FINDINGS.

SEC. 1422. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that— (1) the quality and scope of higher education in our Nation is without argument the finest in the world, and a distinguishing feature of our Nation’s system of higher education is its strong and diverse nonprofit independent sector; (2) independent colleges and universities are as diverse as the Nation itself and include traditional liberal arts institutions, major research universities, church- and faith-related colleges, colleges and universities primarily attended by minorities, women’s colleges, junior colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business and other professions; (3) the diversity of independent colleges and universities offers students a choice in the type of educational experience that will best serve such students’ interests, needs and aspirations; (4) independent colleges and universities enroll 21 percent of all students in the United States, award 33 percent of all bachelor’s degrees in the United States, 42 percent of all such master’s degrees, 36 percent of all such doctoral degrees, and 59 percent of all such professional degrees; (5) a majority of all undergraduate students attending independent colleges and universities receive some form of financial assistance, and such independent colleges and universities provide such financial assistance from their own resources; (6) independent colleges and universities are deeply involved in hundreds of partnerships with elementary and secondary 106 STAT. 825schools, and such partnerships are largely funded by such colleges and universities; (7) independent colleges and universities have been an extraordinary example of private-public partnerships, with such colleges and universities operating in the public interest to provide a public good; (8) less than 20 percent of the revenue of independent colleges and universities comes from governmental funds, most of which is in the form of Federal and State financial aid; (9) decreases in Federal and State support for student financial aid programs has placed at risk the option of choosing an independent college or university for an increasing number of students; (10) whereas at the turn of the twentieth century 80 percent of the students enrolled in higher education in the United States were enrolled in independent colleges and universities, such percentage has now declined to 21 percent, and further erosions place at risk the option of choosing an independent college or university for students and parents; and (11) the entire sector of independent colleges and universities and the important contributions such sector makes to our Nation is at risk and deserves national policy attention.