Daily Lumina News 010424

Adela Gonzales and Xavier Navarro know firsthand the challenges that many of California's community college students encounter. Both relied on CalFresh as a way to combat food insecurity. Gonzales also received a housing grant while enrolled in college because she couldn’t afford her rent after a roommate moved out of their shared apartment.
Today, they are putting their experiences to work as student ambassadors—and helping to reduce the stigma around accessing basic needs services for other students.

As the new year rolled in, so, too, did Senate Bill 17—a state ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and initiatives at Texas public universities and colleges.
For months, Texas Students for DEI, one of the leading student groups against the bill, has been working to amplify and clarify the importance of DEI through research, stories, and data. The group has no plans to put its advocacy on pause.

When leaders at West Kentucky Community and Technical College learned there was a need for computer engineering technology professionals in the western part of the state, the college partnered with the University of Kentucky to create a new “2+2” program that would help fill that demand.
It’s an example of the kind of innovation that happens all the time as community college leaders use local workforce data to guide their programming. But getting good, reliable workforce data—and especially information about what former students are doing after they complete a degree or certification program—can be challenging.

Claudine Gay, president of Harvard University, resigned her post this week after facing criticism over her comments on antisemitism, as well as accusations of academic plagiarism.
Her appointment as the first Black person and second woman to lead Harvard was widely celebrated as a barrier-breaking milestone. Now, her tenure of just over six months makes it the shortest in Harvard’s history. Here’s what to know.

Around the country, millions of students who are planning to attend college in the fall of 2024 are completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in the hope of receiving financial support for their studies.
There’s good news this year for parenting students, especially single parents: They will likely see their eligibility for aid increase. In addition to helping make college more affordable for current parenting students, the changes may encourage enrollment from parents who are considering going to college later in life.

First-generation students face distinctive challenges as they navigate the complex path to college. Without the inherent guidance of a parent with collegiate experience, they often struggle to adapt to unfamiliar classroom and campus dynamics, connect with faculty and peers, and, ultimately, graduate.
In response, more colleges are actively creating programs and forging partnerships designed to build community and provide support to students who identify as first generation.