Monday Musings

The demographic cliff may be looming, but some colleges are posting record enrollment by focusing on affordability and workforce relevance. This week, we also look at new approaches to student support, a consequential federal tax proposal, graduate loan limits, and what dual enrollment failures can teach us about student success.

Sometimes the biggest obstacles to student success have little to do with academic ability. This week, we look at how colleges are addressing basic needs, strengthening reading comprehension, expanding direct admissions and making higher education easier for students to navigate.

New workforce data points to a notable shift in who is working on college campuses, with tenure-track faculty numbers rising while staff counts decline. This week's Monday Musings also looks at new student success research, proposed accreditation changes, college application trends, and the growing importance of preparing graduates for an AI-shaped workforce.

College affordability takes center stage this week as families report a 10% increase in the cost of attending college. Also making headlines: colleges rethink orientation, elite institutions return to standardized testing, Michigan experiments with first-semester grading, and a federal loan rule lands in court.

With fall approaching, colleges are getting a clearer picture of enrollment, and many institutions are finding reasons for optimism alongside areas that need attention. This week’s higher ed news highlights the strategies shaping enrollment, institutional sustainability, AI and assessment, support for student parents, and connections between college and the workforce.

Federal funding decisions are placing new pressure on research institutions, while lawmakers debate the future of the Department of Education. This week’s news also highlights how colleges are redesigning degree pathways, reconnecting with stopped-out students, and responding to changes in graduate financial aid.