What higher education state policy issues will be at the forefront of discussion and legislative activity throughout the United States in 2010? Provided herein is the consensus of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) state relations and policy analysis staff, informed by continual scanning of state policy activities, current trends, and consideration of events likely to shape the policy landscape. Some issues are perennial in nature, while others reflect near-term circumstances; however, even perennial issues are shaped by current events and take a particular direction in a given year. The influence of any given issue will, of course, vary across individual states. While numerous topics shape state higher education policy, each affecting the issues of affordability and quality, AASCU's focus is on the overarching issue of college access. The top 10 issues examined in this brief are: (1) States' fiscal crises; (2) President Obama's American Graduation Initiative; (3) Tuition policy and prices; (4) Enrollment capacity; (5) State student aid programs; (6) Federal focus on community colleges; (7) Expansion of statewide data systems and new reporting metrics; (8) Veterans Education (implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and state issues); (9) College readiness; and (10) Teacher effectiveness.