WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will host his second annual college presidents conference in Washington, D.C., with Dale T. Knobel, president of Denison University, and more than 45 other presidents from colleges and universities across Ohio. In addition to meeting with Brown, the presidents will meet with Arne Duncan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), a former U.S. Education Secretary and college president.

“This conference is about crafting education policy in Washington that meets the needs of Ohio’s students and reflects the input of its colleges and universities,” said Brown. “By bringing together the presidents of Ohio’s institutions of higher education—both large and small, two-year and four-year—we all benefit. Last year, presidents shared best practices and began meeting regionally after the conference.”

Who: Sen. Sherrod Brown; President of Denison University Dale T. Knobel; Ohio College and University Presidents; Sens. Patty Murray, Lamar Alexander; Education Secretary Arne Duncan
What: Sen. Brown Hosts Second Annual Ohio College and University Presidents’ Conference
When: Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m
Where: Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), The U.S. Capitol, Room 210, Washington, D.C.

In April of 2008, Senator Brown launched this first- of-its-kind forum for Ohio college and university presidents and Congressional leaders to initiate discussion concerning common goals, needs, and opportunities in higher education. This conference was attended by 46 of Ohio’s college and university presidents.

Building on the success of the first conference, Brown hosted a series of regional roundtables around the state. The roundtables brought together college presidents and regional business leaders for a discussion on strategies to combat the Ohio “brain drain.” Attendees discussed ways to train college students and Ohio workers for 21st century jobs and strategies to create and retain good-paying jobs in Ohio.

This second Ohio college and university presidents conference will focus on how to forge state-wide partnerships to maximize federal investments, including economic recovery funding. Breakout sessions will also explore how to expand higher education access and affordability, support opportunities for research and innovation, and connect higher education with high schools and workforce needs.

All of Ohio’s four- and two-year, public and private colleges and universities were invited.

“We must continue to make critical investments in Ohio’s higher education system. Ohio president can pave the way for rebuilding a secure future for our state and for our next generation This conference is an integral step in turning Ohio’s economy around,” said Brown.

“Meeting the educational needs of Ohio’s citizens requires the partnership of all of our state’s institutions of higher education—private and public, four-year and two-year,” President Dale Knobel said from his office at Denison. “By bringing a broad swath of Ohio’s college and university presidents together, Senator Brown helps us collectively address the challenges and opportunities facing higher education.”

Brown, a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (H.E.L.P.) Committee, has led the fight to make federal investment in higher education a priority. Brown is the author of The “Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act of 2008,” bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). This legislation would provide funding for workers seeking specialized training for emerging industries.

Brown authored six provisions that were included in the Higher Education Act (HEA) that passed in July 2008. His contributions include improving professional development, providing loan forgiveness for First Responders, investing in rural education, renewing underground railroad educational programs, expanding college access programs for low-income and minority students, preventing unethical department of education evaluations of at-risk students, and increasing assistance to student veterans.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575