Daily Lumina News 032423

A new 26-member coalition called the Level UP National Panel is drawing attention to a decades-long decline in college enrollment among Black students and its ripple effects on the country.
The group, which includes college presidents, bipartisan policymakers, and business leaders, released a report this week detailing strategies to support Black learners.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been on a high-profile crusade to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the state’s colleges. Observers worry such moves could overturn or at least hinder efforts by colleges to foster a sense of belonging among all students and improve access for marginalized groups.
Florida is hardly the only state to face a DEI crackdown. Here’s a look at some state efforts to remove DEI from public colleges.

The worst of the pandemic may be over, but students are still feeling financial pressures when it comes to paying for higher education and related expenses like groceries and rent.
However, some students are seeing relief as their institutions—in states from New Jersey to California—move forward with free tuition programs and other financial aid initiatives intended to reduce or eliminate unmet need for learners from low-income families.

Isabel, a 20-year-old undergraduate student, is no stranger to hard work. She graduated high school a year early and spent most of 2021 keeping up with three jobs. But when she started college that fall, she felt like she was “sinking.”
A new survey shows that about 3 in 5 undergraduates cite mental health as a reason for potentially stopping their coursework. The study encourages colleges to provide mental health services as part of their essential resources and supports to help students succeed.

Terry Hartle retired last fall after 30 years as the chief government and public affairs officer at American Council on Education. During that time, he had a front-row seat to virtually every important higher education policy discussion.
On this podcast, Hartle talks about the partisanship and inertia that afflicts today’s politics, politicians’ increased questioning and oversight of higher education, and the implications for colleges, their employees, and students.

Last week's announcement by the U.S. Department of Education of a secret shopper program to investigate the recruitment, enrollment, and financial aid practices of schools is garnering a wide range of mixed reactions.
Advocates of access and equity call the move a win; officials at for-profit schools and some financial aid offices are raising concerns.