Daily Lumina News 082420

Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama made a daring educational decision in June: She would fund a statewide student testing and technology program to help public universities and colleges reopen for in-person classes.
Now, as Alabama college students start those classes even as local virus rates remain high, that program—one of the nation’s largest campus reopening efforts—is facing the ultimate test.

For young activists in the 1960s, television was the promising new medium through which they could prevent the world from turning a blind eye to violence against Black people.
Now, iPhones and the internet offer new ways to spotlight injustice. With nearly everyone having their own publishing platforms in the palms of their hands, no longer are major news outlets the main filter of public dialogue. Social media provides a means to turn moments into movements.

They signed pledges to keep the community safe. They received emails about social distancing and wearing masks. But many college students are still doing what college students tend to do: socialize and party.
Some colleges are taking action—from suspending students for attending parties to making veiled threats about taking legal action. But is it fair to lay the blame solely at the feet of students?

Despite the health and economic challenges facing higher education today, education leaders and policymakers have an opportunity to create a learning system that better serves everyone.
Lumina Foundation's Brad Kelsheimer offers insight on the financial realities facing higher education in America—and why he's hopeful that today's students can emerge with the skills needed for a brighter tomorrow.