Across the University of California (UC) system, 42 percent of undergraduate students are the first in their family to attend college. To better serve this large and growing “first-gen” population and help build their sense of belonging on campus, UC has launched a system-wide First-Generation Faculty effort to connect these students with faculty mentors who have walked in their shoes.
Author: Laurie Arnston
Former ACE President David Ward Remembers 9/11
Former ACE president reflects on Sept. 11, 2001, his second day in office, being called to testify before Congress that same week on student visas and the role of immigration in American society.
Internationalization in a New Political Climate: Culture Shock and Adaptation
Although 2017 has been a year of frustrations and challenges for campuses in terms of internationalization, ACE’s Robin Matross Helms reports that many in the field are now feeling a greater sense of stability and confidence about moving forward.
After Decades of Pushing Bachelor’s Degrees, U.S. Needs More Tradespeople
A recent news article by Matt Krupnick of the Hechinger Report focuses on the need for more tradespeople, occupations that are increasingly in high demand.
Who Does Work Work for? Understanding Equity in Learner College and Career Success
ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning recently released a report on working learners, Who Does Work Work For? Understanding Equity in Learner College and Career Success.
The Biggest Misconception About Today’s College Students
In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, president of LaGuardia Community College and ACE Board Member Gail O. Mellow offered her perspective on today’s college students. Namely, they aren’t who you think they are, and the higher education community could help remove barriers to their success by realizing that.
Even With Affirmative Action, Blacks and Hispanics are More Underrepresented at Top Colleges Than 35 years Ago
Equitable access to a higher education remains elusive. A recent New York Times article revealed that Black and Hispanic freshman are more underrepresented at the nation’s elite colleges today than they were 35 years ago.
Diversity Among Higher Education Admission Professionals Is More Important Than Ever
As the high school population in the United States grows increasingly diverse, so too should those professionals who work on college campuses. Diversity is especially critical in college and university admission offices, write David Hawkins and Tara Nicola of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Looking Ahead to Diversifying the College Presidency
Despite the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that set a clearer path for women and minorities pursuing top leadership positions in both the public and private sectors, they remain underrepresented—including in higher education. A new data tool linked to ACE’s American College President Study 2017 helps explain what it will take for the presidency to reach gender and racial parity.
Iowa Regents Tuition Task Force Kicks Off
Iowa’s public universities are presenting to the state’s Board of Regents Tuition Task Force this week on their five-year proposals for tuition pricing. The Tuition Task Force “was established to facilitate public discussion regarding the issue of tuition at Iowa’s public universities” and looks to foster collaborative solutions between the state’s legislators and public universities for minimizing tuition increases.
The Sky Is Falling . . . or Is It? New Data and Reflections on International Student Enrollment
Despite highly publicized concerns that interest in the United States among international students is in decline, actual international student numbers may in fact be holding fairly steady. Lucia Brajkovic and Robin Helms of ACE’s Center for International and Global Engagement look at what the future might hold.
From PostEverything: Free Tuition? Programs Should Focus on Students Who Started and Had To Stop.
A recent blog post by Sanford J. Ungar in The Washington Post discusses the need to focus policy conversations around increasing college enrollment to those who have some college education, but no degree.