Turkey day is approaching, and before you know it, the end of the semester will be upon us. It’s been a busy semester with events that have had positive and negative effects on colleges and their communities. Fires have been raging in California, which has caused forced power outages, college shutdowns, and concern for the safety of students and staff. While this has impacted many communities, it has also encouraged them to band together and help their neighbors. Despite the small adversities, colleges across the country are developing more ways to support working and first-generation students. Read all about the latest news in the government, higher education, and the most effective marketing tips.
Finding ways to keep working students in college
Whether it’s part-time or full-time, working while taking college courses has frequently had an effect on a student’s ability to succeed. According to a report by the Association of Community College Trustees, colleges are finding various ways to ease the academic and financial hardships that working students face. Around 68% of community college students work while attending school, with one-third of them working more than 30 hours a week. Learn more about the steps colleges are taking to aid these working students.
New report explores how state policy impacts access to higher education
After the recession in 2008, state governments have allocated fewer funds and resources to higher education each year. According to a new report by Ithaka S+R, a higher education consulting company, state investment is not enough to make higher education accessible. Included in the report are various ways states can implement strategic plans to assist in aiding the lack of funds for higher education.
6 tips to help you generate and utilize UGC on Instagram
User-generated content is one of the most effective and (cheapest) forms of content marketing you can use for your college. This article gives you six tips on how you can generate and utilize content from your students and use it on your college’s social networking platforms.
Hits and misses in the House higher education bill
The House Democrats recently rolled out a plan to reauthorize the main federal law for higher education. In this lengthy 1,165-page plan, there are many proposals new and old, and higher education experts are unsure if the legislation is doing too much or not enough. Here is a breakdown of what experts think about which parts are worth advancing or re-examining.
A record number of colleges drop SAT/ACT admissions requirement amid growing disenchantment with standardized tests
Good news for all of you who have loathed taking tests! A record number of colleges are no longer requiring applicants to have taken the SAT or ACT test. Research has shown that ACT and SAT scores are linked to characteristics such as race, mother’s education level, and family income. In the last year, the gaps between demographic groups has grown, with historically deprived students falling short of those who are more privileged.
As fires rage, more campuses close
Fires have taken a real toll on community colleges in California this year. With the fires and the forced power outages by PG&E, many institutions have been forced to close. While some institutions have closed, others have restricted operations due to safety concerns regarding poor air quality and fire danger.
Yes, states are absolutely cutting funds for public colleges
What may be commonly called disinvestment is just another word for the government cutting funds for public colleges. Many say that states cutting funding is a myth, when in reality the data has been miscalculated. One of the biggest miscalculations of data is what year each state begins calculating.
How colleges can best support first-gen students
First-generation students—those that are the first in their family to go to college—have been only loosely recognized in the past. Over time, the awareness for this specific group has grown, along with benefits that have the ability to greatly support them. Many of these students do not have a support system that can help them navigate the ins and outs of the college system. These are some of the ways that colleges can assist in aiding these students and filling in some of the holes where support has lacked.
Clarifying a muddled career training landscape
Many public colleges and universities have joined the technological race by creating online institutions that are aimed to serve working students and many adults who have some college experience but never received their degree. A new player in this game is Unmudl, which was introduced at the annual Close It conference. Unmudl was created by various community colleges and is designed to be a sort of “one-stop shop” for college faculty and educators. Read more about Unmudl and its influence on higher education.
5 marketing experts share trends to jump on (and which to avoid)
In the world of marketing, sometimes all the best tips and tricks can get a little bit muddled, confusing marketers as to what are the best practices. Learn about some of the things experts say are the best practices, and some of the worst, in this informative article from Entrepreneur.
