Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
The Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars in federal funding for universities—and the effects have been profound. Harvard University sued the administration after it cut billions in research dollars and tried to ban the school from accepting international students. President Trump's pressure also forced the University of Virginia's president to resign. And those are only the most visible, immediate signs of the battle.
Soon, however, President Trump’s ideological war against universities could have much broader effects on the technological supremacy America has enjoyed for decades and on science itself.
Faculty members at most campuses across the University of Wisconsin system will soon have to teach at least eight courses per academic year. The mandate, included in the state’s new budget, applies to full-time faculty across the University of Wisconsin system—except at the two R1 universities.
The idea of a “4/4” load—four courses a semester—is dreaded by many professors, who say juggling so many students and assignments makes it difficult to teach effectively and keep up with other duties, such as research and service.
There are many roadblocks that leave the path to STEM degrees for community college students incredibly narrow. A key barrier is the complexity of the process of transferring from a community college to a four-year institution.
Two experts in higher education provide guidance on how to simplify the transfer process and streamline the path to high-value degrees.
For years, Scott Neilitz conducted analyses for a nongovernmental organization to assess the impact of its efforts. It was a job he was passionate about, but he was laid off this year as the Trump administration cut the federal workforce and funding. Now, he’s enrolled in a program at Montgomery College that is helping him earn a teacher’s license, in hopes of becoming a middle school math instructor in a few months.
Neilitz is one of the thousands of former federal workers whom Maryland officials are trying to help find new careers—an effort they say could also address an ongoing teacher shortage.
Poor mental health is one of the top reasons students leave college. National research shows that 40 percent of students believe their mental health significantly impacts their ability to focus, learn, and perform academically; an additional 36 percent believe mental health affects their college experience.
In response, colleges such as Rutgers University are investing in creative partnerships that support student health and wellness and inspire community and emotional intelligence.
The Trump administration’s attacks against colleges and universities, including its attempts to pull federal funding and bar foreign students from Harvard University, have alarmed many in higher education.
But they have also spurred a degree of self-reflection among some leaders in the field.
