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Kellee Edmonds
American Council on Education
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kellee_edmonds@ace.nche.edu

Dollyne Sherman
Lumina Foundation for Education
(317) 951-5493

New Survey Provides Mixed Results on University and College Commitment to Serve Low-Income Adults

Washington, DC (May 26, 2005)—Colleges and universities have made considerable progress in providing programs, policies and services to help low-income adult students succeed in higher education but gaps still exist, according to a survey conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE) and supported by a grant from Lumina Foundation for Education.

The survey is part of the multifaceted Improving Lives project that examines the challenges and barriers of low-income adults pursuing postsecondary education.  More than 1,000 colleges and universities participated in the survey, which asked them to describe in detail their commitment to serving adults.

The survey included public four-year institutions, private not-for-profit four-year institutions, public two-year colleges and private for-profit institutions.

Key Findings:

The survey identified six areas where colleges and universities perform well: 

• Acknowledging the importance of adults in the campus mission statement or strategic plan. The survey found that 60 percent of institutions mention adults in their mission statements or strategic plans.
• Offering special academic programs to meet the needs of adult students.  According to the survey, more than 90 percent of institutions offer at least one of the following: accelerated programs, night/weekend programs, distance education, or contract programs (agreements between a company and a college or university to provide training in a specific area to company employees). 
• Developing early warning systems to identify struggling students.  More than 80 percent of institutions have such programs in place.
• Establishing full-service satellite campuses:  Four out of five institutions have satellite campuses.
• Being accessible via public transportation: More than three-quarters of colleges and universities are located along bus or subway routes.
• Welcoming adult students through special orientation programs:   The survey found that 60 percent of institutions offer special orientation programs for adult students.

The survey identified five areas where colleges and universities can improve:  

• Identifying the low-income adults within their student populations.  The survey found that fewer than 20 percent of the schools in the survey specifically recognize those adult students who are low-income.
• Funding programs for low-income adults: Less than one-third of institutions seek external funds for programs aimed at low-income adults, and even fewer earmark internal monies for low-income students.
• Finding and developing faculty who know how to teach adults: The majority of institutions (63 percent) do not specifically recruit new faculty experienced at teaching adults.  In addition, fewer than half of institutions offer faculty professional development training on teaching adults.
• Offering childcare: Fewer than one in three institutions offers childcare, but public colleges and universities are more likely to offer childcare than either private not-for-profit institutions or private for-profit institutions.
• Providing financial assistance to low-income adults: Fewer than 30 percent of schools in the survey set aside institutional financial aid for low-income adults, and fewer than 15 percent waive or reduce fees for these students.

“The results of the survey are mixed but encouraging,” said Bryan Cook of ACE’s Center for Policy Analysis and co-author of the report. “While we see clear examples of institutions with organizational and academic infrastructure in place to serve low-income adults, the next step is to refine that infrastructure to better meet the needs of this student population.” 

“The Improving Lives project is important for all of us working to improve adult learner postsecondary access and success,” said Lumina Foundation President and CEO Martha D. Lamkin.  “It enhances our knowledge of that population and helps higher education and public policy leaders understand how they may adjust the practices and policies that have become barriers to success for adult learners.  The knowledge gained from this survey is another critical step in this process.”

Community colleges outperformed four-year institutions in a number of areas including tailoring academic programs to meet the needs of adult students, earmarking aid for low-income adults, and offering more satellite campuses.  Historically, community colleges have focused on serving the needs of adult students, and therefore have a strong record of establishing the policy and program infrastructure necessary to support this population.   

Launched in March 2003, Improving Lives: Ensuring the Academic Success of Low-Income Adults has the following objectives: to make the case to institutional leaders and policy makers that low-income adults are a vitally important part of the college student population; to communicate proven policies and programs that will help low-income adults meet their educational goals; to identify existing institutional and public policy barriers that impede their academic success; and to prompt action among leaders to improve the academic success of low-income adults.

The project concludes this year when state leadership teams convene during regional meetings to develop action plans for improving public policies and institutional programs and services for low-income adult students.     

Copies of Improving Lives Through Higher Education: Campus Programs and Policies for Low-Income Adults (Item # 310567) are available for $15 (plus $6.95 shipping and handling) from ACE Fulfillment Service, Department 191, Washington, DC 20055-0191 or by calling (301) 632-6757.

A free electronic version of the report is available through the ACE web site. (PDF file also may be downloaded directly).

Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based, private, independent foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school. Through grants for research, innovation, communication, and evaluation, as well as policy education and leadership development, Lumina Foundation addresses issues that affect access and educational attainment among all students, particularly underserved student groups, including adult learners.

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions,representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.

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