Daily Lumina News 110623

For years, economists and more than a few worried parents have argued over whether a liberal arts degree is worth the price.
Not only are public officials questioning state support for the humanities, a growing number of universities, often aided by outside consultants, are now putting many cherished departments—art history, American studies—on the chopping block. They say they are facing headwinds, including students who are fleeing to majors more closely aligned to employment.

It's college application season. And as students across the country prepare to apply, students of color are thinking about how to adjust to the U.S. Supreme Court's narrowed affirmative action rules.
On this episode of Radio Boston, Valeria Serna Lopez of Boston Latin School shares her experience of applying to college in today's new and unfamiliar admissions landscape. Two leaders from organizations focused on helping students access, navigate, and graduate from college join the conversation to discuss how they are now advising students.

For decades, Hispanic enrollment at four-year colleges and universities has been on the rise, and it saw a new high in 2022. But issues with affordability and accessibility continue to make it difficult for many Latino students to remain enrolled.
Child care or adult caregiving responsibilities, mental health concerns, feeling as if they don't belong on campus, and balancing full-time work also make college completion challenging for Latino students, according to recent research.

Many former college students describe student loans as an investment in their future financial security. This investment often pays off, leading to good jobs and higher earnings, and many are able to repay their student debt.
But a subset of borrowers do not see their hoped-for financial return and struggle to afford their loan payments year after year. Eventually, they age into one of the fastest growing subsets of student loan borrowers—adults approaching retirement age.

The number of American adults with some college credits but no credential is big—more than 40 million, according to recent research.
Now, a new study of students who stopped out of college suggests that giving them the opportunity to earn microcredentials and academic credit for prior learning could incentivize them to come back and finish what they started.

A new initiative by Butler University in Indianapolis will give students access to an associate degree in business and allied health at no cost to them. They can then continue on to earn a bachelor’s degree for $10,000.
The program is focused on local students from low-income backgrounds, including those who are undocumented. College leaders there say they hope to make higher education more accessible and affordable for previously underserved students, as well as help them navigate the college-going process.