2024

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A Note to the Owner of “Our Executive Slaves"

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

We’ve finally entered the find-out phase of this timeline. And unsurprisingly, the final boss looks a lot like the first boss—American Racism. Yes, it’s the racism. Not the economy, not the gender gap, not even the thorny intersectionality of identity politics. The culprit is the same force that has always roiled this racist nation: the enduring, shape-shifting undercurrent of white supremacy.

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Legacy Looms Large in College Admissions, Perpetuating Inequities in College Access

IHEP Institute for Higher Education Policy

A year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of race-conscious admissions in higher education. Yet legacy admissions policies that give preferential treatment to applicants who are related to alumni are still used across the country. A new IHEP analysis of data released through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reveals the prevalence of legacy admissions policies among selective colleges and universities.

Access 350
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Using Black Students to Criticize DEI is a Cynical and Disingenuous Tactic

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

By now many people have read the recent article by the New York Times that critically examines the state of DEI at the University of Michigan. The primary argument made in the article is that despite having spent approximately a quarter of a billion dollars since 2016, faculty and students are not enthusiastic about Michigan’s DEI initiatives. This article prompted other criticisms against the University of Michigan’s DEI initiatives in media outlets including the New York Post and USA Today and

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New Report Highlights Hidden Costs and Privacy Risks of Digital Courseware for Higher Education Students

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

College students are paying twice for their education: once in tuition and again with their privacy. That’s the findings from a new Privacy Rights Clearinghouse report, funded by a Michelson 20MM grant. The report uncovers “troubling gaps in data privacy for students using digital learning tools in higher education.” Titled “ Paying Twice to Learn? How Higher Education Students May Be Forced to Sacrifice Privacy for Digital Learning Tools ,” the report points out that weak privacy protections an

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Can Brain Science Actually Help Make Your Training & Teaching Stick?

Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape

The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.

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Providing Tuition Assistance to Native American Students

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Michigan State University (MSU) will offer in-state tuition to out-of-state Native American students through their Native American Tuition Advantage Program (NATAP), beginning in Fall 2025. Dr. Kevin Leonard, director of the Native American Institute at MSU, was speaking with a Native, out-of-state student whose tribal affiliation was in Michigan when she began to share the struggles that come with paying out-of-state tuition.

Students 325
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Building a Foundation that Positively Impacts Los Angeles

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes is focused on meaningful conversations that lead her institution forward. For the past 18 years of her distinguished career in higher education, Eanes has worked at public institutions. After more than four years as president of York College, City University of New York, in January 2024 she became the ninth president of California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), the first woman to serve in the position.

Retention 339

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Cultivating Tomorrow’s HBCU Leaders: The H.E.L.F. Foundation Effect

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

When Dr. Herman J. Felton Jr., and others created the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.) nearly a decade ago, they had no idea that they would become the vanguard in leading and supporting a new generation of leadership within historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “The idea was simply to create a space for individuals who were sincerely interested in committing their vocation and uplift to HBCUs.

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Report: Nation Still Has ‘Miles to Go’ to Increase Black Students’ Educational Opportunities

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

A new report by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) points out that seventy years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, many Black students across the nation still do not have access to equitable educational opportunities in early childhood, K-12, or higher education compared with other students. The report titled, "Miles To Go: The State of Education for Black Students in America" reveals data and research findings on a wide range of persistent inequities that many Bl

Education 321
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Don’t Just Witness History; Seize the Opportunity to Shape It

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Tuesday’s presidential election is the most critical in our lifetime—with the potential to change the trajectory of the country. And the stakes couldn’t be higher for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which for generations have punched above their weight. They serve more economically disenfranchised students than most U.S. institutions, and they do so successfully, facilitating the upward mobility of the majority of their students.

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The Sooner, The Better: Building Financial Literacy Among Black Students (and Communities)

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

HAIRSTON: Growing up in a home that included my mother and one brother, I learned many life lessons. Watching my mother continuously work two and sometimes three jobs was normal life for me. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized that from all of the life lessons learned in our low income household, financial literacy was not one of them.

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Focusing on Mental Health Challenges Facing Community College Students

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

A new report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) details mental health challenges that students face and how they can be better supported. The report, funded by The Kresge Foundation, "Supporting Minds, Supporting Learners: Addressing Student Mental Health to Advance Academic Success" explores the data of the 2023 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) for returning students and the 2023 Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) for entering stude

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Report Details How Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act Could Better Serve Students of Color and Low-Income Students

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

There are seven MSI designations: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs).

