ACS views on education, tax-exempt bonds - C&EN Global Enterprise

With the Senate poised to vote on "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" shortly after it reconvenes Jan. 25, the American Chemical Society is asking Sen. ...
0 downloads 0 Views 328KB Size
Κ&ΜΟΡΜ,Ι

ACS views on education, tax-exempt bonds ith the Senate poised to vote on "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" shortly after it reconvenes Jan. 25, the American Chemical Society is asking Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D.-Mass.), the bill's sponsor, to ensure that several changes are made in the final version of the bill or its accompanying report. The bill provides a mechanism for the systemic overhaul of the nation's education system. It establishes a pro­ gram for developing voluntary nation­ al content, student performance, and system performance standards that can be adopted by state and local education agencies. The bill also sets forth educa­ tion goals for all American students, in­ cluding that they "be first in the world in math and science education" by the year 2000, and provides funds for vari­ ous teacher training programs. First, ACS wants Congress to empha­ size that the federal funds provided in the act are intended to supplement, not

W

supplant, the amount that state and local authorities already have allotted for pro­ grams for teachers. Second, it wants lan­ guage included in the bill or the report encouraging linkages between in-service curricular innovations and preservice teacher training programs. Finally, with regard to the National Skills Standards Board and the National Education Standards & Improvement Council established by the legislation, the society urges Congress to ensure that there be representation from the scientif­ ic community within these bodies. ACS also has written to Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan (D.-N.Y.), chairman of the Committee on Finance, about the current tax treatment of nonhospital qualified 501(c)(3) bonds. ACS points out that these tax-exempt bonds constitute a major source of capital financing for academic research and teaching facilities. The society recommends that Con­ gress repeal the $150 million-per-institu-

REACTION sight 1

yn^^Sk-

tion limit, set in the 1986 Tax Reform Act, on such bonds issued by private, not-for-profit colleges and universities. It points out that many private academic institutions, especially those that grant Ph.D.s, are close to reaching the cap and warns that the cost and quality of aca­ demic research will suffer if these insti­ tutions have to turn now to taxable bonds as a financing mechanism. Janice Long

Teaching students with disabilities The ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities is offering the third edition of "Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities." Copies are available free of charge, and on diskette for the visually impaired. To request a copy or for more informa­ tion, write to Committee on Chemists with Disabilities, ACS, 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.

REACTIR™ MP Mobile Reaction Analysis System

REACTIR™ 1000 Bench Top Reaction Analysis System

-Situ Seconds In The Lab In The Pilot Plant In Manufacturing REACTIR™ Reaction Analyzers Provide Real-Time Comprehensive Insight Into Chemical Reaction Pathways, End Points, Kinetics, and Yields... When and Where You Need It

Solve Problems Faster, Improve Reaction Performance, and Increase Process Yields • Faster than chromatography • More representative than NMR • More specific than NIR For more information and/or for a seminar presentation of ReactIR Reaction Analysis Technology tailored for your challenging application, call 1-410/224-8200, or FAX 1 «410/224-8205.

APPLIED SYSTEMS ι^ 200 Harry S. Truman Parkway» Annapolis, MD 21401 1-410/224-8200 • FAX: 1-410/224-8205

CIRCLE 3 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD

JANUARY 24,1994 C&EN

63