Top Higher Education News for Friday
Lumina

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.

March 14, 2025

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What the Education Dept.’s Job Cuts Could Mean for Financial Aid

Beckie Supiano, The Chronicle of Higher Education

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When the U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday that it was eliminating nearly half of its staff, officials there said they would “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview,” including Pell Grants and student loans.

 

But as news of the job cuts circulated on Tuesday night and Wednesday, experts wondered how to square that assurance with their knowledge of the work it takes to get federal financial aid into students’ accounts.

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Study: College Mental Health and Financial Concerns Reach Critical Levels

Walter Hudson, Diverse Issues in Higher Education

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A new study reveals alarming trends among college students nationwide, with seven in 10 considering taking a break or dropping out entirely due to mounting pressures.

 

The survey, conducted by higher education virtual health provider TimelyCare, highlights the significant challenges threatening student success across American campuses.

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Child Care Support Services Are an Overlooked Strategy for Re-Enrolling Adult Learners

Sarah Nzau, New America

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Approximately 36.8 million American adults are part of America’s “some college, no degree” (SCND) population. That reality presents both a significant opportunity and challenge, particularly for community colleges.

 

States and colleges are developing targeted strategies to support adult students in re-enrolling, persisting, and ultimately earning a credential that leads to a good job. However, one often-overlooked approach, especially at community colleges, is expanding child care support services, which can play a crucial role in helping adult parenting students from re-enrollment through degree completion.

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COVID Shut Schools Five Years Ago. Anxiety, Learning Loss, and More Linger.

Nicole Asbury, Karina Elwood, Lauren Lumpkin, and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, The Washington Post

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The controversial decisions to close schools during the COVID-19 pandemic have had lingering effects that are still being felt in K-12 schools and on college campuses. Educators have worked hard in recent years to meet the new needs of students after the pandemic disruptions. There are signs of progress, but there is still work to be done.

 

Five students, parents, and educators reflect on how school closures from COVID-19 affected their lives.

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Do Students and Society Still Value Higher Ed?

Courtney Brown, Lumina Foundation

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Public confidence in higher education is slipping. You’ve probably heard it—maybe even felt it. But here’s the thing: While skepticism is rising, most Americans still believe in the power of a college degree. They see it as a ticket to career success, financial stability, and a better future for their families.

 

The bottom line: People want education that pays off—and it’s on us to deliver it, writes Lumina Foundation's Courtney Brown, who shares three key insights from the 2025 SXSW EDU Conference on the value of higher education.

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Trust and the College Presidency

Sara Custer, The Key

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People across the higher education community are calling on college leaders to speak out against the onslaught of threats and funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration. But that is just one kind of leadership.

 

In this interview, Jorge Burmicky, assistant professor in education leadership and policy studies in the School of Education at Howard University, shares his thoughts on the competencies that might best serve college presidents during this pivotal moment in higher education.

HUMAN WORK AND LEARNING

Are You Doing Your Students a Disservice If You Ignore AI?

Beth McMurtrie, Teaching

Embracing Lifelong Learning for a Changing Workforce

Angie Kamath, The EvoLLLution

Blog: Three Questions for Duke’s Quentin Ruiz-Esparza

Joshua Kim, Learning Innovation

EQUITY IN EDUCATION

Kentucky Lawmakers Debate Systemic Racism in Crucial Vote to Ban DEI in Public Colleges

Sylvia Goodman, Kentucky Public Radio

Florida University Leaders Defend DEI Restrictions, Fire Back at Lawsuit

Jim Saunders, Orlando Sentinel

Commentary: College Admissions Are Rigged for the Rich. Trump's Officials Say, 'Keep It That Way.'

Denise A. Smith and Stefan Redding Lallinger, The Century Foundation

Views: The Coalitions We Need to Defend Open Inquiry

Jackie Pedota and Liliana Garces, Inside Higher Ed

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

A Moment of Truth for the Completion Agenda

Yolanda Watson Spiva, Inside Higher Ed

Report Suggests Higher Education Fuels Utah’s Economy, Workforce, and Civic Engagement

Eric Frandsen, Cache Valley Daily

The Evolving Landscape of Higher Education in America

Walter Hudson, Diverse Issues in Higher Education

FEDERAL POLICY

Democratic-Led States Sue to Block Trump Administration Layoffs at the Education Department

Collin Binkley, The Associated Press

Half of OCR Eliminated After Trump Education Department Layoffs

Naaz Modan, Higher Ed Dive

How the Trump Administration's Education Department Cuts Are Playing Out

Cory Turner, WFAE

What Parents, Teachers, and School Choice Groups Think of Education Department Cuts

Nicole Cohen, NPR

NEW REPORTS AND EVENTS

Community, Culture and Care: A Cross-Institutional Analysis of Mental Health Among HBCU and PBI Students

UNCF

Webinar: What the Education Department Layoffs Mean for Colleges and Universities

American Council on Education

Webcast: Trump, Higher Ed’s Value, Tenure, and More: What College Presidents Really Think

Inside Higher Ed

luminafoundation.org
Daily Lumina News is edited by Patricia Brennan.

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