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Rethinking the Idea of Legacy in Higher Education: How Colleges Can Raise Up Student-Parents

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Legacy college admissions — the practice of selective institutions giving preference to children and relatives of alumni — is under intense scrutiny today. Originally established to exclude certain populations of students, legacy admissions provides a significant boost to children of ultrawealthy families who apply to elite institutions. Legacy admissions has an even more corrosive influence: It widens equity gaps in higher education.

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From Crisis to Solutions: Global Conference Charts New Course for Urban Education

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

CANCUN—What started off in 2014 as a simple idea, has blossomed into a major convening, drawing more than 700 educators from K-12 school districts and colleges and universities together to strategize and share best practices on how to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing urban schools around the globe. Dr. Chance W. Lewis The International Conference on Urban Education (ICUE) has become the sought-after space where ideas are shared, and collaborations are formed.

Education 312
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Educators in Uncertain Times – Fostering Resilience and Empathy in Our Classrooms

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As educators, we often find ourselves navigating uncharted waters, but the days following the election seem particularly murky. Regardless of our personal reactions to the results, there’s a shared sense of unease in the hallways and classrooms. Questions will inevitably arise, questions for which we have no answers. And if anyone happens to have a crystal ball, we’d love to borrow it, if only for a moment of clarity.

Education 286
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Webinar: Students Want Mental Health Reform

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As mental health becomes a growing key issue for many, college students are stepping up, not only as advocates for their own well-being but also as catalysts for change within their own communities. A recent study by Active Minds and Timely Care, titled "Mind Over Matter," highlights the growing awareness among college students of mental health needs on campus and their desire for policies that prioritize mental health.

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Poet, Interdisciplinary Scholar Among the 2024 MacArthur "Genius" Fellows

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Dr. Ruha Benjamin, a transdisciplinary scholar at Princeton University, and Dr. Jericho Brown, a poetry professor at Emory University, are among the academicians who were awarded a “genius grant” by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation earlier this week. Dr. Jericho Brown The 22 fellows will each receive a grant of $800,000 over five years to spend however they want.

Grant 363
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Why We Need a Fairer and More Equitable Approach to K-12 Grading to Boost College Completion

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

How much do grades really tell us about students? According to a new study released last month : not as much as we may think. The analysis, conducted by The Equitable Grading Project, found that six out of 10 middle and high school grades do not accurately reflect student performance. Of the 33,000 grades examined, more than 40 percent were higher than they should have been.

Placement 288
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Understanding Academic Exile After the 2024 Election

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As we absorb the results of the election, I find myself reflecting on a word that consistently echoes in the back of my mind: exile. By “exile,” I’m referring not to a physical departure, but to the intellectual marginalization many of us experience. It’s a label that marks us as “unwelcome” and our scholarship as “controversial.” In using the word exile, I’m thinking of a specific experience: that of academics whose research and presence politicians would prefer to erase.

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Beyond the Campus Food Pantry

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As the holidays approach, today’s colleges and universities are increasingly marked by overflowing donation bins containing canned goods collected by every student organization and faculty department to stock the campus food pantry. While that generosity of spirit is appreciated, we think it’s time to say thanks and ask how those collective energies could be harnessed to fight students’ hunger, rather than just feed them.

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New SREB Report Advocates for Accessible and High-Quality Pathways to Attract and Retain Teachers in the Classroom

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Despite the work of teachers laying the foundation for careers beyond secondary school, The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) says there are not enough well-prepared educators in the pipeline to teach. SREB represents and works with 16 states to improve public education at every level. In their latest report, " Teacher Career Pathways and Advancement Options " they emphasize the urgency to make the teaching profession more attractive through accessible and high-quality teacher pathways

Access 300
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Survey: FAFSA Delays Changed Composition of Fall 2024 Incoming Class

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The debacle surrounding the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) affected the incoming fall class at three-quarters of private, nonprofit colleges and universities across the nation. That’s according to the results released by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). Nearly half (49%) of respondents reported that their fall 2024 class was “more difficult to fill” due to the FAFSA delays.

FAFSA 286
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N.C. A&T Receives $4.8M NIH Grant to Study Alzheimer's Disease

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

A new $4.8 million grant to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Center for Outreach in Alzheimer’s, Aging and Community Health (COAACH) will help the historically Black college and university study Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged African Americans. Dr. Travonia Brown-Hughes, COAACH director and an associate professor in N.C.

Grant 310
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Seal of Excelencia 2024

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The path to higher education success has many obstacles and barriers for Latinos across the U.S. The mission of Excelencia in Education, founded in 2004 by Dr. Deborah A. Santiago and Sarita E. Brown, is to advance Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, conducting analysis to inform educational policies and advancing institutional practices.

