Daily Lumina News 042224

Savana Paciulli's enrollment at Smith College is the latest in a string of successes. She's already earned her associate degree at nearby Holyoke Community College, graduating as valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA. She was also instrumental in creating a “child watch” program at HCC, which provides free supervision for the young children of student-parents while they are on campus.
Paciulli did all this and more while dealing with mental health issues and raising her young son as a single mother. Now, those experiences are inspiring her to be a staunch advocate for other student-parents and their success.

In an effort to attract students, colleges and universities dole out more than half of the revenue they collect from tuition in the form of discounts and financial aid. If a private company discounted its products in a similar fashion, it would probably go out of business.
So why do colleges use a business model that leaves many prospective students thinking college costs more than it does? College access experts offer insight on this episode of College Uncovered.

If you’re among the millions of students admitted or enrolled in college, you’re probably waiting to learn exactly how much it will cost this fall. That's because the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid has been plagued with ongoing delays and technical glitches.
The U.S. Department of Education has issued a flurry of notices tracking its progress in addressing the problems. Here's what students and families should know.

Even with the affordability challenges facing many college students today, most Americans—75 percent—believe a bachelor’s degree is extremely or very valuable for better jobs and a more educated, informed nation.
Unfortunately, two-thirds don’t think it is accessible to most people. To help more Americans learn, earn, and build better lives and stronger communities, higher education leaders and policymakers must work harder to reduce costs, enhance aid, and be crystal clear about the price, writes Lumina Foundation's Courtney Brown.

Like universities across the state, University of Texas at Austin is scrambling to comply with the new state law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, programs, and training at public universities. The school has already closed a multicultural center, ended a scholarship for undocumented students, and laid off some 50 employees in DEI-related programs.
But even those changes may not be enough to placate Republican legislators, say campus leaders.

One size doesn’t fit all in higher education, according to Julie Peller of Higher Learning Advocates and Eric Bing of The College of Health Care Professions. Many of today’s college students are older, first-generation college-goers, parents, and often work full time while putting themselves through school.
To better serve these learners, postsecondary institutions must acknowledge their lived experiences and the multiple responsibilities their students carry outside the classroom, contend Peller and Bing in this perspective piece.