Daily Lumina News 041224

Republicans and Democrats in Washington can agree on at least one thing lately: The launch of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid has been a mess.
At a congressional hearing this week, the bipartisan exasperation with the mounting challenges rose to a fever pitch.

Except in the 11 states that ban or restrict the practice, colleges routinely withhold transcripts from students who owe them money, sometimes for debts as small as a library fine or parking ticket. While some institutions will make exceptions for students who need a transcript for a job or license, more than a quarter won’t release a transcript under any circumstances until the debt is resolved.
That’s about to change—and not everyone is pleased.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and practices have now been outlawed in some form or another in 10 states, with colleges from South Carolina to Utah making adjustments that include scrapping the DEI phrase from the names of offices and divisions.
Many believe that getting rid of those familiar words will instead make it difficult for students to know where to go to receive those services. It could also send the message that diverse experiences aren’t welcome or appreciated on campus, say some policymakers.

What’s excellent about your community college and makes it the right choice for students, the community, or employers? The answer could be worth $50,000.
The effort is part of a new funding opportunity from Lumina Foundation to help schools enhance their digital outreach and marketing efforts. Official rules and guidelines can be found here.

Heather Jarvis, 32, is part of the fastest-growing prison population in the country, one of more than 190,000 women held in some form of confinement in the United States as of this year. Their numbers grew by more than 500 percent between 1980 and 2021, more than twice the growth rate for men, according to a report by The Sentencing Project.
Yet, programs aimed at helping women stay out of prison once they’re released have not grown at nearly the same pace. That makes the journey harder for women, who confront different challenges than their male counterparts.

Russell Lowery-Hart, chancellor of the Austin Community College District, believes colleges and universities have been asking students to mortgage their future—to take on big loan debt. And they’re not enrolling because they can’t afford it or they don’t see the return on investment.
Lowery-Hart thinks there is a better way. This fall, his beliefs will be put to the test with the launch of a new program to make college tuition free for everyone.