Daily Lumina News 021920

Pressed to address concerns about the rising cost of higher education and the sometimes-foggy understanding of how learning translates into jobs, some colleges are reshaping the degree pathway.
Colleges are approaching this challenge in a variety of ways. Some are strengthening transfer pathways between two- and four-year schools, while others are bringing industry-recognized credentials into the curriculum sooner than they have in the past. In some cases, institutions are putting more weight on training experiences.

As a Democratic presidential hopeful, Michael R. Bloomberg now has a plan for the future of higher education that both echoes and expands upon policies his fellow Democratic candidates have already called for: free community college, greater investment in Pell grants, and automatic income-based repayment plans for student loans.

Reporters Goldie Blumenstyk of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Open Campus’s Sara Hebel, and Paul Fain of Inside Higher Ed discuss key trends, 2020 predictions, and what's missing in today's coverage of higher education.

Talent and opportunity may be abundant, but the pathways between the two are not universally available, says Western Governors University President Scott Pulsipher.
As the nation’s first and largest competency-based university, WGU aims to give all students access to the education they need to compete for work in a rapidly changing economy.
In this interview, Pulsipher reflects on WGU's reputation as one of the most innovative higher education models in the country and how its online programs continue to evolve with the times.