Daily Lumina News 080123

The U.S. Supreme Court’s limiting of race-conscious admissions will undoubtedly reduce the proportion of students of color at selective universities across America.
This makes it even more important for state and institutional leaders to strengthen the far more numerous institutions where most Americans of all racial and ethnic backgrounds pursue post-high school education, write Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis and Andrew Seligsohn of Public Agenda in this op-ed.

At most four-year institutions, admitted students are quoted all sorts of different prices. Often masquerading as “merit aid” or “scholarships,” these discounts are aimed at persuading students to attend, much like online retailers dangle coupons to persuade customers to purchase the items in their shopping cart.
But giving tuition discounts to students who could actually pay more often means a bigger college debt burden for less wealthy students, say experts.

Jason Marks, 48, remembers sitting in a prison cell and thinking to himself: “Is this it? Am I going to die in prison?”
Marks hit a turning point when he was transferred to East Moline Correctional Center. There, he learned about a program that could grant him a bachelor’s degree through Augustana College in Rock Island. Marks applied and got in. Now out of prison, Marks credits the program for giving him a chance at a different path.

Regional public colleges are the backbone of American higher education and, somehow, also one of its best-kept secrets. Every year, they educate nearly 5 million students, including almost half of all bachelor’s-degree-seeking students at four-year institutions and nearly half of all Black and Latino students.
With their relatively low price, a focus on teaching, and strong connection to career majors, regional public colleges should be thriving. But in many places, that’s not the case.

Andrew Maynard has studied cutting-edge technology for nearly two decades and tracked the rise of generative artificial intelligence from the start. As interest in AI intensified, he knew he had to release an offering for students at Arizona State University—and fast.
While some institutions are banning the use of the new AI tool, others are leaning into its use and offering courses dedicated solely to navigating the new technology.

Studies show that students benefit from instructors who look like them. And while the racial and ethnic diversity of college faculty in the United States is on the rise, faculty members are still much more likely to be white.
In this interview, two professors discuss what's needed to recruit and retain faculty members who have historically been underrepresented in academia, plus the impact of faculty diversity on creating a sense of belonging for students.