Daily Lumina News 071823

Americans’ confidence in the nation’s colleges and universities is at an all-time low, according to a new Gallup poll. Yet despite the reported free fall, Americans continue to feel that a college degree is valuable.
Stephanie Marken, a partner at Gallup who oversees research in education, explains more about the contradictory opinions in this interview.

Race-conscious admissions practices justified by a diversity interest were never a strong enough foundation for building the kind of multi-racial democracy that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of, writes Lumina Foundation's Terri Taylor in this opinion piece.
We should be spending more time doing the hard, necessary work of creating the country not yet seen. By letting go of outdated structures, listening to each other, and learning to live in the tension and beauty of difference, perhaps we can work together to create it, she says.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions will upend how America’s top schools shape their student bodies, where prospective students apply, and which programs and campus initiatives receive funding.
But the court's decision on affirmative action doesn’t just affect students. It also forces business leaders to reconsider how they recruit, hire, and retain top talent.

Connecticut is one of the most educated states in the nation, but that statistic does not always extend to its high schools. Some students of color in the state’s inner city schools have stellar academic records—but are still struggling in college.
On this episode of Long Story Short, reporter Jessika Harkay discusses the story of two Connecticuts: the one that prepares students for any avenue after high school and the one where they have to fight to make it through.

Raised on welfare by his grandmother, Joseph Sais relied so much on food stamps as a college student that he thought about quitting school when his eligibility was revoked.
Sais is part of a largely hidden group that researchers and policymakers are still trying to address: full-time college students struggling with serious food insecurity. The issue could become even more prevalent when the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program reverts to pre-pandemic rules over the next year, experts predict.

Josh Hansen has faced many challenges due to autism-spectrum disorder. The pandemic exacerbated those challenges and created new ones when Hansen began to pursue a liberal-arts degree at a community college. He struggled in the online environment.
Today, he embraces his differences, thanks in part to Beacon College, a private institution for students with learning disabilities in Leesburg, Florida. In this video, Hansen describes how the support there is making all the difference in his college journey.