New America annually conducts its Varying Degrees survey to assess public opinion and regard for different aspects of higher education. The 2023 survey addressed five different issues: value, funding, accountability, equity and diversity, and online learning.
Author: Laurie Arnston
Unleashing the Power of Financial Aid to Equalize Postsecondary Education
The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) has released a new report based on data from over 2,400 institutions examining how changes in funding affect institutions where students receive a minimum economic return.
Some College, No Credential Population Continues to Grow
In its annual report, the National Student Clearinghouse provides context in creating better outcomes for the “some college, no credential” (SCNC) population, specifically on reenrollment, persistence, and credit/degree completion. The report found that this population now consists of 40.4 million people, a 3.6 percent increase from last year, likely induced by pandemic-era challenges in higher education.
How Campuses Can Help Prepare Borrowers for the Resumption of Student Loan Repayments
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators recently released a report providing guidance to college and university leaders on how to support borrowers waiting for their student loan repayments to resume or those beginning repayment.
Using SNAP Benefits to Reduce Student Food Insecurity and Improve College Completion
Today’s students must often navigate higher education and its associated costs while facing increased basic needs insecurity and limited need-based financial aid to close the gap. In a new brief, The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) suggests policy recommendations and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to better meet students’ basic needs and position them to both enroll in and complete college degree programs.
The Impact of FAFSA Completion on Pell Grant Funds
The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) has released data on Pell Grant distribution based on the number of high school graduates who had completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Over $3.6 billion of funding was left unallocated during 2022.
Can We Better Understand Supervisor Retention in Higher Education?
The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) has released a new report that provides insight into employee retention in the field of higher education. The report explores variables contributing to employee retention such as working environment, maintaining a work-life balance, ability to advocate for peers and staff, challenges faced monetarily, and access to professional development opportunities.
Supporting Incarcerated Students With Second Chance Pell
The signing of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act canceled the ban on access to Pell Grants for formerly or currently incarcerated adults. A new report from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators looks at how to improve cross-sector collaboration and wrap-around services to help make this program a success.
Guidelines for Continuing or Changing Campus Vaccine Requirements
The American College Health Association (ACHA) recently released a brief on what colleges and universities might consider when continuing or revising their campus vaccine requirements.
Redefining Prestige
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has laid out plans to hold higher education more accountable for student success. Devorah Lieberman, president of the University of La Verne, writes that we owe it to our students—and ourselves—to embrace his vision.
New Report Finds Pell Grant Increasingly Does Not Cover Cost of Public Higher Education
Students who receive Pell Grants regularly turn to public two- and four-year colleges and universities for affordable and accessible higher education. However, a new report from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) found Pell Grant students are increasingly unable to afford public higher education institutions across the United States, with only 24 percent of four-year institutions and 40 percent of two-year institutions being considered affordable in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Why Climate Action Is in Higher Education’s Best Interest
Taking a leadership role on finding solutions to the climate crisis is an important way universities can remind the public that higher education benefits all of society—not just those who earn a degree, writes CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano.