Supporting

Student Success:
Case Studies in
Making College
More Affordable
One of the most rewarding aspects about leading an institution is the ability to transform the lives
of students. Fourteen years ago, when I became president of UCNJ Union College of Union County,
NJ, I had the opportunity to do just that.

With a graduation rate of 5.9%, UCNJ was the worst performing community college in New Jersey.
With the hard work and determination of our faculty, staff, and students, and with the support of
our board, we were able to quintuple our IPEDS graduation rate and achieve some of the highest
student success outcomes in the state.

By meeting with students and hearing about the barriers to their success, we learned that financial
concerns about how they will pay for college along with the expenses of day-to-life, was the
primary reason they could not persist at UCNJ and earn their degrees.

Everyone in education is talking about food insecurity. Many are now discussing housing insecurity.
Well, textbook and learning resource insecurity is a huge issue for college students at UCNJ and, I
imagine, many colleges and universities across the country. When students must decide between
buying their course materials or feeding their children, it’s not hard to see why they were choosing
to go without the tools they needed to be successful.

Previously, over half of our student population did not have textbooks and other required course
materials they needed going into week three of classes. When we discovered that, we knew we had
to do something.

We do not want the price of textbooks to be an obstacle for students.

Cengage was a great partner during our transition to affordable course materials. Through our
partnership, we give every student access to Cengage Unlimited for a flat rate, predictable to both
the student and UCNJ, no matter how many resources they use from the Cengage library. Over half
of our students opt-in to Cengage Unlimited, and thank us all the time, as they, and our faculty,
recognize how it helps “level the playing field” so that all students can start the semester with
their textbooks and instructional materials on day-one.

This booklet dives deep into the broad range of issues associated with the increasing costs of
higher education and what some leaders are doing to drive meaningful change.

I urge other presidents and campus leaders to consider options that may seem outside the box.
Innovation allows us to pave the way for the future learners while ensuring our current ones make
it across the finish line. When we open opportunities for all and make education more accessible,
we create pathways to transform the lives of our students.

Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin

President
UCNJ
Union College of Union County, NJ
Introduction

Paying for college consistently ranks as a top concern for students considering stopping
out or otherwise at risk of leaving their institution without a credential. It’s no wonder:
According to one study on college affordability by the National College Attainment
Network, just 31 percent of public four-year colleges and 63 percent of two-year colleges
are considered affordable. And in Inside Higher Ed/Generation Lab’s annual Student
Voice survey of two- and four-year college students, the No. 1 thing respondents said
their institutions could do to promote their academic success—by far and across nearly
every demographic group and institution type—is “make tuition more affordable.”
That’s so these students can better balance academics with finances, work or both.

While tuition and fees are often the biggest financial responsibilities students face,
they’re not the only ones. There are living expenses, books, supplies, activities and
more—what’s sometimes referred to as the “cost of attendance” or even the “hidden
costs” of college. These expenditures add up, especially as college students experience
higher levels of food and housing insecurity than the general population.

Financial emergencies can also threaten student success. In one survey by Trellis
Research, for example, some 57 percent of students indicated they would have difficulty
finding $500 in cash or credit for an emergency in the next month, with 15 percent of
those saying they would be completely unable to find $500 in an emergency. Rates are
even higher among certain groups of students.

While there’s no single solution to what’s been called the college affordability crisis,
institutions, policymakers and other leaders are taking steps—big and small—to help
make college more financially manageable for students.

This compilation of articles by Inside Higher Ed is an attempt to chronicle some of those

efforts, while further highlighting how the constellation of college costs can threaten
student success.

The first part of this booklet offers further information on college costs and their
implications for student success and the ongoing college value debate, disparities in
financial security levels among students and more. The latter portion of the booklet
explores ideas and initiatives aimed at lowering costs for students to promote their
success, such as how housing assistance boosts graduation rates for housing-insecure
learners. Other articles look at using financial aid data to help students meet basic
needs, free college efforts and even whether artificial intelligence can reduce higher
education costs in ways that benefit students.

The affordability crisis has so many implications for student success and the future of
higher ed itself. Thanks for helping think through possible solutions–big and small–
with us.

—Colleen Flaherty
Special Content Editor
[email protected]

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 3

Take Control of Your
Institution’s Affordability
Initiative
Find the right way to help students save.
When it comes to affordability models, it’s easy to get caught up
in the buzzwords — but helping your students save shouldn’t
be complicated. This guidebook will demystify the most popular
affordability models, with help from higher ed thought leaders
and data-backed case studies.
Inside, we’ll answer your most pressing questions, including:
• What’s the difference between “equitable”
and “inclusive” access?
• How does academic freedom come into play?
• What do pricing models look like in simple terms?
Get your copy of “Your Guide to Understanding Course Material
Models” to learn about the different ways you can boost
affordability at your institution.

