Daily Lumina News 070120

Around the United States, coronavirus cases are rising among young people. The spread of the virus has been connected to college-related events such as on-campus parties, drinking at off-campus bars, and athletic practices.
For colleges planning to bring thousands of students together in the fall, student spread is a real worry. And the stakes are high: If there are outbreaks, campuses may once again be forced to shut down, scattering students and disrupting academics and college finances all over again.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown summer work plans into disarray for thousands of college students. Many businesses are closed, working remotely, or just not hiring like they usually do.
Faced with unemployment, some students are getting creative and channeling their interests and skills into their own personalized jobs.

Many students from overseas have an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of race and racial identity in America. Their perspectives can be shaped by stereotypes of African Americans and other minorities in popular culture or reflect very different perspectives on race and ethnicity in their home countries.
Yet, few colleges pay specific attention to the gaps in international students’ awareness of race or to the culture shock they can experience at suddenly being viewed through a racial lens.

The COVID-19 health crisis has exposed and worsened equity gaps in higher education, with the pressures most acute for Black, Latino, and lower-income students.
In this podcast, Michelle Asha Cooper of the Institute for Higher Education Policy and Kim Cook of the National College Attainment Network discuss policies and incentives that can help close these gaps.