Daily Lumina News 040324

As shootings continue to devastate college campuses, survivors are faced with the challenge of returning to spaces that remind them of tragedy. Some students have put pressure on administrators to delay reopening buildings where violence occurred, or to tear them down altogether.
That’s not financially or logistically possible for most colleges. Moreover, it doesn’t square with the impulse to move forward—the heart of the disagreements between colleges and their students.

For many students, the joy of getting into college this year is clouded by the uncertainty of not knowing what it will cost. The root of the trouble is, of course, a glitch-plagued revision to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Meanwhile, the traditional college decision date looms: May 1. At a time of dwindling public confidence in higher education, pushing back a few deadlines to help students in need is the least we can do. And it just might help restore a bit of that lost confidence, writes Nick Anderson of the American Council on Education in this perspective on the FAFSA debacle.

For many students, college represents a home away from home—a place that supports their physical and emotional needs throughout the academic year.
To help students feel a sense of belonging on campus, more colleges and universities are investing in new amenities and facilities that promote student identity and build community.

Project Kitty Hawk, named for the town near the Outer Banks site of the Wright Brothers’ historic first flight, has nothing to do with aviation. It’s the brainchild of University of North Carolina System leaders, a new education technology nonprofit designed to help UNC campuses run online degree programs for the state’s working adults.
North Carolina’s ambitious foray into online education has slashed enrollment projections. With millions in tax dollars spent, will this investment pay off?

Research shows that having a Black teacher in the classroom has a positive impact on all students, especially students of color, who, as a result, demonstrate higher test scores and graduation rates.
Five Black teachers talk about what they face each day in California classrooms—and what needs to change to recruit and retain more Black teachers.

Lawmakers in Texas, along with those in Florida, are leading the charge against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and practices in higher education. Both Republican-controlled states have governors who vocally oppose DEI efforts.
Now, a key Texas lawmaker is giving leaders at the state’s seven public systems until May 3 to report on their efforts to ensure no diversity programming is offered on their campuses.