Get the eBook

 NEWS
May 29, 2024
STUDENT SUCCESS

Students, Parents and Voters Agree

—Higher Ed Costs Too Much
Americans still believe in the power of a college degree, but the sticker shock
of tuition and fees causes many to doubt the economic value, reducing access.
By Ashley Mowreader

While most people believe in the value of postsecondary education,

high costs limit access and create doubt on the return on investment.
iStock/Getty Images Plus

H igher education’s value has come under public

scrutiny in recent years, with fewer U.S. adults confident
icans is they don’t believe higher education is worth the
cost students are paying—or the debt they’re accruing—
in the benefits of a college degree. compared to the salaries they’re earning. New data from
Pew Research Center, released May 24, finds almost half
“For voters and people who are interested in pursuing
(47 percent) of Americans only believe college is worth it
and want to pursue a higher education—we’ve spent
if students don’t take out loans.
many years asking them that exact question: how do
you define value? And overwhelmingly, not to oversim- A recent Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed, con-
plify, but it is primarily economic,” said Angela Kuefler, a ducted by Generation Lab, found the majority of students
partner at Global Strategy Group, at a panel discussion believe their education has value but only 7 percent agree
at Third Way’s Value in Higher Ed Summit. higher education institutions, in general, offer good value
When evaluated further, a sticking point for most Amer- for what they charge for an undergraduate degree.

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 5

 Students, Parents and Voters Agree—Higher Ed Costs Too Much (cont.)
Higher Ed Generally Una ordable,
Higher Ed Generally Unaffordable, to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Students Say
Students Say In 2023–24, the average published tuition and fees for
Students share their feelings on the a ordability of their full-time students at a public four-year in-state institu-
Students share their feelings on the affordability
college education. tion was $11,260, 2.5 percent higher year-over-year be-
of their college education.
All students Low-income fore adjusting for inflation. A private nonprofit four-year
All student Low-income
institution averaged $41,540, 4 percent higher year-
Higher education institutions
Higher education 68% over-year before inflation.
in general institutions
charge too much
in general
for an undergraduate
charge too much degree.
for an
69%
undergraduate degree.
A Brookings Institution evaluation of colleges’ posted
My institution charges too
My institution charges
much for an undergraduate
too much for an
32% costs versus actual cost students pay is much lower, de-
degree.
undergraduate degree. 30% pending on a family’s annual income, though still rising.
HigherHigher
education institutions
education institutions However, four in 10 Student Voice survey respondents
in generalinogeneral
er good
offer value for
good value
7%
what theythey
charge for
foran
for what
undergraduate
charge
undergraduate degree.
an
degree. 7% say their institution’s sticker price is too high.

My institution o ers good

My institution offers good
value value
for what it charges
26% Additionally, 38 percent of respondents say the general
for what it chargesfor
for
an undergraduate
an undergraduate degree.
degree. 25% public underestimates the actual price of college. A Gal-
41%
lup-Lumina Foundation survey found only 23 percent of
My institutionʼs sticker sticker
My institution’s price
is too
price is toohigh.
high.
37%
adults without degrees could guess the cost of a bache-
lor’s degree within $5,000 of its price tag, highlighting a
25%
My institutionʼs net pricenet
My institution’s is
price is sufficiently
su iciently a affordable.
ordable.
lack of transparency around costs of higher ed.
23%

TheThe
general public
Who’s paying for it? When confronted with this high
general public 10%
overestimates thetheactual
overestimates
priceprice
of a of
college
actual
degree.
a college degree.
price, many students say they turn to loans to pay for
8%
their degree, which can leave them in debt and reduce
TheThe
general public
underestimates
general public
underestimates thetheactual
actual
38% their total earnings after graduating, hurting the overall
priceprice
of a of
college degree.
a college degree.
40% return on investment.
1%
None ofofthese.
None these. High school students considering their plans after grad-
1%
uation say they worry about how they will pay for college
(62 percent) and 45 percent plan to take out student loans,
0%
5%

%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70

Source: StudentSource: Student

Voice April Voice
2024 flash April
survey 2024
• Student flash survey
responses • Student
to the question, “What
according to ECMC Group data from this past summer.
statements do responses toregarding
you agree with the question,
value and“What statements
a ordability do you agree
in higher education? (select any/all
that apply)” n=1,206. Low-incomevalue
with regarding students areaffordability
and identified by family income under
in higher $50,000. Students
education? A 2023 survey from College Ave Student Loans found 46
self-identified(select
as receiving financial
any/all that aidapply)”
from the FAFSA.
n=1,206. Low-income students are
identified by family income under $50,000. Students self-
percent of current students say they’re going to use fed-
identified as receiving financial aid from the FAFSA. eral student loans to pay for college and 20 percent are
going to use private student loans.

A college degree still holds its historic value in boosting In 2023, 70 percent of parents with college-bound chil-
a young person’s earnings, and those with a degree are dren said they worry about having enough money to pay
less likely to be in poverty, but high costs of entry prove a for college, a 4 percentage-point increase compared to
barrier to access and enrollment for many. the year prior, according to a poll from Discover Card.
Rising costs. Almost seven in 10 (69 percent) Student The number of parents who say they will pay for all of
Voice respondents say higher education institutions in their child’s education (27 percent) is also on the decline
general charge too much for an undergraduate education. (39 percent in 2022).

