HEADLINES: Top Higher Education News for the Week

March 18, 2024

Under new proposed legislation by some House Republicans, public colleges and universities would not be able to restrict nearly any expression occurring on their campuses and would have to annually disclose their free speech policies or lose access to federal financial aid, Inside Higher Ed reports... In a Hechinger Report op-ed, a college access counselor describes persistent challenges with the new FAFSA and provides some advice to those still struggling with the form... Campuses report that the pace and volume of FAFSA data they are receiving from the Department of Education give them little leeway to deliver financial aid packages to students on time, according to Inside Higher Ed... Diverse: Issues In Higher Education looks at new research that finds emergency pandemic relief funding prevented community colleges from terminating programs or closing altogether, faculty and staff from losing their jobs, and students from stopping out... The News & Observer explores factors potentially contributing to increased applications to North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

House Republicans Float Bill to Require Free Speech on Campuses
Inside Higher Ed | March 18, 2024

OPINION: I’m a College Access Professional. I Had No Idea Filling Out the New FAFSA Would Be So Tough
The Hechinger Report | March 18, 2024

Student Aid Forms Start Trickling In
Inside Higher Ed | March 18, 2024

HEER Funding Kept Community Colleges Open and Students Enrolled
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | March 15, 2024

More Students Are Applying to NC’s HBCUs. What’s Driving the Trend?
The News & Observer (sub. req.) | March 18, 2024

March 15, 2024

Inside Higher Ed explores a new analysis that shows different state higher education funding mechanisms have little impact on enrollment and completion... The Department of Education has implemented a fix to help students whose parents do not have a Social Security number submit the FAFSA, but some of these students are now encountering new errors with the form, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports... Many more institutions will receive applicants’ FAFSA data from the Department of Education in the coming weeks, Higher Ed Dive writes.

Funding Models Don’t Drive Performance, Study Finds
Inside Higher Ed | March 15, 2024

A FAFSA Fix for the Most Vulnerable Families Is a Work in Progress
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | March 14, 2024

Education Department Plans to Ramp Up Transmission of FAFSA Data to Colleges
Higher Ed Dive | March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

Inside Higher Ed looks at Clarkson University’s decision to shift its graduate programs in teacher education to Siena College, a move that allows both institutions to align their educational offerings more closely with their missions... Marjorie Hass has received the 2024 ACE Donna Shavlik Award, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education writes... The College Board considers the debut of the digital SAT, which over 200,000 students took over the weekend, a success, according to Higher Ed Dive... The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that after the Supreme Court prohibited race-conscious admissions, college admissions essays are gaining a more prominent role in the application process, giving students an opportunity to share how their identities have impacted their lives.

Two NY Institutions’ Programs, Missions Shift With the Times
Inside Higher Ed | March 14, 204

Association President Receives 2024 ACE Donna Shavlik Award
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | March 13, 2024

College Board Declares Launch of Shorter, Digital SAT a Success
Higher Ed Dive | March 13, 2024

After Affirmative Action Ban, More Emphasis Is Placed on College Essay
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (sub. req.) | March 14, 2024

March 13, 2024

A new survey finds that adults without a college degree are losing confidence in the value of higher education, though a growing share say that licenses and certificates have good value, Higher Ed Dive writes… The Chronicle of Higher Education looks at New Mexico’s policy of providing free college tuition to state residents who attend one of the state’s public institutions… The University of Texas announced it will resume requiring applicants to submit a standardized test score after reviewing data that showed these scores helped reveal students with strong academic potential.

Do Adults Without Degrees See the Value of College?
Higher Ed Dive | March 13, 2024

New Mexico Is Trying to Make Tuition-Free College Stick. Here’s How.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | March 12, 2024

UT-Austin Will Again Require SAT or ACT Test Scores for Admission. Here’s Why.
Austin American-Statesman | March 11, 2024

March 12, 2024

Higher Ed Dive and Inside Higher Ed look at how higher education could be affected by President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal, which includes increased funding for the Pell Grant program... The Department of Education, after being delayed by the transition to the new FAFSA, announced Monday it has begun sending institutions data they need to assemble financial aid offers for students... Penn State and Pennsylvania’s community colleges have formed a new partnership that will make it easier to transfer to a Penn State campus, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Biden Proposes Free Community College, Pell Grant Increases in FY25 Budget
Higher Ed Dive | March 11, 2024

Biden Seeks Another Pell Grant Increase, but Shortfall Looms
Inside Higher Ed | March 12, 2024

Education Department Starts Sending Financial Aid Data to Colleges After Months of Delays
The Associated Press (Star Tribune) (sub. req.) | March 11, 2024

New Collaboration Between Penn State Branch Campuses, Community Colleges Aims to Bolster Educational Opportunities
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | March 12, 2024

 ACE Op-Eds

 Letters to the Editor