The all-Democratic line-up proposing the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2014 suggests the measure will have a rough time clearing the Senate, let alone Congress, before the November elections. The 2010 reauthorization squeaked through a lame-duck House in the closing days of Democratic control. The new 150-page measure, a last hurrah for Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, who is retiring, would reauthorize the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology through 2019, two years longer than in the previous COMPETES. Among its provisions:

• Declaring that "Federal science agencies should receive sustained and steady growth in funding for research and development activities, including basic research,across a wide range of disciplines," the bill would increase the NSF budget to $9.9 billion by 2019 and raise NIST to nearly $1.2 billion.
• Any STEM education overhaul "that diminishes the participation of Federal science agency scientists or engineers, including in the awarding of STEM-related
  education grants, should be avoided."
• A new subcommittee within the National Science and Technology Council would recommend ways to reduce costs and administrative burdens associated with research grants.
• A boost for the growing federal trend of competitions to spur innovation, specifying prizes, including cash.
• A spur to manufacturing, which is mentioned 70 times. The bill renews manufacturing extension partnerships under NIST, encouraging "active dissemination to industrial firms, including small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies, of scientific, engineering, technical, and management information about  manufacturing." It also establishes NIST manufacturing fellowships for postdocs and "established researchers" in industry or universities. A national strategic plan for manufacturing would include advanced manufacturing research and development.
  
• Programs to broaden participation in STEM by women and underrepresented minorites, including at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

IN-STATE TUITION FOR VETS: Universities would be required to offer veterans in-state tuition rates under legislation to reform the Veterans Administration that cleared Congress this week. According to Inside Higher Ed, veterans' groups pushed for the provision, arguing that veterans returning from service "often have difficulty meeting the residency requirements that would qualify them to pay in-state tuition."

CAPITOL EDUCATION PROFILE: The Congressional Research Service, citing CQ-Roll Call, reports that 22 members of Congress lack a college degree; seven have associate degrees; 99 have a master's; 169 members of the House and 57 senators have law degrees; 20 members of the House have a Ph.D. or D.Phil., and 22 members of the House and three senators have a medical degree.

NATIONAL ACADEMIES

TALENT, RESOURCES, AND BASIC RESEARCH . . . remain the three pillars  of a successful research enterprise, a National Academies report affirms. But data collection and measurement need to be improved. They could include "indicators of human and knowledge capital, indicators of the flow of knowledge in specific fields of science, indicators that can be used to track the flow of foreign research talent, portfolio analyses of federal research investments by field of science, international benchmarking of research performance, and measures of research reproducibility."

KIND WORDS FOR EDUCATORS: Hide-bound, resistant to change? "Contrary to  common belief, there is a fair level of innovation in the education sector." It's most intense in higher education, which stands out -- exceeding the economy as a whole -- in the speed at which it adopts innovation. So declares a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

ASSESSING MOOCS: A group funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been looking into online and hybrid learning at the University System of Maryland. Among its results: Faculty were able to achieve outcomes comparable to traditionally taught sections while saving time; students fared as well or slightly better; and the findings held true for academically ar-risk students. 

ON-LINE STEM SUSTAINABILITY LIBRARY: This on-line library of over 1700 juried articles and 300 videos was developed at James Madison University with NSF funding. The site provides resources for those researching or teaching sustainability across contexts.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE - STORIFY VERSION: ASEE's Engineering Libraries Division has put together a lively collection of photos and tweets that captures the collaboration and  camaraderie of the Indy conference. Check it out here.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) invites engineering deans and chairs to the Third Annual Deans’ Forum on Hispanic Higher Education: Advancing Graduate School Opportunities and Success for Hispanic Students, following HACU’s 28th Annual Conference, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The forum will address issues facing Hispanic students in graduate education and highlight promising practices to enhance access and success. For more information, see http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Deans_Forum.asp.

‘PROFILES’ IS OUT: ASEE's eagerly awaited 540-page Profiles of Engineering and Engineering Technology Colleges has been published. Call ASEE (202-331-3500) to order a copy.

ASEE DIVERSITY COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER: The spring edition of the semi-annual newsletter is now available. ASEE Past President J.P. Mohsen discusses a proposed Year of Dialogue on Diversity and details on safe zone ally training at the annual conference are posted, among other items.

VIDEOS OF THE PPC: View sessions from February's Public Policy Colloquium of the Engineering Deans Council dealing with advanced manufacturing, federal R&D, and K-12 engineering.

on ASEE's Retention Project by clicking here for updates.