Friday 5: Things To Ponder This Week In Higher Ed 11/12/21

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As we continue the month-long celebration of National Native American Heritage Month, at Innovative Educators we want to ensure we honor November as a time for reflection, learning and celebration of Indigenous knowledge, traditions, language, and culture.
Ways Universities Can Support Native American Students
Native American College Student Data at a Glance
Indigenous Perspectives on Native Student Challenges in Higher Education
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Steep Enrollment Declines in California Community College System

Last academic year, the California Community Colleges system saw an enrollment decrease of 15%, representing an overall decline of about 319,000 students. The steepest declines were among African American, Native American and male students. The system lost over 100,000 students aged 40 or older. The decline in the California Community College system represents a national trend as other states are also reporting significant declines in community college enrollment. Both Texas and the State University of New York system saw community college student populations decline by nearly 10%. To better recruit students, the California system has implemented guided pathways and reformed remedial education to enable more students to immediately enroll in credit-bearing courses.
- Enrollment dropped below 2 million students for the first time in 30 years within the California Community Colleges system this fall.

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Recommendations for Easing the Burden of FAFSA Completion

A new report, jointly produced by the National College Attainment Network and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, makes recommendations for easing the burden of FAFSA completion. This year, nearly one in five students who completed the FAFSA was selected for verification. Verification requires applicants to provide additional forms and supporting documents. The report recommends that the Education Department adjust its selection algorithms to only focus on applicants whose expected family contribution (EFC) would likely change as a result of verification. This would exclude applicants who transferred their information from the IRS. Additionally, the two organizations recommend students with a zero EFC should not be selected for verification. Verification also puts a burden on financial aid staff, a profession that we reported last week is struggling to fill empty positions.

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The Why Behind the Growing Gap in Female and Male Student Completions

This week the Pew Research Center reported on the increasing gap in degree attainment for women and men. “Young women are more likely to be enrolled in college today than young men, and among those ages 25 and older, women are more likely than men to have a four-year college degree.” There is an even larger gap in college completion among adults ages 25 to 34. In its research, the Pew Center found that 26% of male respondents indicated they did not need a degree for the career they wanted and 34% reported that they did not finish a degree based on personal choice.
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Growing Support for Community College Bachelor’s Degrees

Twenty-four states allow at least some community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees, Higher Ed Dive reports this week. Community college baccalaureate, or CCB, has increased in the last five years, often seen as a way to meet local workforce shortages. Business programs are the most popular CCB programs. Science and technology-related programs represent nearly 40% of CCB programs nationally; nursing degrees alone account for 11.2% of all CCB programs..