Topic: policy & research
Helping College Students Make Informed Student Loan Decisions
Recent surveys demonstrate that many college students do not know whether they have borrowed or how much debt they have accrued during college. What can higher education institutions—and the federal government—do to help?
Providing Transparency to the Title IX Process
ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle writes that the Department of Education’s effort to replace legally binding but unclear guidance with legally binding and clear regulations will hopefully result in greater protections for all students.
A Closer Look at Hispanic-Serving Institutions
With the increase in Latinx students enrolling in postsecondary education and the subsequent increase in the number of HSIs, these institutions should remain at the top of all policy priority agendas, write Gina Garcia and Morgan Taylor.
Diversity Among Higher Education Admission Professionals Is More Important Than Ever
As the high school population in the United States grows increasingly diverse, so too should those professionals who work on college campuses. Diversity is especially critical in college and university admission offices, write David Hawkins and Tara Nicola of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Looking Ahead to Diversifying the College Presidency
Despite the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that set a clearer path for women and minorities pursuing top leadership positions in both the public and private sectors, they remain underrepresented—including in higher education. A new data tool linked to ACE’s American College President Study 2017 helps explain what it will take for the presidency to reach gender and racial parity.
Policy Levers Leading the Way to Reentry for Incarcerated Students
We know that postsecondary education changes lives and provides a stepping-stone to prosperity. Though we recognize education’s transformative power, those who stand to benefit the most are often cut off from access—especially individuals in the criminal justice system.
Minority Serving Institutions Perform Better Than Federal Graduation Rates Suggest
A new report out from ACE’s Center for Policy Research and Strategy aims to provide a more complete picture of the contributions MSIs make to the higher education landscape and the communities in which they reside. The upshot: Ensuring the success of students of color requires further investment in the very institutions that educate them.
Geography and College Attainment: A Place-Based Approach
Place is an influential determinant of college opportunity and success. But geography should not be destiny. States and higher education institutions should adopt policies and practices that recognize place-based disadvantage, according to Roman Ruiz and Laura W. Perna of the University of Pennsylvania.
Building Family-Friendly Campuses: Strategies to Promote College Success Among Student Parents
While the share of parents enrolled in college has been steadily growing—according to the most recent data, the proportion of students with dependent children has increased 30 percent from 2004-12—the share of parenting students who complete college remains low. Melanie Kruvelis of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research looks at steps institutions can take to better understand and support students with families.
Beyond Graduation Rates: Why the Data Matter—and Why They Don’t
Carol Anderson and Patricia O’Brien of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education in New England discuss the Graduation Rate Information Project, an initiative to address low graduation rates at the institutions their organization accredits.
Food Is a Basic Need: Dealing With Hunger on College Campuses
Wick Sloane writes that more data is needed on the issue of campus hunger before a comprehensive solution can be advanced—and on that score, an upcoming study from Government Accountability Office is a welcome development. This is the second post in a new series, Beyond the Margins: Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students.
A New Accountability for Broadening Participation in STEM
Developing an appropriate accountability system for broadening participation is crucial to achieving a STEM workforce that reflects the diversity of the American population. Colleges and universities, on the front line of STEM research and education, must lead the way.