Education and the economy are two of the top five issues for 2020 voters. So, it’s no surprise that presidential hopefuls are offering plans to reduce college costs and forgive student debt. Or that Republicans and Democrats in Congress are currently trying to overhaul the long-expired Higher Education Act, which President Johnson signed into law...

Often when I speak before an audience, I start with a land acknowledgement, recognizing that all land on which the U.S. was built is indigenous land and calling attention to the particular people on whose land we are convening. This very act exemplifies the difference between Native American students and other racial and ethnic groups.…

As a first-generation college graduate employed by an organization that promotes equity in higher education policies and practices, I am encouraged by ongoing conversations and actions among higher education policymakers and others that aim to improve access and outcomes for all students, regardless of their starting point in life and particularly ...

I recently visited a student activism class full of masters-level students studying higher education administration where I spoke about my experience and writing about how students can influence policy and policymakers. In reflection, we are in an exciting time where there is more than a course-worth of academic research on student activism. And, t...

Colorado has a problem, and we’re not alone. For many years, Colorado has had one of the highest post-secondary attainment rates in the nation. In fact, our well-educated workforce has helped Colorado claim the top spot in the U.S. News and World Report list of states with the greatest economic stability and potential. But, we…

My financial aid for my last year of college was drastically different than my first couple of years. For the first time, I owed the institution money. This change in aid hit me hard.  I made the decision to live off campus, instead of on-campus with a full meal plan like I had done previously.…

As an immigrant to this great nation and a citizen by choice, I am reminded of those last six words in the Pledge of Allegiance that I recited at my naturalization ceremony: “with liberty and justice for all.” These six words resonate with me today as clear and compelling as they did in 1998. Especially…

We are eleven years overdue for reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Many groups, from consumer advocates, to civil rights groups, to higher ed organizations, have called for a reauthorization that centers access, affordability and accountability. The question then becomes, how should this be done? As awareness of the $1.6 trillion student ...

After Michael Bloomberg released his higher education plan, Julie Peller, executive director of Higher Learning Advocates, commented on the plan’s recognition “that the demographics and needs of learners today have changed,” and commended it for including a focus on completion and earning outcomes for low-income students. Read the...

Last March, the Seattle Times ran a powerful joint opinion editorial cowritten by Microsoft’s president and chief legal officer, Brad Smith. Joining him were University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and then-Vice Chairman of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Wayne Martin.  Their position: Let’s lift up W...

There is no shortage of reports on the future of work in a digital economy and others documenting the skills gap. PwC’s Talent Trends 2019 reports a steep increase in concerns among CEOs—to nearly three quarters—about the availability of skills and half reported that this gap is limiting innovation. Despite a dramatic increase in the…

Jose Thompson arrived at Miami Dade College in 2005, ready to pursue an associate degree. On a student visa from the Bahamas, his longtime dream was to go to pharmacy school in the US and return to the Bahamas to open his own pharmacy. But after the celebration for earning his associate degree quieted down,…