Senior Education Official to Address University of Illinois Symposium on the Future of Public Higher Education

David Bergeron, Acting Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary Education, will give the closing remarks at the University of Illinois’ symposium entitled The Morrill Act at 150: The Future of Public Higher Education, at 2:40 p.m. CT on Friday, October 26, in Urbana, Ill.

Bergeron will summarize issues related to the role of public higher education in the twenty-first century global economy and highlight challenges related to access and diversity. He will also discuss steps the Obama Administration is taking to promote college affordability -- key component of access and completion -- as well as the Administration’s call for shared responsibility in containing the growth of college costs and student debt to help achieve the President’s 2020 goal for America to once again lead the world in college completion.