Daily Lumina News 102221

For Felicia Lozano and other Latino students who juggle books and bank accounts, the prospect of free college seemed like a dream come true.
President Joe Biden's highly anticipated free community college proposal, now apparently scrapped, can be a strong message for students. But making college accessible goes beyond free tuition, some experts say.

Every year, more than 100 talented students enter the honors program at Houston's San Jacinto College with plans to transfer to highly selective four-year institutions like nearby Rice University. Nearly all of these students aspire to complete a four-year degree.
But far too many of them—and their peers across the country—feel a four-year degree is out of reach. A transfer support network is one of several solutions that can help.

Calbright College was supposed to be California's first online-only community college exclusively focused on getting adult learners to the finish line.
But a new report shows troubles continue to plague the institution, with few students completing their programs and many dropping out altogether. Meanwhile, Calbright's president says more time is needed to work out ongoing issues.

The combination of a unique economic moment and major new funding out of Washington is creating an opportunity to rethink workforce development policies and programs. But will the tough questions be asked to create a significant reshaping of the nation’s approach?
Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, is hopeful. On this podcast, she talks about transforming America's education and workforce systems, the growing corporate role in higher ed, strategies to boost innovation, and more.

The landscape for digital learning has changed dramatically since Robert Ubell published "Going Online" in 2016: an explosion in outsourcing to online program managers, intensifying competition between would-be cheaters, and technologies designed to thwart them.
Then there's a global pandemic that turned almost every student into an online learner and every professor into a technologist. In this interview, Ubell discusses the changing world of online learning.

Historically Black colleges and universities have long been underfunded despite their pivotal role in generating social mobility for vulnerable populations of students. Now, nonprofit organizations and employers are increasing their investments in HBCUs.
These collaborative career preparation and workforce development programs focus on both students who have yet to launch their careers and working adults who need additional education and training to advance.