Daily Lumina News 061523

Approximately 43 million Americans collectively owe $1.5 trillion in federal student loan debt, but students aren’t the only ones drowning in this debt. Increasingly, parents—particularly Black parents—are taking out Parent PLUS loans and putting off retirement to help their children pay for college, says a new report from The Education Trust.
“I will be dead before that principal balance ever gets paid off,” one borrower states in the study.

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The policy has been a godsend for young, undocumented people who came to the United States as children, giving them the ability to go to college, build careers, and contribute to their communities.
But the fate of DACA is uncertain as recipients await a federal judge’s ruling on whether the program is legal. Meanwhile, advocates are contending with a new battle—this one involving the spread of false information online.

Many professors are struggling to connect with their students. First the pandemic forced emergency remote learning. Then came the sudden rise of ChatGPT, causing professors to rethink their teaching practices.
Bonni Stachowiak, dean of teaching and learning at Vanguard University of Southern California, shares what’s different about this moment—and why many teachers are frustrated.

Texas is moving forward with a new $683 million funding model for community colleges that centers on outcomes and rewards colleges for awarding degrees, certificates, and other “credentials of value.”
The legislation is based on recommendations by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance, which stated in a report last year that new reforms must be taken to better align policy and funding incentives with the state's rapidly changing workforce needs.

In just a matter of days, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan can go forward. The announcement comes as the resumption of student loan payments approaches.
Ahead of the court's decision, borrowers weigh in with their concerns about what the future may hold. Reporter Julia Carpenter of The Wall Street Journal joins the conversation.

Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez was just seven months into a job as chief diversity officer at the New College of Florida when the news came: The board of trustees announced it was dissolving the diversity, equity, and inclusion office.
Even as the academic year draws to a close, these fights against DEI programs are set to continue. And, to some, the future of public higher education is on the line.