Photo: Carol M. Highsmith

Maria Chávez is part of the relatively small group of Latinos in the academic world. Achieving academic tenure, professors say, is a difficult and challenging process. 

Now, they're also grappling with how to navigate the increased politicization of education as states like Florida limit diversity initiatives and place controls on educational content and courses, particularly those on race and ethnicity.

Unlike in decades past, where students followed a linear path to and through higher education, today's college-going realities look very different. A new group of learners has emerged. They are the "and-ers": students simultaneously balancing education and work, education and parenting, education and deployment, education and caring for aging parents. The "and" list goes on. 

To serve "and-ers" well, colleges have to do more than just offer a little extra flexibility through night classes or online programs. Colleges must retool their educational offerings, programs, and support services, says the president of National University in this commentary.

UrbanPlan is a volunteer program through the Urban Land Institute with a big goal: giving young people a voice in their future and the future of their communities. 

The effort is a realistic exercise in which high school and college students learn about the fundamental forces of community planning—and how to consider whether planning and development take into account the entire community’s interests.