An Education Department plan to restructure ERIC, the government's network of education-research clearinghouses, has members of Congress concerned and they have asked that the plan not be put into effect until they can study it further. The department's plan follows a year-long review of ERIC. (MLW)

Title III of the Higher Education Act was designed to strengthen small institutions with weak financial bases. Some contend, however, that the lawmakers who conceived the program intended the money to go only to historically Black colleges and universities. (MLW)

The House Postsecondary Education Subcommittee called hearings to give higher education officials a chance to respond to accusations that colleges are greedy and spend as much as they can. Program duplication, tax breaks for parents, tuition increases, and a call for college audits are discussed. (MLW)

Some influential members of Congress say colleges and universities need to take more seriously the political and financial needs of their advocates on Capitol Hill. College presidents feel that creating a PAC to give money to politicians would tarnish higher education's image and erode their political independence. (MLW)

While Reagan Administration officials and most presidents of historically black colleges argue black colleges are faring better since White House efforts to aid the institutions, critics decry the limited federal aid available and other institutions worry about black college presidents' reluctance to speak out against policies hurting all higher…

A series of steps by the Education Department and Congress to crack down on loan defaulters are discussed. Several factors have put defaults in the spotlight, including a study listing default rates at all postsecondary institutions and hard-hitting newspaper editorials. (MLW)

Rep. Pat Williams, the new chairman of the House Postsecondary Education Subcommittee, visits college campuses and observes what the problems are. A recent visit to Pennsylvania State is described in which he listened to students in the financial aid office, inspected research facilities, and talked with university administrators. (MLW)

President Reagan abandoned his seven-year effort to make drastic reductions in federal spending on education, recommending record high amounts for programs aiding colleges and students. However, the administration suggested curtailments in some programs, including college construction and renovation. (MSE)

The uses the University of Michigan makes of its federal aid dollars, and the sources of that support, are outlined and a general comparison to the situations of other institutions is made. (MSE)

The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study by the U.S. Department of Education examines the amount and types of aid students receive nationwide. The study covered aid distributed by the federal government, state governments, colleges and universities, and other sources. (MLW)

Colleges and universities will be held directly responsible for loan repayments by their former students. Most postsecondary institutions with default rates of more than 20% are for-profit trade schools, community colleges, or historically Black colleges. (MLW)

The revised immigration system, the requirement that administrators verify the accuracy of information on student aid applications before they distribute money, and demands on administrators to spend more time helping students to budget their money were discussed at the annual meeting of the National Association of Student Financial Aid…

Secretary of Education William J. Bennett's new report that American education has improved, but not enough, criticizes teacher education quality and has drawn criticism from union leaders for not assigning more responsibility to the federal government. (MSE)

Congress made significant revisions in the methods used to evaluate families' income and college expenses to decide how much aid students should receive. Administrators say that needy students will receive less aid next year, although some students who do not need more aid will be eligible for it. (MLW)

The eight years of Ronald Reagan's presidency have included tremendous economic, social, and political change. Views on those changes in higher education vary. Six stories tell how colleges and Washington's lobbyists and lawmakers have changed in that period. (MLW)