Daily Lumina News 102721

Byron Auguste of Opportunity@Work believes far too many individuals never get to experience job opportunities because employers won't give them a chance without a four-year college degree.
Auguste wants to change that mindset. Through his organization, he's helping people he calls STARs (short for "Skilled Through Alternative Routes") translate their learning into earning.

"Help Wanted" signs are becoming a common sight throughout the country, along with the need for upskilling and reskilling of workers. And that has major implications for higher education.
Ben Casselman, an economics writer for The New York Times, and Guild CEO Rachel Romer Carlson weigh in with their thoughts on today's evolving workforce and how colleges and universities might fill the void for giving workers needed skills.

When the Biden administration issued an executive order saying federal contractors must be vaccinated against COVID-19, it was meant to apply widely.
Now, in an era when COVID-19 mitigation measures have become highly politicized, public colleges in particular are undertaking a tense balancing act between the wishes of different employees, state politicians, and the federal government.

Nicollette Mitchell’s work has always involved supporting students of color. Along the way, she's faced challenges—and resistance when the conversation turns to long-term structural changes.
Mitchell’s story is familiar for many diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals. At institutions across the country, they face pushback from faculty members and limits on what they can do, even amid mounting demands for progress. Some have been driven to join higher ed’s “great resignation."