Val Schweigert’s Post

My latest deep dive, with Brian O'Leary: With enrollment among white students dropping faster than any other group, colleges face a dilemma: how to change recruitment efforts to attract more white students while also trying to fix persistent racial inequities for a population that will soon make up the majority of students.

How can higher education institutions better support diverse student needs? Recent research conducted by Gallup and Lumina Foundation suggests that Black and Hispanic students are more likely to consider leaving their programs due to emotional stress, mental health issues, and cost concerns, which are consistent across all racial/ethnic groups. While overall enrollment has slightly improved, Black and Hispanic undergraduates still face higher risks of leaving their programs compared to their White peers. Certificate and associate programs are more attractive to unenrolled Black and Hispanic Americans, with financial aid crucial for their enrollment. Therefore, financial aid and scholarships are pivotal in attracting Black and Hispanic adults to enroll in postsecondary programs more than White adults. Higher education institutions must take concrete steps to retain underrepresented students to increase inclusivity and address discrimination. By doing so, we ensure that everyone can pursue their educational and career goals. #HigherEdDiversity #StudentRetention #FinancialAidMatters #InclusiveEducation #StudentWellbeing #EducationEquity

...and No One is Sure Why. Really? Go back and read the literature. Many studies have identified that those with privilege benefit the least from college credentials. PRB 2010: College Education Benefits Some More Than Others "... found that the financial return from a college degree is three times higher for men from a disadvantaged background than for more privileged men. For women, college was twice as valuable for the disadvantaged group. College yielded a lower return for Americans from more privileged backgrounds presumably because they had advantages through their families and social standing that also conferred valuable opportunities." 'Whiteness' and 'Affluence' provide privileges that outpace education. For decades we have known that whites earn more, have higher FICO scores, have less debt, and have greater generational wealth than do blacks with the same education level. There are significant racial inequities (the impact of racism) in employment and income at every level of educational attainment. For affluent whites, doors open and opportunities exist because of their race and family wealth. We have known this and it is documented in the literature. White America does not want to acknowledge that RACISM is the driving force behind inequality and inequity. They push the false narrative that education is the great equalizer and that society is color-blind, when the evidence documents the opposite - racial inequities are exacerbated as educational attainment increases. #Racism #Disparities

Achieving racial equity in college admissions is a multifaceted challenge that requires a holistic approach. For policymakers and education leaders, it's imperative to prioritize early childhood education as a fundamental component of our efforts to advance racial equity in college admissions and beyond. #Equity #RacialEquity #EducationEquity

The recent Supreme Court decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions is starting to have a significant impact on students' application approaches. At some of the nation's most selective universities, including Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, more students in the incoming 2024 freshman class are opting not to indicate their race on applications. This trend, which began in 2023, has raised questions about the ruling's long-term effects on diversity in higher education. The Defender spoke with Dr. Bequita Pegram, a History Lecturer at Prairie View A&M University, who sees the reasons behind this shift as clear. Students are worried about facing discrimination. The data shows a decline in the enrollment of Black and Hispanic students at some universities, while others have seen increases. The question remains: Can colleges create diverse campuses without knowing the racial backgrounds of their students? What are your thoughts on this issue? How do you think universities can maintain diverse student bodies without self-reported racial data? https://lnkd.in/g2822jDJ #collegeadmissions #diversity #affirmativeaction #raceincollege #studentapplications

The residue of racism and discrimination throughout our nation’s history continues to put historically underrepresented groups at a disadvantage, beginning at birth and accumulating over their educational experiences and working lives. Race-neutral admissions models can maintain or increase representation for underrepresented racial groups at selective colleges. But they offer much less potential than race-conscious approaches to substantially increase representation among Black and Hispanic students so that selective colleges’ student bodies come close to mirroring the demographics of graduating high school students. While fall enrollment numbers suggest that achieving a racially diverse class isn’t impossible without affirmative action—it is a lot harder. Our team explores how colleges can achieve racially diverse classes in an op-ed for Inside Higher Ed: https://lnkd.in/evvYn6GY

Per this college professor, the end of affirmative action has spelled out significant changes that have downstream consequences for student outcomes, although some universities have also increased efforts to enroll a diverse student body. #GreatCollegeAdvice #StudentDiversity #AffirmativeAction

Per this college professor, the end of affirmative action has spelled out significant changes that have downstream consequences for student outcomes, although some universities have also increased efforts to enroll a diverse student body. #GreatCollegeAdvice #StudentDiversity #AffirmativeAction

Postsecondary enrollment rates in the U.S. saw a slight improvement in Fall 2023, but overall rates remain low. Community colleges and short-term credential programs drove the modest increase, while bachelor's programs continue to struggle. There were also small gains among historically underrepresented Black and Hispanic undergraduates. Leaders and policymakers must understand these groups' experiences and attitudes to improve enrollment and the impact of higher education for more Americans. #HigherEducation #EnrollmentRates #DiversityAndInclusion

ICYMI from Liam Knox/IHE admissions coverage: Selective colleges have started releasing much-anticipated demographic data for the Class of 2028, the first to be admitted after the Supreme Court banned affirmative action last summer. The picture is far from complete, but the slow trickle of data from about a dozen institutions clearly shows that the decision had an impact.    Some colleges, such as MIT, Brown and Amherst, reported a double-digit percentage-point decline in Black and Hispanic enrollment, and most saw a sizable increase in Asian American enrollment, though the share of white students remained largely stable. But results varied widely among institutions; some, including Duke and Yale, even saw their share of Black and Hispanic incoming students grow this fall.    https://lnkd.in/e5vFAH-d