Daily Lumina News 102323

Zipporah Sowell is among a new generation of students that Tuskegee University and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities are encouraging to pursue degrees related to the environment and sustainability.
The effort is clearly worthwhile, especially since research shows that Black and brown communities are disproportionately affected by the negative impacts of climate change.

Starting in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency, Americans with federal student loans did not have to make any payments. But, after more than three years and numerous extensions, required payments began earlier this month. That’s generating fresh talk about the nearly $1.8 trillion in student debt that Americans carry.
So how much should a person go into debt for college? Results from a national survey offer a glimpse into how everyday Americans think about student debt.

Students looking to gain new skills have a staggering number of options they can pursue these days. About 1.1 million credentials are available in the United States, and some three-fifths of those are from non-academic providers.
In response, some colleges are searching for ways to embed alternative credentials into their existing programs by joining forces with outside groups. But it’s difficult for college leaders to assess whether those potential partners provide value to their students. The Higher Learning Commission's Credential Lab aims to help.

Most people don’t think or care about prisons, the people who reside in them, or what goes on in them. Yet, given that some 90 percent of people in prison have a release date and will return to their communities, people should care about such things, says Shaun Libby.
Libby has worked throughout the majority of his 25-plus years of incarceration to better the community inside the Maine State Prison. In this essay, he writes about the power and potential of creating pathways to quality jobs for people who are incarcerated.

Stephanie Araiza is one of a record number of students this year sticking with school from year-to-year at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The improvement reflects the ways Colorado institutions are putting more priority on supporting undergraduates, especially students of color. It also speaks to the resilience of young people like Araiza after enduring emotional and financial pandemic-related hardships.

During his 18-year tenure at Louisiana’s largest public university, journalism professor Robert Mann courted backlash for speaking out against the state’s top political leaders. Now, he's is tired of battling Louisiana politicians. Mann announced his resignation earlier this month.
He's not alone. More professors like Mann are unwilling to remain on the frontlines of the GOP’s battle on higher education, especially without the backing of university leadership.