Daily Lumina News 031121

Inequality in digital access is not a new challenge in higher education, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many institutions to confront the issue head-on with renewed efforts and innovative strategies.
Technology experts and students discuss the nature of today's digital divide—and what can be done to help those who struggle to stay connected to their colleges and universities.

For too long, noncredit courses and programs have been relegated to the back alleys and hovels of the higher education hierarchy. College and university leaders stride by, often content to glimpse at these programs from the corners of their eyes.
But it is past time to give these courses greater weight. And to make this a reality, we need to know more. A lot more.

What has it been like to be a teenager during the first year of a global health crisis? The New York Times asked the question, and more than 5,500 responses poured in.
In words and images, audio and video, teenagers share how they met life's challenges in the midst of a pandemic.

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards knows full well the challenges ahead. Like many cities, Tacoma has experienced a dramatic upheaval from COVID-19. Businesses that have been in Tacoma for 30 years are now closed because of the pandemic-induced economic shutdown. Meanwhile, many people continue their struggle to find work.
Collaboration among local stakeholders will be essential to recovery, says Woodards. And apprenticeships are a key part of that equation.

Every day, thousands of college students experience food insecurity. The issue became more acute with the onset of the pandemic and the closing of campus dining programs.
Several organizations that work with colleges and universities to design and develop anti-hunger programs are now responding to these changing conditions with creative—and replicable—new approaches.

New findings from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reveal a trend that is now familiar in the wake of the pandemic: Fewer students are enrolled in college.
The research shows that “there’s still a lot more work to do,” says Doug Shapiro, executive director of the research center. “Colleges, high schools, and policymakers will need to work together to help bring learners back into higher education.”