In this week's roundup:
fewer Black and Latinx students are choosing to attend college, rising tuition is linked to inflation, and more students are pursuing their MBA online.
May 12-18
- Although tuition, fees and other expenses held steady during the pandemic, they are on the rise with inflation cited as a leading cause. According to American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Beth Akers, the price increases will not go away. “Even as we talk about inflation slowing in the future, we’re not going to see prices revert.”
- Researchers at Tulane and Stanford found that female students from low socioeconomic backgrounds could face the “motherhood penalty” if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Researchers say that the overturn of Roe could have consequences such as students dropping out due to childcare concerns.
- A new report from nonprofit YouthTruth finds fewer male, Black and Latinx high school graduates want to go to college compared to 3 years ago. The difference could be a result of the Class of 2022 spending half of their high school years during the pandemic.
- The University of Nebraska system seeks to renovate their campus buildings through the purchase of state bonds worth $400 million. Nationally, higher education buildings are 50 years old on average, making maintenance and repairs a high priority.
- Institutions in California are set to receive an increase in funding as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal. The University of California, California State University and California Community College systems will have to meet certain requirements in terms of access, affordability and equity in order to receive the boost in funding.
- Online MBA programs have grown in popularity within the past year according to the Association to Advance Collegiate Business Schools. Over 45,000 students were enrolled in online programs compared to 43,000 students in person.
- A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia shows how a majority of federal student loan borrowers should be able to resume paying after the pause. The report also suggests that the pause has mostly helped those who can afford to pay student loans.
- Home improvement retail store Lowe’s has expanded its higher education program to provide full-time and part-time employees opportunities to pursue higher education for free. The Lowe’s Guild Learning Marketplace includes Hispanic-Serving Institutions and HBCUs.
- Educational research nonprofit Ithaka S+R focuses on higher education students’ eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in a new issues brief. Students became eligible for SNAP during the first year of the pandemic, but their eligibility will end when the public health emergency ends.
- Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin encourages public college presidents in Virginia to hire faculty and staff with “diverse political perspectives” in an effort to promote free speech on campuses. This was part of a five-page letter Youngkin wrote to the Council of Presidents.
