Attainment & Innovation

Most people have heard of the GED, but many might not know that it was created by ACE in 1942, after the United States Armed Forces Institute approached ACE with a request to develop tests to measure high school-level academic skills.

For most college instructors, regular participation in their teaching development is neither a workplace expectation nor a professional obligation. Yet faculty who regularly participate in professional development improve their students’ chances for success.

California State University is preparing to implement a host of policy changes that will improve student achievement and lead to more Californians earning a high-quality degree in less time—including a revamp of the support structure for underprepared students in need of skill development.

The University of Northern Iowa has decreased student debt upon graduation by an average of $3,300 per borrower since 2010. President Mark Nook discusses the cornerstone of that success—Live Like a Student, the university’s counseling and financial literacy program.

The second CBE wave—more grounded and focused on quality than the first—is underway, and resources to support development of high-quality programs include the University of Wisconsin Flexible Option case study.

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.