In an open letter to the chief executives of the nation's state and land-grant colleges and universities, University of California, Davis, Chancellor Larry N. Vanderhoef and 26 other current and former public university presidents have laid out a bold framework for change designed to expand access to higher education. The presidents' letter, "Returning to Our Roots: Student Access," calls on public institutions to change or re-examine their admissions requirements, course-credit policies, student support and financial aid programs, and relationships with public schools. "There is still so much we can do to improve access to our universities," said Vanderhoef. "Most importantly, I believe we must partner with K-12 schools to increase the percentages of students who become eligible for our institutions of higher education. Work on teacher training, curriculum development and testing are just a few ways in which we can be involved." Vanderhoef serves on the 27-member Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities and was a member of the committee that planned the student access report. The commission was created by a $1.2 million grant given by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. "Student Access" is the second of a series of commission reports in the form of letters to public university officials. The goal of the reports is to frame a vision for reforming public higher education and outline action steps for change. The access report notes that three challenges complicate efforts to expand access to public higher education -- price, the challenge of diversity, and opportunities presented by modern technology. The report recommends these actions: • transform land-grant and public universities • build new partnerships with public schools • validate admissions requirements • encourage diversity • clarify course-credit transfer and articulation agreements • renew efforts to contain cost and increase aid • focus on what students need to succeed The report also presents short case studies that illustrate pioneering ways land-grant and public universities have been working to promote expanded access. "This report grew out of our dismay about the shape and nature of the current conversation about educational opportunity in the United States," said commission chair Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University. "The commission hopes to focus that conversation where it should be -- on the needs of students." To underline the need for change, the commission also released a companion working paper, "Access to Educational Opportunity, Data Related to Change." The data show: • In the last two decades, the proportion of recent high school graduates going directly to college increased, from 47 percent in 1973 to 62 percent by 1994. • The shift in federal policy from grants to loans is forcing many students to graduate in debt and is mortgaging their future. • The fastest-growing student population consists of adults who are either enrolling for the first time or returning to colleges and universities after an absence. The entire text of "Returning to Our Roots: Student Access" is available on-line at NASULGC's website: http://www.nasulgc.nche.edu.