Daily Lumina News 053123

The number of Hispanic or Latino college students is exploding. Nearly one in five college students ages 18 to 24 identify as being of Hispanic or Latino origin today, according to an analysis from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Now the trick is getting more Latino students to enroll and stay in college. College leaders weigh in on what they are doing to make that happen.

In the coming weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling on the use of race in college admissions. The case now raises concerns about other practices used in admissions that may need to change. That includes legacy applicants—the children of alumni who often have preference and who are overwhelmingly white and from affluent families.
Author and professor Evan Mandery offers his thoughts on legacy admissions as part of the Rethinking College series.

For nearly 30 years, the U.S. government has barred incarcerated people from accessing Pell Grants to help pay for college. That’s changing in July—but getting a degree inside won’t be easy.
Even with programs and grants available, people in prison may face educational challenges and barriers to access. Enrolled students must learn with limited technology, restrictions on materials, and facility lockdowns that can impact class schedules. Above all, they need to know that the opportunity exists, and how it works. And many don’t.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began more than three years ago, the consensus was that the economic fallout for most colleges would be severe. Not long after, the federal government allocated an unprecedented infusion of cash—$76 billion—to institutions of higher education.
A new analysis provides insights on what costs colleges prioritized, how they supported struggling students on the brink of dropping out, and which key revenue sources took significant hits.

Every year, around 50,000 high-achieving, low-income community college students aren’t transferring to four-year colleges, according to Tania LaViolet, director at the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program. Some 15,000 students in this group have a GPA of 3.7 or higher.
Yet relatively few two-year college students will go on to top-ranked schools. Several colleges and universities are working to change this reality with improved transfer pathways.

In an environment where degree skepticism is on the rise and the value of a college education has become a politically polarizing question, it can be all too easy to focus on reasons why college might not be worth it.
But research tells us that college success translates into a positive impact not only in the short term but for generations yet to come, writes Aneesh Sohoni of One Million Degrees in Chicago in this op-ed.