Lawmakers Seek Out ASQ on Education Legislation

May 7, 2004 - Representatives from the American Society for Quality were in Washington D.C. last week to meet with staff of the House Education and Workforce Committee, discussing ways in which quality methods could address cost issues in higher education.

ASQ’s president, Ken Case, and John Dew, chair of ASQ’s Education and Training Board and one of several subject matter experts advising ASQ’s Office of the President on education matters, represented ASQ. Also attending was Amy Kimball of Sellery Associates, who arranged the meeting.

ASQ was contacted by the legislative director for Chairman John Boehner (R-OH), chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, to assist the committee as it develops legislation that attempts to reduce the costs that students must pay for higher education.

Committee staff indicated several areas where ASQ could be helpful. One area discussed was the accreditation process. Both Case and Dew offered suggestions on how to improve this process, including better standards and uniformity. Dew told the committee staff that currently there is a quality assurance focus but not quality improvement in this process. Another area of the committee’s concern is cost reduction. Case commented that if this is done the right way, the effects will be lasting.

The committee also wants to require colleges and universities to reveal how they plan to contain costs in the future. Dew had already prepared a paper for the committee’s review detailing how many higher education institutions are already using quality management criteria to contain costs.

The ASQ representatives drew on their own extensive experiences in higher education--Case as Regents Professor of Industrial Engineering at Oklahoma State University and Dew as Director for Continuous Quality Improvement at the University of Alabama.

Sellery Associates represents ASQ in Washington, positioning ASQ as the premier organization for providing input on legislation related to quality and developing relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, federal officials in many agencies, and like minded trade and professional organizations. These activities are making ASQ a known and respected entity in Washington, resulting in requests from congressional and federal agency offices for ASQ’s expertise and advice.

Press contact: Laurel Nelson Rowe.