Daily Lumina News 090820

In other industries, a new strategy that creates more products at a lower per-unit cost would be seen as a wild success. Not so, apparently, when it comes to American higher education.
Washington Monthly investigates why a proven reform to boost community college graduation rates can’t get traction.

Alison Causey's commute to Somerset Community College ends at the campus parking lot. She opens her laptop and settles in for classes, all the while battling the Kentucky humidity.
Somerset moved its classes online in March, but since some students didn't have access to WiFi at home, the school set up hot spots in its parking lots. For many students, that access has become a digital lifeline.
Causey shares her experience of attending community college in these unusual COVID-19-related conditions.

Thought leaders in education, business, workforce development, training programs, and more gathered last week for a Twitter chat to share strategies as Americans try to navigate their way back to the workplace.
At the heart of the discussion: how to build a more just and equitable economy that creates opportunities for all workers post-pandemic.

It is now clear that welcoming college students back to campuses for the fall semester can lead to COVID-19 outbreaks. Several institutions have reported more than 1,000 cases each. What lessons can colleges and their surrounding communities take from the past month?