. Instead, interest would not be allowed to accrue above 50% of the loan amount. The bill also aims to simplify the loan system, and Rep.Petri said payments could be made by withholding salary and that this process could eventually be administrated by the Education Department and the IRS through tax forms.

Federal public education revenues and the sequester. A report released Tuesday by the American Association of School Administrators gives details of the effects of sequestration on K-12 education if a deal is not made to stop cuts by Jan. 1. The report uses data from every school district in the country to outline the effects cuts would have on different schools. It also suggests that low-income districts would be hit hardest. 

As a member of New England Council, we publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington. This edition is drawn from the Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, of Dec. 10, 2012.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.

On Friday, the House voted 245-139 to pass the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6249). The bill would offer visas for skilled immigrants who earn advanced degrees from American institutions. Many Democrats are opposed to the bill because it includes the abrogation of the diversity immigration program, which allocates visas by lottery. The 55,000 visas originally distributed by the diversity program would be redirected to foreign graduates of U.S. universities who hold master's or doctoral degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Democrats have advocated for the additional visas to be created for STEM graduates. The legislation easily cleared the Republican-controlled House, but is unlikely to clear the Senate and in response to the vote, the White House issued a veto threat.

Democrats have expressed concern that the bill lacks a path for high-skilled immigrants' family members to receive green cards.  Under the STEM Jobs Act, spouses and children of STEM graduates would have their wait time to move to the U.S. reduced to one year. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) lauded the legislation, saying "Our commitment to foreign STEM graduates is a commitment to job creation. We need to bet on students who bet on America." Democrats further criticized the legislation, citing a lack of language ensuring unused STEM visas can be rolled over, as currently there are fewer STEM graduates than the allotted number of visas.  The NEC recently advocated in support of increasing the number of permanent resident "green cards" available to foreign-born graduates with advanced STEM degrees.

As a member of New England Council, we publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington. This edition is drawn from the Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, of Dec. 3, 2012.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.

STEM visa bill fails On Thursday, a proposal to increase the number of visas offered to immigrants with advanced degrees in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) from American schools failed to pass the House. The bill (H.R. 6429) needed a two-thirds vote of members in order to be passed on the House suspension calendar. It fell shy of the two-thirds mark, rejected by a vote of 257-158. Sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chair, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the legislation would have dedicated 55,000 green cards to highly skilled foreigners with American degrees in science, technology, engineering and math by eliminating the Diversity Visa Program and thus keeping the total number of visas allocated the same. Democrats have expressed opposition to eliminating the Diversity Program, favoring instead an outright addition of visas. They have introduced bills in the House and Senate that do just that and, while it is unlikely any bills will be considered before the election, the matter may be considered during the lame duck session.

House passes vet student loan debt bill On Wednesday, the House passed legislation (H.R. 5044) by a vote of 400-0 that would exclude any forgiven student loan debt of deceased veterans from that veteran's family's taxable income. Under current law, if a private company forgives student loan debt for a deceased veteran, that amount is considered as gross net income for tax purposes. Under the bill, refunds could be given for taxes imposed after 2001.

Senators discuss Student Right to Know Before You Go Act At a discussion on education sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) discussed legislation they introduced earlier this year (S. 2098) that would require more stringent data to be produced by institutions of higher education. The two announced Wednesday at the right-leaning think tank that they would like to have their bill, the Student Right to Know Before You Go Act, included in next year's reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The bill would require institutions of higher education to submit data to a state system which would then make it easily accessible and searchable. All institutions that participate in the federal student loan program would be required to report on graduation rates, tuition costs, rates of remedial enrollment, projected student loan debt and earnings projections for each academic program. The bill would not require schools to gather any additional data, but would require that the information be provided to prospective students differently. Sen. Rubio said the intent of the bill is to help students see what professions are hiring before they enroll. Some Republicans have voiced concern that new requirements could increase bureaucratic burdens on schools.  Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) have introduced companion legislation (H.R. 4061) in the House.

As a member of New England Council, we publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington. This edition is drawn from the Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, of Sept. 24, 2012.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.

On Thursday, the White House granted the waiver requests of 10 states, including Massachusetts, to opt out from the requirements of the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) law. As passed, NCLB requires school districts to demonstrate through testing proficiency in reading and math skills for all grades by 2014. Many have called the NCLB law too unrealistic to implement, and a number of states have indicated they can implement better approaches to improving their schools and educating their students. To obtain a waiver from the 2014 timetable, each state must show that its alternative education plan will prepare students to succeed at college and a career, establish new goals meant to improve student achievement, put criteria in place to "raise the bar" for schools that do not perform well. In addition to these 10 states, nearly 30 more states have indicated they will seek similar waivers.

During Tuesday's second annual White House Science Fair, President Obama announced several programed aimed at improving instruction and education in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. As part of his education reform proposals, President Obama will include in his FY2013 budget request $80 million to support new grants for college teacher training programs with the goal of training 100,000 new STEM teachers over the next 10 years. This funding would be paired with $22 million from more than 115 private investors and organizations, spearheaded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Opportunity Equation. In addition, President Obama announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will direct over $100 million to programs to improve STEM education at the undergraduate level, including the Widening Implementation and Demonstration of Evidence-based Reforms (WIDER) and the Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) programs.

