Daily Lumina News 061421

Colorado made news in May as the first state in the nation to ban legacy admissions at its public colleges. But few colleges in the state even consider an applicant’s family ties to a school, so what does the law really change?
According to advocates, the answer is perception.

When James Innocent watched a mob of thousands storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, he says he felt a “call to action” to do something different with his life.
After a year of intense, polarizing events, thousands of college students, including Innocent, have received their acceptance letters and are preparing to attend school in the fall. But for many students, the impact of living through the past year has forever changed their goals and vision for the future.

More than a year into a pandemic that has upended much of higher education, college administrators say they see the advantages of online counseling and plan to preserve it as an option post-pandemic.
The global health crisis is reshaping campus mental health care in other ways, too. With many students still studying remotely, colleges have had to rely on faculty to recognize and respond to signs of student mental distress. To better prepare them for this role, some colleges are adding or expanding training to help faculty members identify students who are struggling and connect them with counselors.

There are no surprises in the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s latest report on college enrollment. Spring enrollment was down. For community colleges, way down.
By now, double-digit enrollment declines in the community college sector have been well documented and reported. If anything, the new information cements the fact that lawmakers, policymakers, higher education leaders, and other stakeholders must work together to brainstorm ideas that bring students back to the classroom.