In this week's roundup:
higher education reacts to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Title IX regs add more protection for students, and Native American students are eligible for free tuition.
June 23-29
- The reversal of Roe v. Wade has significant implications for higher education. Studies show students who are pregnant or have young children are more likely to drop out. Institutions across the country are responding in different ways, whether continuing to provide abortion care, reforming their attendance policies or expanding their reproductive health services.
- $6 billion in student loan debt will be canceled for students who attended fraudulent institutions. The Biden Administration filed the settlement of the debt cancellation that affects over 200,000 students.
- Thousands of students at George Washington University have signed a petition calling for the end of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ employment as an adjunct instructor. The petition cites Thomas’ position as unsafe for LGBTQ+ students, while a statement from the provost says, “Thomas’s views do not represent the views of either the George Washington University or its law school.”
- Changes to Title IX will add protections for transgender students and abuse survivors. The revision adds extra protection that overrules the Trump Administration’s previous changes with a goal of giving full effect to the law’s reach and delivering on its promise to protect all students from sex-based harassment and discrimination, according to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
- Teletherapy has proven to be a useful tool to support students outside of the academic year. Institutions are contracting with teletherapy companies such as Uwill and TimelyMD to provide quick sessions at no cost and dramatically reduce wait times.
- Student housing has been affected by the pandemic, with only 26,000 new student beds being delivered this upcoming academic year compared to 40-50,000 in the past.
- Native American students attending the University of Arizona’s Tucson campus will be able to attend without paying tuition this fall. The university will offer free tuition for students who are from federally recognized tribes.
- First-year retention rates have risen, according to a new report showing that students who started in Fall 2020 returned for their second year. The 75% persistence rate is a slight increase from Fall 2019 and not quite as high as the pre-pandemic rate.
- The path to becoming a tenured professor has become more difficult in recent years. Over 19,000 received their PhDs in 2020 yet only 40% were set to work in higher education compared to 51.5% who pursued careers in higher ed thirty years ago.
There will not be a Weekly Wednesday Roundup next week due to the Fourth of July holiday.