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) reported Wednesday that it administered more than 800,000 Graduate Record Examination (GRE) tests in 2011—a 13% increase over 2010. American GRE tests increased by about 10%, but the increase overseas was even greater—an average of 17% across all countries. China saw a 28% increase, and GRE tests in India increased by 43%. ETS officials noted that a greater number of higher education institutions are now accepting GRE scores, and a new version of the exam was released in August.

As a member of New England Council, we publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington. This edition is drawn from the Council's Weekly Washington Report Higher Education Update, of Feb. 13, 2012.

Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council's mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.

For over a decade, educators, government representatives, entrepreneurs, social scientists, economists and journalists have espoused a constant drumbeat on the critically important skills and habits of mind that students will need to possess not just to survive, but also thrive in a rapidly changing and highly competitive world. Each commentator, in his or her own way has underscored the need to prepare the next generations of college graduates to enter a society and a work force that will demand the ability to solve complex and symbolic problems, communicate effectively, identify and deliver creative content, and imagine solutions to challenges not yet identified. As the economic activity of our nation and the world continues to rapidly transform, the need to invest in education that promotes innovation and creativity has become primary to the central themes in this ongoing public dialogue.

Important voices have commented on the idea that the current emphasis on STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) should expand to include an equal emphasis on Art and Design. Harvey White, founder of Qualcomm Inc., initiated the public dialogue advocating that STEAM should replace STEM. His perspective was followed by countless additional voices reinforcing the importance of the role of Arts Education and its importance for the future of America. The recent passing of Steve Jobs reminded us all again just how important design has been to the success of technology and how much the art of good design contributes to the economic choices that we all make.

When Daniel Pink suggested that the MFA was the new MBA, he didn’t literally mean that graduate study in the Fine Arts would replace study in Business Administration. He was suggesting that innovation and creativity were now critical factors that needed to be included in preparing students for current and future challenges. Design and “design thinking” has become central to all endeavors. It needs to be intentionally integrated broadly in all aspects of education.

Thomas Friedman’s and Michael Mandelbaum’s recent book That Used To Be Us again underscores the need for design thinking, creativity, and imagination as central to the path forward if America is to regain its leadership in the world economy. San Diego State’s Professor John Eger has written extensively about the “vital role” the arts play in the future of America, reinforcing the need to infuse them in all aspects of education. Harvard Professor Howard Gardner has been consistent in his articulate advocacy for the arts and their role, not only in innovation and the creative economy, but also in all of human development.

Our thinking about education needs to shift from preparing students for specific careers, to preparing students for careers we have not yet even imagined.

So how does all of the above specifically apply to arts education? What does education in the arts and specifically the visual arts actually provide for students?

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Visual Arts (BFA) are grounded in a course of study that fundamentally provides discipline, reinforces the benefits of hard work and perseverance, prepares students with tools needed to communicate in visual ways, and provides the historical and current cultural contexts for understanding and producing art. Visual Arts education also demands strong problem-solving skills, engages students in the processes of critical analysis, and prepares students for the give and take of collaborative work. All these perspectives, experiences and skills are central to adaptable and creative lives and careers, regardless of the path an individual student may take.

Art is fundamentally an intellectual exercise. Regardless of the medium or the profession in which it is realized, producing designs, creating photographic images, drawing illustrations, or painting a canvas all begin with an idea. Beyond being about ideas, art is also about effectively communicating those ideas. Answers are not found in textbooks. Answers are found in the inventiveness and creativity of the students only after intensive and focused practice, experimentation and analysis. Students studying for the BFA spend countless hours perfecting underlying fundamental skills. They study the history and context of art and associated liberal studies. BFA students delve deeply into the practices and methods that they will need to contribute as professionals, and they all have to write. Ultimately it is about the narrative.

So much of the narrative of our modern world is dependent on making meaning from images. From the latest electronic gadget, to advertisement to how we communicate and conduct commerce, the visual world is faster, fuller, and more complex. Students preparing to be visual communicators learn how to create and manipulate those images as well how to critically evaluate the information they are visually consuming. The constant practice of critique in Arts Education prepares students to evaluate what they see, effectively give and receive feedback on their work, as well as comment on the work of their peers and that of other artists. In a world that increasingly bombards us all with information in visual form, the ability to successfully negotiate and evaluate the visual environment is increasingly necessary as a life skill.

Any student pursuing an education in art often cannot imagine a different path. Matriculating in a BFA program is a commitment. It is constant hard work, the results of which have the promise of abundant intellectual, emotional and career rewards.

Experience provides more than enough evidence that life does not always proceed as planned. An education in the visual arts provides students the foundation upon which endless inventive, entrepreneurial, and creative directions can be successfully pursued. It offers the opportunity to possess and refine the habits of mind and of practice critical for success in any endeavor. It also invites students to be life-long learners, explorers, problem-solvers, evaluators, and contributors to our society.

At Montserrat College of Art, we take pride in the excellence of the education our students’ experience, the personal attention they all receive, our belief in supporting each student in the development of his or her individual creative vision, and in the quality of the living and learning community we together share. At Montserrat we prepare each student for a life of art and for the art of life.

Stephen D. Immerman is president of Montserrat College of Art.

Painting of "The Magician and the Trick with Doves" by Montserrat professor Timothy Harney.