Event Summary

On July 2, USA Today education reporter Zachary Schermele moderated a web event with AEI Senior Fellow Beth Akers and Jonathan Fansmith, senior vice president of government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education. This week, the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which contained several provisions regarding college accountability, student loans, and other aspects of higher education.

Dr. Akers and Mr. Fansmith began their discussion of the bill’s higher education components by outlining the key differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, and then they examined the college accountability provisions in detail. The panelists also addressed the bill’s potential unintended consequences, the problems arising from passing college accountability through budget reconciliation rather than regular congressional order, how this bill could affect students’ access to college, and the implications of the Department of Education’s reduced staff for implementing the bill.

The event concluded with a Q&A.

—Greg Fournier

Event Description

Recent legislative proposals in the House and Senate signal heightened interest in making colleges financially responsible for students’ outcomes. The House’s version of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” contains a “risk-sharing” provision requiring colleges to repay a portion of the federal student debt that their graduates fail to repay. The Senate version omits this provision, but it raises the stakes by demanding that colleges demonstrate a positive return on investment to retain access to federal student loans. These proposals reflect a growing focus on the federal role in ensuring colleges’ and universities’ program quality and economic value.

Join us for a conversation with AEI’s Beth Akers and Jonathan Fansmith of the American Council on Education about the anticipated changes to accountability in higher education, moderated by USA Today’s Zachary Schermele.

Submit questions to [email protected] or on X with #AEIRiskSharing.

Event Materials

Event Transcript: Holding Colleges Accountable: From Graduation to Gainful Employment

Agenda

4:00 p.m.
Introduction:
Zachary Schermele, Education Reporter, USA Today

4:05 p.m.
Panel Discussion

Panelists:
Beth Akers, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Jonathan Fansmith, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and National Engagement, American Council on Education

Moderator:
Zachary Schermele, Education Reporter, USA Today

4:45 p.m.
Q&A

5:00 p.m.
Adjournment