New Mexico is overhauling its public university funding to determine whether inequities need to be addressed. The Higher Education Sustainability Review examines the formulas used to fund higher education and recommends changes.
Gerald Horn, director of capital expenditures for the New Mexico Department of Higher Education, said he will examine potential inequities among all sectors, from colleges and universities to research institutions to independent community colleges and branch schools. .
“The difference between community colleges and research institutions is in how they are funded, so this study gives us an opportunity to examine that in more detail,” he said.
Although community colleges disproportionately serve low-income students and students of color, a 2020 study found that New Mexico's two-year colleges provide more education per student enrolled. Most come from states where the income is thousands of dollars less than a four-year college. Center for American Progress.
Hohne expects the study results to be available by mid-October, ahead of the 2025 legislative session, so lawmakers will have insight and be able to make changes they feel are necessary. The state Legislature allocated her $187 million to higher education in 2024. This is more than double his investment last year and makes him one of the largest investments in higher education in state history. Hoehne said efforts within his study will examine how New Mexico's funding compares to other states.
“To understand whether other states approach different types of systems differently and how changes may be able to be incorporated into the process to address those differences.” he continued.
The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems is conducting the equity survey on behalf of the national government.
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New York State's 2025 budget creates universal access to free application for federal student aid programs.
School districts across the state have resources available to help high school students complete their applications. Those who do not fill out must sign a waiver stating that they are aware of the assistance available but are not seeking it.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Andrew Gounardes, D-Sunset Park, said the information required by the FAFSA can be daunting.
“Some students and some families are ready and well-prepared to review that document and provide information, but others may not be,” Gounardes said. admitted. “For some students, especially if they're the first in their family to pursue college and are first-generation here, they may not even know where to turn to get that information.”
Some schools have reached the point where they charge $100,000 a year in tuition, which can deter students from pursuing further education, Gonaldo said. However, through the FAFSA process, scholarships and grants can provide enough funding to reduce that number to a more reasonable number. Sallie Mae's report showed that families are spending nearly $28,000 on college each year, and college spending is increasing.
Feedback on this proposal was positive, given that most high school seniors who complete the FAFSA are likely to attend college after graduation. Gnardo argued that states can make more progress by reviewing their admissions practices to ensure equity and avoid excluding students from certain backgrounds.
“In particular, I think the time has come to abolish the traditional admissions system,” Gounardes stressed. “There is no reason why we should have affirmative action for New York State's disadvantaged children, especially for educational institutions that receive large sums of public funding for grants, construction, awards, and all that.'' .”
He introduced a bill that would eliminate traditional admissions, which remains in committee. Forty-two percent of public and private universities in New York State are still considering admitting legacy applicants.
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More than 70% of adults with student loans report delaying at least one important event in their lives because of their debt situation, but a new Lumina Foundation/Gallup poll found they were less likely to pursue a bachelor's degree. It has been shown that few Americans appear to understand the costs involved.
The average cost of attendance for the 2021-22 academic year ranged from $10,000 a year at public two-year colleges to more than $56,000 a year at private nonprofit colleges.
Dr. Michelle Scott Taylor is the president of College Now Greater Cleveland, a nonprofit organization that works to increase access to higher education.
She said the topic of college tuition can be overwhelming for students who are potentially first-generation college students or from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
“The problem for some of these people is understanding what college actually costs, but more importantly, how they can afford it,” Taylor said. “What is the best way for me to cover the cost, no matter how much it costs?”
More than half of unenrolled and enrolled adults say cost is a “very important” reason for not enrolling or re-enrolling in college, according to a poll.
Undocumented adults and first-generation potential students of all races and ages consistently rate tuition as the most important factor in their decision not to pursue a college degree.
Taylor said more effort should also be put into helping students persevere and complete their degrees after applying for these loans.
He said higher education institutions can work more closely with university access organizations to communicate their programs and offerings in an attractive way that entices students to enroll.
“We want them to show a better return on investment,” Taylor said. “We would like to see a little more transparency about the cost and what it costs.”
According to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the number of undergraduate degree recipients nationwide decreased for the second consecutive year from 2022 to 2023.
This report was supported by the Lumina Foundation.
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Louisiana teachers' union leaders have expressed concern about a series of bills they say could have the effect of disbanding unions in the state.
The list includes House Bill 571, which would prohibit public agencies from paying union members for union-related activities, even while on paid leave.
Roberto Furtado, a special education teacher in the Jefferson Parish public school system, said the bill, if passed, would end collective bargaining and prohibit payroll deductions for union dues. Furtado said all of this will make it difficult for new teachers to join the union and further silence their voices.
“If you make it even more difficult for new and young teachers to participate, they're probably not going to do it because it's basically a barrier,” he said.
House Bill 572 would prohibit public agencies, with the exception of police and firefighters, from collectively bargaining with labor unions. Similar bills have been introduced in several states by conservative groups.
The teachers' union has posted a petition on its website asking teachers to sign it and send it to their legislators.
Educators in Louisiana say they are grappling with low wages, overcrowded classrooms and school safety issues. But state lawmakers have proposed budgets that would cut teachers' salaries, and the House Appropriations Committee proposed a spending plan that would cut teacher salaries from $2,000 this year to $1,300 next year.
Furtado said the end result is pushing talented teachers out of the profession.
“Teachers are an invaluable resource to our community, so we're looking for talented, well-rounded educators who want to be there and continue their work to help these young men and women. We need them because, again, they are our future,” he insisted. “It's a little corny to say this, but yes, our children are our future. If you don't take care of them, where is our future?”
The legislative committee also allocated $25 million for a differential teacher compensation strategy for the second year in a row. The union opposed this strategy, saying the raises were not permanent and could be taken away every year.
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