The issue of stranded credits has captured the attention of the media, states, and the federal government, leading to a growing number of colleges and universities to either end their transcript withholding policies or use donations or federal recovery funds to pay down some students’ institutional debt.   

A new report provides a voice to dozens of individuals across the country who are affected by stranded credits, with insight on the challenges they face and the ways that stranded credits exacerbate existing inequities.

How will institutions pay for a hybrid model of remote and on-campus engagement this year? Who would benefit from the federal government’s plan to cancel $10,000 in student-loan debt per person? What are the challenges community-college students faced during the pandemic? 

The Chronicle of Higher Education‘s 2021-2022 Almanac offers answers, along with a glimpse of the issues and trends that colleges and universities might wrangle with in the future.

It has become clear that there is a vast and growing disconnect between state and federal postsecondary policies and the needs of today’s learners. Students are not only older than traditional college students but also more likely to be from low-income backgrounds and juggling work and family responsibilities along with their education.

Two college presidents share their experiences of serving adult learners and offer tangible steps that policymakers can take to ensure students get the skills they need to enter into and advance in high-demand careers.