Daily Lumina News 121922

Rural young people who aspire to a higher education have long had fewer choices than their urban and suburban counterparts, contributing to far lower rates of college-going. Now, many of the universities that serve them are eliminating large numbers of programs and majors.
That means the already limited number of options available to rural students are being squeezed still further, forcing them to travel even greater distances to college than they already do or give up on it altogether.

On average, college remains a good investment. Getting a degree helps people stay employed, earn more, and live longer, healthier, happier lives.
But lately, public conversation about college has come to focus on its faults. The average American likes their local institution but has misgivings about “college” in general. This is a headache for college leaders. For marketers, it may present an opportunity.

Victor Contreras is not looking forward to his first college math course. After distance learning, his high school math grades tumbled from As and Bs to Cs and Ds.
Contreras is far from alone. Many college freshmen are struggling with math. What are colleges doing to help?

Osemenga Celey-Okogun was prepared to drop out of Medgar Evers College this semester for one reason: She was about to become homeless. Instead, she moved into an industrial-chic rental building where her rent is covered.
The move is part of a new pilot program designed to combat a growing issue for the City University of New York system: students who face housing insecurity.

The union representing striking University of California graduate student workers and researchers reached a tentative labor deal with the university over the weekend for increased pay and benefits, potentially signaling an end to the five-week work stoppage.
The 32-day UC strike is the nation's largest-ever strike of academic workers.

In March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, the federal government stopped seizing wages, tax refunds, and Social Security benefits to recoup student debt from some borrowers. The reprieve was short-lived—and detrimental for borrowers like Natalie Morehead.
Consumer advocates say the issue is emblematic of the U.S. Department of Education's unwieldy and flawed system for recouping past-due student debt.