Daily Lumina News 031423

For decades, institutions of higher education provided steady, well-paid jobs in small towns where the industrial base was waning.
But the tide of young people finishing high school is now also starting to recede, creating a stark new reality for colleges and universities—and the communities that grew up around them.

U.S. colleges and universities continue to place a high priority on student mental health, and they are searching for novel approaches to better support students. Some schools have removed caps on how many counseling sessions students can attend; others are enlisting faculty to aid in the battle.
Still others are completely restructuring their counseling centers in an attempt to find a model that will allow students to access more timely, frequent, and effective mental health care on campus.

As the U.S. Supreme Court mulls the constitutionality of President Joe Biden’s broad student loan forgiveness plan, lawmakers in many states are looking to expand their own student debt repayment programs.
Every state but North Dakota has at least one loan forgiveness plan. The catch is that most of the 129 state plans are tailored to just a single industry or profession. That could soon change.

The drumbeat to extend Pell Grant eligibility to quality, short-term workforce development programs continues to grow louder.
Advocates—from community colleges to business organizations—cite the expansion as an important pathway for good-paying jobs and careers. For adults, short-term Pell stands to increase access to short-term job training and other educational opportunities. For employers, it could open a pipeline for much-needed skilled workers.

Among an avalanche of bills filed in the Texas Legislature last week were at least half a dozen proposals that would affect public colleges—a sign of Republican politicians’ keen interest in reforming higher ed this year.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate by virtue of his position, is helping lead the charge. Among Patrick's top priorities for the 2023 legislative session: banning critical race theory, ending colleges’ diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and eliminating tenure.

Five counties in Colorado share an unpleasant reality: They don’t have a single dental provider, meaning people often drive long distances for routine care.
A law passed last year was intended to help close those oral health gaps by authorizing dental therapists to work in the state. There's just one problem: Training for them doesn’t exist in Colorado.