Daily Lumina News 040122

Formerly incarcerated students with college degrees struggle to find jobs because of their criminal records. A new center wants to change that.
The Center for Justice and Economic Advancement will work with colleges, employers, and policymakers to create more welcoming admissions processes, help formerly incarcerated students access state financial aid, and develop and improve support programs, among other measures.

Cesar Soberanes, 19, had big plans to attend Arizona State University. Then, the pandemic and finances forced him to abruptly change course.
Soberanes is not alone in his pandemic-related frustration as a young Latino with college ambitions. Administrators are now trying to reengage and reconnect with students who left during the pandemic, while providing additional supports to keep the ones they have.

College recovery programs remain small and relatively unknown, often wrapped up with the student-conduct system.
Experts say these programs need more “touch points” so students with substance-use issues don’t fall between the cracks, and those seeking substance-free fellowship on campus can find it.

Colleges across America face a daunting challenge: Their student head count has shrunk more than 5 percent since 2019, according to a national estimate.
That’s an enrollment loss of nearly 1 million students. Some students drifted out of college, while others never started. For college leaders, it means taking on an urgent quest to keep current students and recover their lost freshmen.

The price of tuition is one of the biggest barriers to college access in Mississippi.
That's where Maple Smith of the Greenville College Access Network comes in. Smith is helping to get more kids to college—so far doubling the number of Federal Application for Student Financial Aid applications from Greenville High School.

New Mexico, one of the nation’s poorest states, is embarking on a pioneering experiment to fight steep enrollment declines: tuition-free higher education for all state residents.
New Mexico's plan stands out because it covers tuition and fees before other scholarships and sources of financial aid are applied, enabling students to use those other funds for expenses such as lodging, food, or child care.