Daily Lumina News 031822

Enrollment at California's community colleges fell nearly 20 percent during the pandemic, leaving campuses worried about their future and students shut out of higher education opportunities.
But new research suggests colleges’ policies around unpaid balances may also be contributing to the decline while creating lasting financial harm for both institutions and students.

Prior to COVID-19, Latino students were projected to represent the largest growth in college enrollment.
That didn't happen—and for the first time in two decades, the number of colleges designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions declined in 2020-21. It’s the latest indication of the pandemic’s toll on a demographic many see as key to higher education’s future.

This week, hundreds of international students trapped without food or water under shelling in the Ukrainian city of Sumy were finally able to return home after a harrowing evacuation. In Russia, students who protested their government’s invasion of Ukraine have been expelled.
As colleges grapple with whether to keep or cut ties with Russia, a scholar from the region weighs in.

Displaced by the pandemic and the economic change it’s unleashing, millions of New Yorkers need to reskill for new jobs. In many instances, this training is in new, unfamiliar industries, writes Tamar Jacoby of Opportunity America in this op-ed.
The challenge for the state’s community colleges: Can they pivot to address this changing demand, putting job training and career success more at the center of their mission and culture?

The newly signed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 provides funding for a number of new student success initiatives, increases funding levels for many existing programs, and focuses on delivering support for low-income and traditionally underserved communities.
The package also includes millions for basic needs grants, on-campus child care, and assistance to help students apply for and access public assistance programs.

Can text messages from a chat bot help keep community college students enrolled? A new study from Georgia State University suggests the answer is yes—if used sparingly and strategically.
Administrators say the findings reveal valuable lessons about when and how to deliver effective nudges, a student engagement tactic that’s been both embraced and hotly debated on campuses across the country.