Retention 325
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Paradigm Shift: DEI, Anti-DEI, or Underrepresentation?

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

In June 2023, the U. S. Supreme Court struck down race-consciousness in college admissions upending four decades of precedent and reshaping the landscape of higher education (Edelman, 2023, par. 1). This fundamental change reversed thinking about the equal protection clause under the 14th Amendment and galvanized states to reconsider their stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Inclusion 262
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'Need for Love More Profound, Harder than It's Ever Been'

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, housed within the North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) College of Education, held its tenth annual Dallas Herring Lecture on Tuesday, featuring Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, chancellor of the Austin Community College District (ACC). The Belk Center is known for its support for North Carolina's 58 community colleges and for training leaders, conducting research, and sharing best practices with community colleges across the country.

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Paul Quinn College to Create an Innovative Housing Model and a Mixed-Use Community

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Thanks to a $1.5 million grant from T.D. Jakes Foundation (TDJF), in partnership with Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Paul Quinn College (PQC) is looking to create an innovative housing model, accompanied by a mixed-use community on their Dallas campus. PQC is the only minority-serving, federally recognized Work College in the nation. “This is so much more than a traditional real estate project or campus housing development—it’s a statement about what higher education can be for all of us – those who a

Grant 304
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From Challenge to Triumph: Empowering Marginalized Students to Become Scholars

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

While higher education is a path to opportunity — many underrepresented, minoritized students face systemic barriers that make their graduate-level academic experience feel like an uphill challenge. Some barriers can be financial; others can be self-imposed, such as imposter syndrome and the struggle of questioning, “will I be able to measure up?” Dr.

Mentoring 278
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Federal Fumbles and Candidate Silence. How the Next Administration Can Support Education Equity

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As we enter the final countdown to the election, I find myself grappling with a nagging sense of abandonment by our nation’s leaders and policymakers. I feel like a child whose parents forgot to pick them up at school, and the last teacher on site is asking, “Do you need me to call someone?” The issues closest to my heart—those that affect our students and education equity—are being largely ignored by the presidential candidates.

Equity 269
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BMCC and London School of Economics Partner to Expand Global Opportunities

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

A new partnership between the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) and the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) will provide BMCC students the opportunity to enroll in LSE courses during the summer semester and beyond, “offering them the opportunity to study alongside peers from around the globe and gain insights from LSE’s distinguished faculty members,” said BMCC officials.

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Promoting Higher Education for Native Americans in Minnesota

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

This fall, Minnesota launched North Star Promise with a promise about free tuition. But like other free tuition initiatives for Native American students, it’s not quite as simple as it sounds. The basics are very appealing. “North Star Promise provides free college tuition to help make education after high school possible for more Minnesota students and families,” is written on the Minnesota Office of Higher Education website.

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Kimbrough Named Interim President at Talladega

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough has been appointed interim president of Talladega College, a historically Black college in Alabama. Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough Dr. Edward L. Hill Jr., the college’s vice provost for Lifelong Learning and Professional Development and Dean of Graduate Studies, served as the immediate interim president following the June 4 resignation of Dr.

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AAUP Releases New DEI Statement

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

In the wake of a front assault on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is calling on colleges and universities not to give in to the pressure to abandon such initiatives. On Wednesday, AAUP renewed their call to colleges and universities to fund and protect research and teaching that addresses social inequity and the needs of historically underrepresented groups.

Teaching 348
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AB 705: Bold Policy, Implications for Equitable Student Success

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

“When I first met with my advisor, I was excited to dive into my program,” says Maria, a first-generation community college student. “But when I realized there was no pre-college math course to take, I panicked. I had always struggled with math. I thought, ‘How am I going to pass this class?’” Maria’s experience is not uncommon. Since the enactment of AB 705 in California, community colleges in the state have seen an undeniable increase in the number of students enrolled in transfer-level course

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Challenges Persist for Early-Career Black Academics

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

In an “embarrassing moment” to witness, a British university’s vice-chancellor “beelined” for the only Black academic at a PhD reception, despite not having spoken to any other candidates. At a European research institute, the only Black female researcher was included in every possible photo, even when the subject of the photo opportunity was unrelated to her area of expertise.

Faculty 343
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Strategies for Speaking Out

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Activism is hardly optional in today’s world. I feel the calling in my bones. My family is deeply Jewish, with both Sephardic and Ashkenazic roots, and taught me the core lessons of tikkun olam (repair the world), tzedakah (create justice), g’milut chasadim (engage in loving kindness), pikuach nefesh (life matters), and ometz lev (courage). These values anchored my identity even as the academy challenged it, trying to make me quieter, smaller, and less effective.