Christian Robinson juggles two jobs, working for a security company and serving fast food. She wishes she had received more guidance about attending college from her school. 

But Robinson’s story is typical for Black students at Adelanto High School, where more than eight out of 10 Black students graduated in 2020 without the college prep courses—known as A-G—required for admission to California’s public universities. Some schools are now stepping up to address those inequities.

Illustration: Sam Kalda

Charles L. Welch, the new president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, is concerned that the teaching-focused, broad-access institutions he represents are being unfairly tarnished by the growing public narrative that all colleges are costly and ideology-obsessed. 

But making the case for regional public universities is part of his new job. In this interview, Welch explains his plans to reframe the conversation about higher education from cost to investment.

Nearly half of students who left community college without earning a degree or credential cite work as a major reason why they’re no longer enrolled, according to recent survey data from New America. 

In the survey, stopped-out students share several policies that could encourage them to reenroll. More than half indicate they may attend college again if their programs offer free tuition. Others say free textbooks and course material could nudge them to return to higher education.