Brian Zucker, president of Human Capital Research, of Chicago, was the principal speaker at a seminar on student financial aid and college affordability that was held at The California Higher Education Policy Center on April 12. Zucker described the work his company has done in Florida, Minnesota and Oregon and discussed the applicability of his findings to the situation in California.
Among those who attended the seminar were Sue Badger, president, Marin Education Fund; Jonathan A. Brown, president, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities; Steve Carroll, senior economist, RAND Corporation; Gerald Hayward, director, Policy Analysis for California Education; and Donald Hills, manager, research and policy analysis branch, California Student Aid Commission.
Also, Kate Jeffrey, director of student financial support, University of California; Dorothy M. Knoell, higher education consultant; Martin A. Kramer, consultant; Linda Michalowski, coordinator, student development/student financial assistance program unit, California Community Colleges; Esperanza Nee, director of financial aid, UC Santa Cruz; William H. Pickens, Bluestone Enterprises; Michael A. Shires, research fellow, Public Policy Institute of California; and Virginia Smith, director, Futures Project.
In late May, the Center will publish a major report on the current state of higher education in California, along with recommendations for policy changes.