After the troubled rollout of the new FAFSA application, students in Maryland are facing another obstacle. The Maryland College Aid Processing System website, also known as MDCaps, is temporarily down. Maryland’s higher education system cites several issues it’s facing transitioning MDCaps to the FAFSA form’s federal changes. Some problems include uploading completed MHEC One applications, inconsistencies in award amounts and errors with the document management process. But officials say relief should be on the way as institutions have already started processing new students. Read more from CB ..read more

The Oregon Community College Association named Abby Lee to the executive director’s post last week. Lee, of Fruitland, will relocate to Salem, Ore., and begin her new job on July 1. Lee had spent 25 years at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore., including 17 years as associate vice president of college and public relations. Lee also recently received her doctorate in public policy and administration from Boise State University. In March, she successfully defended her dissertation: “Oregon Community College Trustee Survey: A look at community college board members’ initial motivat ..read more

As the diversity of the U.S. population increased, more Hispanic and Latino, Black and African American students have enrolled in undergraduate programs over the last 20 years, according to data outlined in the report. However, completion rates have not risen accordingly—the number of Hispanic or Latino students earning bachelor’s degrees rose about 10 percent from 2002 to 2022, while the rates for white and Asian students grew even faster, widening the existing gaps. The data also reveal disparities in how students pay for college, with Black or African American undergraduate students borrowi ..read more

In a first for higher ed, Colorado lawmakers are taking a stab at cleaning up credit transfer loss in a new law signed by the governor this past weekend. The Institution of Higher Education Transparency Requirements, signed this weekend by Gov. Jared Polis, guarantees a “seamless transfer of course credit” by requiring all four-year institutions to compile a public report on all the credits they accept and reject, a first among all U.S. states. Furthermore, the act requires institutions rejecting a student’s credits to provide reasoning “in a timely response.” Students are afforded the right t ..read more

Spring sowed enrollment growth across various credential types, sectors and student demographics, according to the latest estimates from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. It marks the first year-over-year increase in spring enrollment since the pandemic and the second consecutive semester of gains. Overall enrollment grew by 2.5%, and all but six states saw increases with Georgia leading the pack at 6.1%. “Undergraduate enrollments are picking up steam,” said Doug Shapiro, executive director of the Clearinghouse. “With year-over-year growth this spring at twice the rate ..read more

Election season has voters thinking about higher education reform and what lawmakers can do to reduce costs and improve outcomes, according to a new survey by Third Way, a center-left think tank based out of Washington D.C. Of the 1,500 registered U.S. voters surveyed, nearly two-thirds (64%) believe action must be taken to address affordability and the ROI of college degrees, describing the two issues as “top” or “major” priorities. Affordability is the issue that voters across party lines unanimously agreed needed to be resolved the most. Over 81% of Republican and Democrat voters ..read more

The Council on Islamic-American Relations filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday challenging the legality of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order on campus free speech. The order directs the state’s public universities to update their free speech policies to combat activities the governor describes as antisemitic, and names Students for Justice in Palestine as one of the groups that should be punished. CAIR’s complaint argues that “Governor Abbott’s executive order, along with the campus-level efforts to comply with it, are obvious attempts to illegally suppress a viewpoint critical of ..read more

This agreement aims to create new opportunities for students and alumni to pursue a BA focused in Education. Unlike transfer agreements already in place between SAU Tech and four year institutes, the students accepted into the program will be able to maintain a full time job and remain in this community. Reach University offers a unique opportunity for students to transition into a four year degree program after completing their two year degree requirements. The participating students will earn degree credits while working for the K12 school district, while also participating in distance learn ..read more

After a nationwide search, Madison College has named Dr. Beth Giles-Klinkner as the new provost. Giles-Klinkner was one of three finalists for the position and will step into the new role immediately. She has served as Madison College Interim Provost during the 2023-24 academic year after the retirement of Dr. Turina Bakken. Her early career experiences teaching in an urban setting fueled her decision to pursue a Ph.D. to be best prepared to address educational inequity at a systemic level. Read more from WKOW. The post Madison College names Dr. Beth Giles-Klinkner new provost appeared first ..read more

Wyoming gives out 99.8% more financial aid to its undergraduate students than its neighbor, Montana, which averages just $36 per scholar. That’s according to a new analysis of financial aid distribution from the scholarship search website Scholaroo. The researchers collected data on the average aid amount per undergraduate to capture the “nationwide panorama of federal financial aid distribution,” the analysis reads. “This analysis serves as a valuable resource for students, educators, policymakers and advocacy groups, empowering them to advocate for fair and equitable access to higher educati ..read more