Top Higher Education News for Wednesday
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Lumina Foundation is committed to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials to 60 percent by 2025.

October 2, 2024

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‘Long and Difficult’ Recovery Ahead in North Carolina

Jessica Blake, Inside Higher Ed

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The storm may be over, but the cataclysmic flooding and power outages that Hurricane Helene unleashed have left university campuses across western North Carolina in shambles and many students disconnected from their families.

 

As residents begin to dig out, state, city, and university leaders say one thing is becoming clear: There’s a long road of recovery ahead.

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A New Chapter in the FAFSA Saga Is Beginning. Here Are Five Things to Know.

Eric Hoover, The Chronicle of Higher Education

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Nobody wants to see a sequel to the devastating federal aid crisis of 2024. But will one happen anyway?

 

The question has been looming over higher education for months. And this week marks the beginning of a crucial new chapter in the continuing saga of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. What happens next will likely determine whether the next financial aid cycle gets off to a promising start, albeit two months later than usual—or whether another round of headaches is coming.

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Why Many College Students Are Forced to Spend More on Housing Than Tuition

Laura Barrón-López, Rethinking College

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Adrian Aguilar grew up in a rural city south of Houston with parents who immigrated from Guatemala. He has scholarships and financial aid to cover tuition at the University of Texas at Austin, as well as some help from his family. But it's never been enough to pay his rent.

 

He's not alone. The cost of housing has risen sharply in recent years, including for college students. Living in a dorm or renting an off-campus apartment can be the single largest expense a student faces, even more than tuition.

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To Understand the Future of Higher Education, Look to the Past of Healthcare

Ricardo Azziz, Higher Ed Dive

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A quick review of recent headlines mentions 20 “closures in 2024,” 17 institutions “closing departments or ending services,” and 55 “cutting jobs.” Typical week in higher education? No. A typical week in healthcare.

 

A college consolidation expert breaks down similarities between the two sectors—and what institutions can learn from them.

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Campaign for College Opportunity’s New President on Tackling the Transfer Process

Michael Burke, EdSource

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One of California’s top higher education advocacy groups, the Campaign for College Opportunity, has a new leader. Jessie Ryan, who took over as president on July 1, has worked at the organization for 19 years, most recently as an executive vice president.

 

In this interview, Ryan talks about her priorities and how she plans to build on her predecessor's work around remedial education, improving the transfer process, and expanding financial aid, among other topics.

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Inside an Effort to Build an AI Assistant for Designing Course Materials

Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

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There’s a push among artificial intelligence developers to create an AI tutor, and some see that as a key use for tools like ChatGPT. But one long-time edtech expert sees an even better fit for new AI chatbots in education: helping educators design course materials for their students.

 

Even if it turns out that AI isn’t a fit to help build courses, Michael Feldstein says his project is yielding lessons about where generative AI tools can help educators do their jobs better.

HUMAN WORK AND LEARNING

What Can We Do to Build a More Well-Informed Citizenry?

Marvin Krislov, Forbes

The Elite College Students Who Can't Read Books

Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic

Study Warns of ‘Silver Tsunami’ and Coming Labor Shortages

New Jersey Business & Industry Association

How the Aspiring Nurse Program Allows Hospitals to Invest in Student Nurses

Barbara Ron, WBOY

Opinion: Skills-Based Hiring and Degree Completion Do Not Have to Be Mutually Exclusive

Earl Buford, Diverse Issues in Higher Education

STUDENT SUPPORTS

What Makes a College Welcoming to Transfer Students?

Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

Colleges Boost Mental Health Support for Students

Corey James, Spectrum News

GPA Reset Can Give Students a Fresh Start—If They Know It Exists

Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

When Colleges Adapt to Meet Accessibility Needs, They’re Met With Students Who Thrive

Cheryl Maguire, The News & Observer

Santiago Canyon College Program Gives Underserved High School Students a Boost

Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register

COLLEGE ENROLLMENTS

Oklahoma CareerTech Schools Hoping to Boost Enrollment 15% in Next Five Years

Emma Murphy, The Oklahoman

Most Area Colleges Didn’t See Much Change in Enrollment Demographics a Year After Affirmative Action Ended

Auditi Guha, VT Digger (Vermont)

Declining College Enrollment Affecting Student Aid Program Participation

Nolan McKendry, The Center Square (Louisiana)

Minnesota Colleges Weigh Effects of Affirmative Action Ruling on Enrollment

Erin Adler, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Work-Life Imbalance: Women Are Outpacing Men in College Enrollment and Degrees—a Trend That's Been Growing for Nearly 50 Years

Jennifer McNally, Chattanooga Times Free Press

STATE POLICY

Did Newsom Give False Hope on Future of Campus Jobs Bill for Undocumented Students?

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, LAist

Massachusetts Has Expanded Its Free Tuition Policy at Community Colleges. What's the Impact?

Emilia Wisniewski, MetroWest Daily News

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry Signs Executive Order on College Campus Free Speech

Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator

California Just Banned Legacy Preferences in College Admissions. It's a Growing Trend.

Zachary Schermele, USA Today

Dorm Life Poses Challenges to Georgia College Students Aiming to Vote in November Election

Chaya Tong, Georgia Recorder

Blog: Thirty Years of Progress for Higher Education in California

Public Policy Institute of California

NEW REPORTS AND EVENTS

How Did Community College Students Fare After COVID-19 Disruptions?

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Virtual Forum: Microcredentials’ Macro-Potential

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Do Elite Universities Overpay Their Faculty?

National Bureau of Economic Research

Where Do Student Parents Attend College?

Urban Institute

Factors Affecting First-Year Students’ College Choices: Insights From the 2023 CIRP Freshman Survey

American Council on Education

How Are Legal Challenges to SAVE Affecting the Student Loan Program?

Brookings Institution

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Daily Lumina News is edited by Patricia Brennan.

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