Daily Lumina News 120622

When a municipality or state tries to win public support for a company it aims to draw into its area, it typically publicizes the number of jobs and economic benefits that the move would bring. And, typically, it also includes asking the public to cover some of the enticements to attract the company like tax breaks or required infrastructure.
But what about public institutions already in the community? What about the economic benefits of community colleges? A new report offers insight on the return of those public investments.

Three California community colleges are fighting to start new baccalaureate programs, which their leaders insist would fill critical local workforce needs and help students who couldn’t otherwise afford to pursue a four-year degree.
But their plans have faced repeated roadblocks from the California State University system. Cal State faculty members argue these programs, and future programs like them, shouldn’t proceed without their go-ahead.

A federal watchdog is calling for Congress to establish tighter regulations on how colleges and universities describe their financial aid packages.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office issued a report Monday stating that the financial aid offers colleges give families often lack crucial information and can lead students to enroll in schools they can’t afford.

In less than a month, Beth Amsel’s life took a 360-degree turn. After her marriage ended this past spring, and years after her musical career had grown stagnant, Amsel, 51, knew she didn’t have a lot of career options. She also knew exactly what she needed to do to change that.
She immediately reached out to the University of Colorado Boulder and asked about re-enrolling—30 years after she dropped out. There, she learned about a new program designed specifically for people like her.

College students have a lot to deal with, from full-time studies to part-time jobs and family obligations. Many also deal with food insecurity, with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students disproportionately affected.
But many students don't know they can find help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Gina Plata-Nino of the Food Research Action Center and the Hunger-Free Campus Coalition explains how food-insecure students can utilize SNAP benefits to help bring food to their plate.

Thousands of Texas students take early college high school classes that can get them halfway to a bachelor's degree while still in high school—and for free. But too many fail to finish.
That’s where a new $1.5 million grant might help.