Daily Lumina News 051324

Two-year associate degrees have long been offered almost exclusively at community colleges, but a model pioneered by Loyola University is picking up steam at private, nonprofit four-year universities around the country.
Only a relative handful of students attend these new two-year programs compared to millions at traditional community colleges, but the differences are stark. At Loyola’s Arrupe College, for instance, 50 percent of students graduate, and 70 percent of those graduates continue to pursue bachelor’s degree programs, according to figures provided by the college.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of college students everywhere, campuses have faced an epidemic of mental health challenges, including loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
Research from online counseling platforms now shows that the mental health toll is increasing as students try to make sense of the complex conflict in Gaza and the ensuing protests dividing college campuses.

Last week, pro-Palestinian protesters announced that California State University at Sacramento had taken a significant step: The institution would “officially divest.”
According to an agreement reached with student protesters, Sacramento State has agreed to a policy avoiding investments in companies profiting from human rights violations. However, there's skepticism from experts about whether the university is truly meeting the protesters' demands.

There are many barriers that prevent people from pursuing an education beyond high school. College expenses and student debt are at the top of this list.
Lumina Foundation's Courtney Brown shares insight on the tools, resources, and strategies that can help today's students reach their high education goals without succumbing to the burden of debt.

For decades, subsets of Texas college graduates—from Latino and Hispanic students to LGBTQ learners—organized intimate events separate from the larger commencement ceremony to celebrate the completion of their degrees in the context of their identities and cultural heritage.
But this is the first year the University of Texas at Austin and other Texas public universities have cut funding and staff support for such ceremonies in response to Senate Bill 17, a new state law that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Many of this year's graduating college students were looking forward to their first formal commencement ceremony. But the ongoing unrest on college campuses has forced them to adjust their expectations.
Protests on college campuses are ramping up against graduation season. Many, like the University of Southern California, have canceled main commencement ceremonies. Leaders at some schools with upcoming ceremonies are announcing extra safety precautions and venue changes. Yet, on other campuses, protests have caused little to no disruption at all.