Daily Lumina News 011422

Research shows that high school graduates who delay college enrollment are far less likely than their peers who enroll immediately to graduate on time, if at all. And the longer they’re away from school, the harder it is to bring them back.
Several college access groups and higher education institutions are taking note—and their work offers lessons for others to put recent high school graduates back on the path to a degree.

A new report on U.S. college enrollments paints a sobering picture: Nearly 1 million fewer students are enrolled in higher education now than before the pandemic.
A dramatic drop in college enrollment could spell trouble for those Americans who are opting out, as well as for their families. Research has long shown that getting even some education beyond high school leads to higher wages, lower unemployment, and greater lifetime earnings.

More students believe there is a mental health crisis happening on college campuses.
A survey of nearly 1,700 college students shows that while students may have a different understanding of what constitutes a mental health crisis, it’s clear they are suffering. Seventy percent of survey respondents say they are experiencing pandemic-related distress or anxiety.

To meet the growing demand for STEM and health care workers over the next decade, Tennessee may soon incentivize its community colleges and universities to recruit and graduate students in those fields.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is proposing a change to its funding formula that would give more money to colleges for students majoring in high-need academic fields.

The workforce needs in Anne Arundel County in Maryland had become clear: plumbers, electricians, construction workers, and other skilled tradespeople were missing in action.
Anne Arundel Community College already had some skilled trades programs, but it needed more space on campus for students to hone their craft. So AACC did something it had never done in its 60-year history: look directly to the community for funds.

Many college students' financial worries are not just about future student loan debt; they are trying to graduate while also working too much, hungry, and worried about eviction. The pandemic has only heightened these challenges.
For today's students to fully engage and succeed in college, universities must be built to better support the students they serve, writes Kathryn Boucher of the University of Indianapolis in this op-ed.