Illustration: Sarah Jones

At some point, colleges need to stop blaming the students who sat out the pandemic or the economic factors and social forces buffeting higher education for enrollment losses, writes higher ed veteran and author Jeffrey Selingo in this commentary.

Instead, institutions should look at whether the student experience they’re offering and the outcomes they’re promising provide students with a sense of belonging in the classroom and on campus and ultimately a purpose for their education.

The Biden administration is moving “full speed ahead” in preparing for the implementation of its plans for widespread student debt forgiveness, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stated over the weekend. The announcement comes shortly after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the loans from being immediately canceled.

Cardona is encouraging eligible borrowers to keep applying for student loan forgiveness. Nearly 22 million people have already applied for forgiveness since the application first opened.