Daily Lumina News 040623

State lawmakers in more than a dozen states have introduced 29 bills to restrict programs and policies to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion on college campuses.
The Chronicle of Higher Education is tracking this anti-DEI legislation. Reporter Adrienne Lu elaborates on what legislators are targeting and why on this episode of The Morning Show.

Since the start of the school year, Malik Vega-Tatum has given more than 356 hours of his time to Yolo Farm to Fork in exchange for a living allowance and a financial award. When he graduates from the University of California, Davis, he'll do so with $10,000 less debt and work experience that ties into his academic interest in physiology.
It's all part of the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps initiative. Inspired by service programs from earlier eras, the effort works to create debt-free pathways to college while involving students in resolving issues in their communities.

There's a familiar story echoing throughout the hallways of higher education. Vice presidents for enrollment, as well as admissions deans and directors, are wearing down, burning out, and leaving jobs they once loved.
Though there’s no way to compile a chart quantifying the churn, industry insiders describe it as significant. “We’re at an inflection point,” says Rick Clark, executive director of undergraduate admission at Georgia Tech.

A new effort called the Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network aims to get students from rural and small towns in the door at the nation's top colleges, to graduation, and into jobs.
The colleges and universities that comprise the STARS network will hire dedicated staff to recruit and support students, assist high school counselors and teachers, pay for students to visit their campuses, expand summer programs, and help students and their families navigate financial aid.

Jalaun Ross, a computer science major at Central Connecticut State University, knew it would be difficult to land an internship at a prominent tech company this summer. He was right. After applying for 200 internships, he did not receive a single offer.
Critics say the typical recruitment process at high-profile tech firms often gives an advantage to students at top computing colleges and those with industry connections—just like elite private universities that heavily recruit from top high schools and favor the children of alumni.

As conservative lawmakers ratchet up attacks on DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—in higher education, another acronym is beginning to attract their attention: ESG.
ESG refers to an investment strategy that takes into account not just standard financial considerations but also environmental, social, and governance concerns. Republican governors in 18 states are now vowing to go after the use of ESG in investing. Such legislation could impact college endowments.