Author: Laurie Arnston

Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders

The community college student is unlike most postsecondary learners, writes Everette J. Freeman, president of the Community College of Denver. Through listening, encouragement, leading by example and giving students a sense of belonging and community, we can help them become part of the next generation of leaders.

New Evidence on Integrated Career Pathways

The Urban Institute, in partnership with The George Washington University, recently released an impact analysis of the Accelerating Opportunity (AO) initiative across four states. The program, created by Jobs for the Future, helps students and adults enroll in integrated career pathway programs at community and technical colleges.

From the Brookings Blog: The For-Profit Student Debt Dilemma

A recent blog post from The Brookings Institution discusses findings from their report on trends in student borrowing across sectors. Overall, the authors found that patterns for borrowing in the for-profit sector are similar to the private nonprofit sector in that students enrolled in these institutions are much more likely to borrow, tend to borrow larger amounts, and supplement federal funding with money from non-federal sources.

Evaluating a Scalable Solution for Enhancing Teaching Practice

There are a variety of ways in which faculty learn, and continue to learn, about teaching. But given the increase in contingent faculty—part-time and full-time non-tenure-track faculty—who now comprise about 75 percent of all college and university instructors, the critical question is, “How do we scale faculty development efforts to reach a greater number of faculty?”

Recruiting Student Veterans at Cornell: True to Our Founding Principles

Currently, fewer than two out of every 1,000 undergraduate students enrolled in Ivy League colleges have served in the U.S. military. Cornell Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff on how—and why—the university is attempting to quadruple its enrollment of undergraduate veterans by 2020.

An Updated Look at Student Loan Debt Repayment and Default

Penn Wharton’s Public Policy Initiative recently released an issue brief highlighting the state of student debt repayment and default. The brief, An Updated Look at Student Loan Debt Repayment and Default, aims to provide insight on these issues for policymakers as amendments to the Higher Education Act are currently being considered.

New From MDRC: Aligning Aid With Enrollment

A new report by MDRC, Aligning Aid with Enrollment, explores if disbursing financial aid refunds biweekly helps students to cover expenses throughout the term by stretching financial aid dollars.

Goodwin College: Inspiring a Call for Community-Based Education

When Goodwin College moved to its present location in East Hartford, Connecticut, the university committed philosophically to creating something new to the region: a community-based educational organization that would become a vital part of the daily life of the town. Goodwin President Mark Scheinberg explains how that is working out.

From Admission to Graduation: Fulfilling the Promise of Higher Education

How does higher education close the attainment gap and assure value for the communities that we serve? With the growing need for more college-educated adults—and the need and public demand for more affordable routes to college—transitional programs appear to be a key strategy, writes Webster University President Beth Stroble. But no single strategy is likely to address the complexities of the situation.