By Johan E. Uvin During my last year as acting assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, I had the opportunity to visit College Unbound twice. The first time, I joined Lul Tesfai, my then colleague, and spent the night meeting students and participating in classes. Students shared their stories and their struggles in higher education before they got to ...| Higher Education Today
By Sandy Baum Headlines like “5 Reasons College Has Become Unaffordable For The Masses” or “Why Is College Education Unaffordable for So Many Americans Today? What Should Be Done About This?” start from the premise that many, if not most, people cannot afford a college education. Some reports have even suggested that the expense is out of reach for high-income families. ...| Higher Education Today
American Institutes for Research, in partnership with Lumina Foundation, is researching how colleges and universities can better design programs and messaging to meet the needs of Black, Hispanic, and Native American adult learners. A 2024 review of 350 institution websites highlighted promising practices in presenting key information to these learners.| Higher Education Today
Title: Variation in Community College Funding Levels: A Focus on Equity Authors: Sandy Baum and Jason Cohn Source: The Urban Institute Community colleges play a critical role in expanding access to higher education, enrolling 44 percent of all U.S. public undergraduate students. But concerns about uneven and inadequate funding for these institutions relative to public four-year colleges are widespread. A new ...| Higher Education Today
Title: More to the Retention Story: Exploring Second- to Third-Year Retention at 4-Year Colleges and Universities Authors: McCall Pitcher and Kelle Parsons Source: American Institutes for Research For many years, the higher education community has prioritized first-year retention as an indicator of potential student success. This is primarily due to its role as a predictor of completion and its extensive representation ...| Higher Education Today
Title: Pell for Incarcerated Students Working Group Report Source: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) The signing of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act canceled the ban on access to Pell Grants for formerly or currently incarcerated adults. This will provide over 700,000 incarcerated adults with opportunities to pursue postsecondary education, whether on a college campus or in a prison ...| Higher Education Today
Title: College Enrollment Disparities: Understanding the Role of Academic Preparation Authors: Sarah Reber and Ember Smith Source: Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families A new report from the Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families examines how college enrollment is impacted by academic preparation, race, gender, and socioeconomic status. The authors argue that although a college degree remains a clear ...| Higher Education Today
A new report from the University of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity examines how 40 chief diversity officers are navigating anti-DEI policies and offers strategies to sustain civil rights leadership amid growing political opposition.| Higher Education Today
A new NCAN report finds that nearly $4.4 billion in Pell Grants went unclaimed in 2024, as about 830,000 eligible high school graduates failed to complete the FAFSA—missing a crucial opportunity for students and state economies.| Higher Education Today
A recent working paper reveals many dual enrollment students experience long-term economic benefits, although outcomes vary based on race and socioeconomic status.| Higher Education Today
Misunderstanding how endowments work puts scholarships, research, and students’ futures at risk—and distracts from the real threat facing higher education today.| Higher Education Today
After examining success coaching practices at three State University of New York institutions, the authors of new analysis from MDRC offer several policy recommendations to support online learners.| Higher Education Today
New insights from HCM Strategists highlight how continued state investments in higher education are creating pathways to economic mobility, with the majority of degree programs delivering increased earnings and a solid return on investment.| Higher Education Today
New research from Brookings shows that the rise in Pell Grant recipients at wealthy colleges over the past decade is likely due to increased application and enrollment by low-income students, rather than changes in eligibility or admissions standards.| Higher Education Today
A recent survey of 500 Republican voters nationwide conducted by Third Way and the Republican polling firm GS Strategy Group found that Republicans value and support higher education, are in favor of less invasive reforms, and largely support policies directed at college affordability and accountability.| Higher Education Today
With the continued increase of alternative, non-degree credentials, education and professional stakeholders have developed quality frameworks meant to guide these credentials. The authors of a new report from PSCWP examine and evaluate criteria and data used in current credential quality frameworks.| Higher Education Today
The latest research from Handshake reveals a troubling reality in higher education: the internship landscape is becoming both more competitive and less accessible, particularly for students already facing systemic barriers.| Higher Education Today
As policymakers across both parties consider how to evaluate postsecondary outcomes and earnings data, the authors of a new brief from the Urban Institute pose a major question: How should students who earn multiple credentials be included in data collection for the college that awarded their first degree?| Higher Education Today
Title: Chutes and Ladders: Falling Behind and Getting Ahead with the Simplified FAFSA Authors: Jonathan S. Lewis and Alyssa Stefanese Yates Source: uAspire Prior to the 2024-25 academic year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) underwent significant changes, mandated by Congress through the FAFSA Simplification Act. A recent uAspire survey of 274 students, parents, counselors, and financial aid administrators ...| Higher Education Today
ACE President Ted Mitchell urges the incoming administration to recognize the critical role America’s colleges and universities can play in tackling the nation’s most pressing challenges.| Higher Education Today
An October 2024 report, Beyond Sticker Prices: How States Can Make Postsecondary Education More Affordable, reviews data to evaluate affordability of postsecondary education across nine states, including Alabama, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.| Higher Education Today
The problems with the new FAFSA rollout caused delays and fewer students filing, which experts at the National Student Clearinghouse and the Brookings Institution say could lead to a drop in new college enrollments, based on early data and analysis.| Higher Education Today
EDUCAUSE conducted a survey of over 400 IT professionals in roles ranging from director to chief information officer to provide insights into the state of the higher education technology leader workforce. The report illuminates challenges and opportunities that can inform efforts to fortify the workforce and advance higher education in the future.| Higher Education Today
Title: 2024 Trends in Higher Education Source: Hanover Research Drawing from extensive research and experience collaborating with hundreds of higher education institutions, Hanover Research’s 2024 Trends in Higher Education report outlines critical trends and practical solutions to guide college and university leadership in facing current challenges in higher education. Trend 1: Institutions reduce enrollment barriers for a changing prospective student demographic. ...| Higher Education Today
A new analysis from the Brookings Institution examines the different funding sources that families use to pay for four-year nonprofit colleges and how these differ depending on family income.| Higher Education Today
By Ashley L. Gray, Jennifer R. Crandall, and Morgan Taylor For other posts on succession planning, see A Call to Action Regarding Succession Planning and Sustainability and Takeaways for Career and Succession Planning From the 2018-19 Class of ACE Fellows. The face of the college presidency has changed in recent years, moving slowly away from the monolithic profile of the past (White men ...| Higher Education Today
Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk and Elizabeth R. Click examine the influence of workplace culture on well-being and emphasize the importance of campus leaders in creating supportive environments. They argue for the value of investing in wellness programs and initiatives as a way to improve the health of college communities.| Higher Education Today
As we seek to bring long-overdue inclusion to higher education, it’s time to reimagine the current pipeline to the presidency and eliminate the pitfalls historically marginalized people face. Ashley L. Gray explains how succession planning is a critical part of this process.| Higher Education Today