Daily Lumina News 093020

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, higher education was facing a national decline in enrollment. Now, a new report is sounding the alarm about college enrollment declines among Black students.
The study, from the Center for American Progress, highlights several strategies that it says the federal government, states, and institutions must do to address equity gaps and improve outcomes.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken an even deeper financial toll on colleges and universities than expected, according to associations representing two- and four-year institutions.
In a letter sent to House of Representatives leaders, the American Council on Education and 45 other higher education groups nearly tripled the amount of help they say is needed from Congress in another aid package to at least $120 billion.

Imagine trying to learn remotely without a computer, or getting accepted into your dream school but then having to “attend” it from home. Or perhaps you pushed pause on your education to join the military—two days after your wedding. Now you’re stuck on a base on the other side of the world due to pandemic-related restrictions.
Those are true stories for three 20-somethings. Though from different backgrounds, they all share one thing in common—a community college instructor who cared enough to reconnect with them during the pandemic. What did she find? Dreams deferred but not destroyed.

The role of workers is being transformed—and often rendered obsolete—by automation and artificial intelligence. How can today's workers prepare for this shift?
On Oct. 6 from 2-3 p.m. EDT, Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis and various thought leaders will explore this question and more during a virtual book launch of Merisotis' new book, Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines.
You can register for the online discussion here.