Dear Colleague:
The past academic year posed unprecedented challenges to the higher education and cultural sectors. While museums are now reopening and colleges and universities look forward to welcoming students, faculty, and staff back on campus this fall, serious challenges remain. In particular, we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an outsized impact on the most vulnerable communities we serve.
In this newsletter, we highlight our recent work that points to how leaders can begin to recognize and address some of these challenges, from understanding the impact of state policies on higher education attainment, to the budgetary issues that the scientific research enterprise are facing, to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women and caregivers in academia.
Increasing college attainment, especially for historically underserved students, while ensuring the college is affordable for low- and middle-income students, remains a priority in our work. In particular, our research focuses on prioritizing basic needs for community college students who are among the most vulnerable in higher education has been instrumental in moving the sector towards a more holistic understanding of how students experience college, and the challenges they face. Our team has produced evidence-driven recommendations on the value of leveraging collaboration and data to support the needs of community college students navigating ecosystems of support services.
We are also gratified to see that academic leaders and policymakers are using our research to make changes that will move the needle on higher education attainment. More and more colleges, universities, and states are paying attention to the pernicious problem of “stranded credits”–academic credits students earned but cannot access because they have unpaid balances at institutions they previously attended–and are releasing transcripts so that students can continue and complete their degree. And, we are seeing some movement at the federal level to address the higher educational needs of foster and homeless youth.
In the coming months, we look forward to providing updates on our initiatives, research, and collaborations with community members. As always, I hope that you’ll take time to share your feedback and let me know how we can make higher education stronger, together.
Sincerely,
Catharine Bond Hill
Managing Director, Ithaka S+R
Interview
Laura Brown, Senior Advisor for Ithaka S+R, interviews Reginald Dwayne Betts at The Next Wave. Betts shares insights about how access to education and knowledge played in his personal journey.
Upcoming workshop
We are collaborating with The Chronicle of Higher Education and Dever Justice LLC to provide a four-day comprehensive leadership series for department chairs this August. This virtual program is designed to provide chairs with the tools they need to succeed in their role.
In the News
May 12, 2021
Some colleges stop holding transcripts hostage over unpaid bills
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The Hechinger Report
May 4, 2021
Senior scientists speak out against “overwhelming” US security requirements
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Nature Index
May 4, 2021
Report: Provosts Support More Data Collection About Students’ Basic Needs
Arrman Kyaw
Diverse Education
May 3, 2021
A growing awareness of social justice, basic needs and data
Community College Daily
April 30, 2021
Investing in People in Prison is Good Policy — I Know from Experience
Darnell Epps
Gotham Gazette
April 28, 2021
Seeking Better Data in Hopes of Better Outcomes
Sara Weissman
Inside Higher Ed
April 14, 2021
Library Leaders Lack Confidence in Diversity Strategies
Lindsay McKenzie
Inside Higher Ed
April 8, 2021
States Step In To Stop Colleges Holding Transcripts Ransom For Unpaid Bills
Jon Marcus
NPR
April 5, 2021
Female professors have less time to research in the pandemic. It could force them out of academia, experts say
Caroline Kitchener
The Lily
March 31, 2021
Where Caregiving and Gender Intersect
Colleen Flaherty
Inside Higher Ed
March 22, 2021
Colleges are withholding transcripts and degrees from millions over unpaid bills
Jon Marcus
The Hechinger Report
March 18, 2021
Ithaka Library Director Survey on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Antiracism Reveals Disconnects
Lisa Peet
Library Journal
March 15, 2021
The Pandemic May Have Permanently Altered Campuses. Here’s How.
Francie Diep
The Chronicle of Higher Education
March 15, 2021
Ideas for Federal Policy to Encourage Socioeconomic Diversity
Scott Jaschik
Inside Higher Ed
March 15, 2021
Reopening, With Equity
Lilah Burke
Inside Higher Ed
February 25, 2021
University research budgets face potential roadblocks ahead: report
Natalie Schwartz
Higher Ed Dive
February 25, 2021
Covid’s drain on US academic science starts raising alarm
Times Higher Education
February 25, 2021
Pandemic ‘could undercut financing of US research support’
Robin Bisson
Research Professional News
February 25, 2021
Report: Research Support Funding Faces Risk
Rick Seltzer
Inside Higher Ed
February 10, 2021
A Major Obstacle To Graduating On Time: Colleges Hold Student Transcripts For Small Debts
Kirk Carapezza
WGBH
February 2, 2021
Beyond Books
Tabitha Whissemore
Community College Daily