Daily Lumina News 060823

Higher education is a massive, diverse sector with roughly 20 million students in the United States alone and a major physical and carbon footprint in all 50 states.
For decades, universities have expanded society’s knowledge of climate impacts and climate solutions. But some leaders argue it’s time for these institutions to remake themselves wholesale for this rising tide of rapid change. One school is leading the way.

Last week, the Ohio State House of Representatives passed a higher education bill designed to ensure that colleges are transparent in their communications about the cost of their degree programs and the returns their graduates can expect on that investment.
While many applaud the bill's passage, some worry about political motives and unintended consequences.

For many students, federal financial aid enables their higher education dreams to become reality. But the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) often stands between students and that assistance.
Advocates have long advocated making the submission of the FAFSA a prerequisite for graduating from high school in an effort to make college more accessible and affordable. That idea is beginning to catch on.

The latest enrollment figures from the National Student Clearinghouse offer a glimmer of hope for the nation's colleges and universities: The number of freshmen enrolled in spring 2023 rose 9.2 percent from last year, most of those in community colleges.
Higher ed is changing, with many schools revising and retooling to better serve students and their local communities. Indeed, innovation is happening across the country, and that's important not just for schools and their students, but for all of us, writes Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis in this op-ed.

As a former single mother, welfare recipient, and student at the City College of San Francisco, Tracey Faulkner is well aware of the challenges that parenting students encounter in their pursuit of an education beyond high school.
Faulkner's experiences eventually led her to create the CCSF Family Resource Center, a hub for student parents to recharge, network, and connect to the resources they need to reach their educational goals.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt shift to online learning, stakeholders expressed several concerns. Would students really be able to learn as well remotely as they had in person? Would student engagement suffer?
Now, more than three years after higher ed was thrown into an upheaval, results are beginning to come in about the shift to online learning.