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Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.

July 8, 2025

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What Does It Cost to Run a Lab?

Jennifer Ruark, Ash Ponders, Michael Theis, and Rod Coddington, The Chronicle of Higher Education

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Ten years ago, biologists who wanted to figure out how cancers grow could measure the signaling inside cells, one protein at a time. Today, they can measure 20,000 proteins at once. Mass spectrometry machines, two of which are located at the University of Arizona, enable them to do this. Each costs $800,000.

 

Those costs, however, don’t account for half of the expensive, but essential, equipment involved in the research taking place. It’s all at risk now because of disruptions in support from the National Institutes of Health. Andrew Capaldi, a professor of molecular and cellular biology, breaks down many of the costs associated with his research in this interactive video.

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What You Need to Know About MSIs

Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed

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Minority-serving institutions were thrust into the national spotlight last month when the state of Tennessee and the advocacy group Students for Fair Admissions filed a lawsuit challenging the federal criteria for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The suit claims it’s discriminatory and unconstitutional for the federal government to use Latino student enrollment to determine eligibility for HSI grants.

 

The move shook minority-serving institution advocates who fear that an attack on one type of MSI doesn’t bode well for others. They also worry oversimplifications and misunderstandings about how different MSIs are defined make them more of a target.

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Moody's: Federal Policies on International Students Pose Credit Risk to Higher Ed Sector

Walter Hudson, Diverse Issues in Higher Education

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The U.S. federal government's increasingly restrictive stance on international students is creating significant financial risks for American colleges and universities, particularly those heavily dependent on international enrollment for revenue, according to a new analysis by Moody's Ratings.

 

The report, released June 30, warns that evolving visa policies, travel restrictions, and deportation measures are diminishing the perception of the United States as a prime destination for higher education, potentially leading to substantial revenue losses for institutions that rely on international students who typically pay full tuition.

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A College Degree Opens Doors, But Only When We Remove Obstacles for Young People

Shirley Collado, The Hechinger Report

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Like so many first-generation college students, Shirley Collado carried the dreams and sacrifices of her family and community when she went to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She had one suitcase, a box of belongings, and no idea what to expect. That trip—and the bachelor’s degree she earned—would change the course of her life.

 

Today, as president emerita at Ithaca College and the president and CEO of College Track, Collado knows firsthand the struggles of first-generation college students and those from underestimated communities and why their success is proof that the American Dream is not only alive but thriving. She explains more in this essay.

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Undocumented Students in California Navigate Uncertainty and Fear Under Trump

California Student Journalism Corps, EdSource

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Many undocumented students face renewed fears about racism and personal safety today, wondering if they will be able to stay in college, let alone the country. The results have a direct impact on how affected students go about their studies and live their daily lives. Some are afraid to be in public—to go to the grocery store or even to campus.

 

In this interview, undocumented students and students from mixed-status families share how the Trump administration’s policies impact them and what they're doing to navigate the changes.

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The Bridgeable Divide Between Higher Education and Work

Dana Stephenson and Jane Swift, Governing

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Despite a widespread talent shortage, many employers say they won’t hire recent graduates because applicants lack the skills, experience, or readiness to contribute on the first day of employment. A recent survey found that while 98 percent of HR leaders are struggling to find talent for business roles, nearly 90 percent would rather continue searching than take a chance on someone fresh out of college.

 

Several states are addressing this challenge with effective work-based learning programs.

HUMAN WORK AND LEARNING

From Periphery to Priority: Why Lifelong Learning Is the New Academic Core

Janette Muir, The EvoLLLution

Plugging the Gap: How One College Is Reducing Course Failures

Ashley Mowreader, Inside Higher Ed

Opinion: Innovation Revolutionized the Movie Industry. Could It Do the Same for Education?

Michael Reitz, The Mackinac Center for Public Policy

EQUITY IN EDUCATION

'People Need Those’: WSU Students, Faculty React to Closure of Identity Centers, S.B. 1

Eileen McClory, Dion Johnson, and Josh Sweigart, Dayton Daily News

Texas Dream Act Supporters Sue to Restore In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students

Briseida Holguin, CBS News Texas

Millions in Grants Cut at Fresno State, CSU Schools. ‘It’s a Great Loss to Society’

Robert Kuwada, The Fresno Bee

Activists Failed to Repeal Ohio’s GOP Education Overhaul—But the Fight Isn’t Over

Tatyana Tandanpolie, Salon Magazine

COLLEGE COMPLETION

Michigan Students Mostly Finding Better Luck at Finishing Their Degree or Certificate

Colin Jackson, WEMU

Michigan Wants to Retain College Grads. Here's Where the Four We Followed Go Next

Meg Vandermark, Sophia Jundy, Kendra Conely, and Sonja Krohn, Detroit Free Press

Modeling Education Trends by Race and Gender in College Graduation

Jeff Murray, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

STATE POLICY

FAMU Gets $10 Million More Than It Asked for in the 2025-26 State Budget

Margie Menzel, WUSF

'You're Cheating the Students': IU to Cut, Merge Almost 250 Degrees to Comply With State Law

Aubrey Wright, WFYI

Florida Budget Spares Over 20,000 State-Funded College Scholarships

Danielle Prieur, Central Florida Public Media

Opinion: Virginia Is America’s Top State for Talent. Here’s How We Stay There.

Kirk Cox and Cathie Vick, The Virginian-Pilot

NEW REPORTS AND EVENTS

What’s the Value of a Master’s Degree?

Third Way

Webinar: Unlocking Pathways to College and Career: Free High School Opportunities

The Hunt Institute

Virtual Forum: From Chatbots to AI Agents in Admissions

The Chronicle of Higher Education

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Daily Lumina News is edited by Patricia Brennan.

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