The cost of higher education has steadily increased over Families of traditional-aged students are also wary of
the past decade across nonprofit institutions, according the high price. Parents say college is necessary to find

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 6

Students, Parents and Voters Agree—Higher Ed Costs Too Much (cont.)

a good job (73 percent), but nearly half (46 percent) say respondents (53 percent) say financial aid and scholar-
they question whether it’s still a good investment, many ship is just as important as their confidence in the value
(68 percent) are concerned about student debt com- of the degree and credential (53 percent).
pared to post-college earnings.
“It goes back to this idea of needing very, very clearly ar-
Buck stops here: High costs also limit access for stu- ticulated connections between the courses you’re going
dents and determine which institution they’ll enroll in, or to take and the potential jobs and careers that you could
if they enroll at all. end up with,” Ajinkya said.

A September 2023 Spark451 poll found 30 percent of Working individuals say the cost of tuition (56 percent) is
parents said their child would have attended a different what prevents them from pursuing additional education,
college if money was not a factor. Over half of high school seeing more value in credentials than a four-year degree.
students ruled out a college or university because of the
cost and the majority of students rank cost as among Institutional leaders are noting current students have
the most important factors in their enrollment decision, tightened their purse strings as well. Colleges reported
alongside academic quality and availability of majors. an increase in students and families filing requests to
adjust their financial aid eligibility during the COVID-19
“Some of the best data tells us unequivocally, higher pandemic, which has since leveled off.
education is going to leave you better off economically,”
Julie Ajinkya, senior adviser at HCM Strategists said at The Trellis Strategies fall 2023 student wellness survey
Third Way’s summit. “It’s hard for myself as an individ- found 71 percent of college students report experienc-
ROI of higher ed, low-income
ing financial and financial
difficulties aid
or challenges while in college.
ual to really understand what a million dollars over the    
By Ashley Mowreader on 22 May 2024
course of a lifetime means, whereas immediately, I know I Among currently enrolled students who have considered
have certain bills, I know that I have to worry about hous- stopping out, 31 percent cite cost as a reason.
ing and other basic needs.” Students See Future Benefit In Higher Ed
Is it worth it? Overwhelmingly, polling finds a majority
The Gallup-Lumina Foundation study Total
found, share of studentsʼ
among stu- view
of people of the
believe return
in the valueon
of investment in
some postsecondary
college,
dents who would enroll in college, the same number of compared to low-income peers
education.
All students Low-income Receive federal aid
Students See Future 50%
Benefit In Higher Ed
45% 45%
Total share of students’ view 40%
39% 38%
of the return on investment
in college, compared to low- 30%
income peers
20%
All student
Low-income
10%
Receive
federal aid 7% 8% 7% 8% 8% 9%
1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
0%
le le on le le r
ab ab ini ab ab he
alu lu p alu alu Ot
ly v t va noo ly v ll v
h ha l/ al ta
Hig e w tra t re ta
S om N eu No No

Source: Student Voice April 2024 flash survey • Student responses to the question, “Think about how much you are learning in
college and how you think it will benefit your future relative to the cost of attendance. How would you rate the value of your college
education?” n=1,206. Low-income students are identified by family income under $50,000. Students self-identified as receiving
financial aid from the FAFSA.

Source: Student Voice April 2024 flash survey • Student responses to the question, “Think about how
muchinyou
Supporting Student Success: Case Studies are learning
Making Collegein college and how you think it will benefit your future relative to the cost of
More Affordable 7
attendance. How would you rate the value of your college education?” n=1,206. Low-income
students are identified by family income under $50,000. Students self-identified as receiving financial
Students, Parents and Voters Agree—Higher Ed Costs Too Much (cont.)

• Student Voice—83 percent of students say the value get a well-paying job in today’s economy, and half say
of their college is somewhat or highly valuable, con- it’s less important to have a four-year degree to get a
sidering their learning and future benefit versus the well-paying job today than it was 20 years ago.
cost of attendance.
So what? For higher education leaders, understanding
• Gallup and the Lumina Foundation—71 percent of the concerns students hold in pursuing higher education
bachelor’s degree students strongly agree or agree can help in addressing them and making sure students
that the degree they’re receiving is worth the cost. get their return on investment.
• Third Way—80 percent of voters say a four-year col- Career pathways can be one way to connect students to
lege degree is valuable. tangible goals they can aspire to and help them see how
• CollegeAve—Eight in 10 students say a college degree their education connects to their lives beyond, Ajinkya
is crucial for their future. said.

On a fiscal level, research shows that the average col- Promoting career services, along with scholarships, can
lege degree program does produce a financial return on also address concerns for potential students, Kuefler said.
investment. The Institute for Higher Education Policy
Demystifying the admissions process can also help stu-
(IHEP) found 83 institutions, who represent 93 percent
dents feel more confident in their decisions. “As students
of students, receive a minimum economic economic re-
are applying to college, they feel like outsiders in the
turn on investment within 10 years of starting college.
process, everything just feels super-secret and vague,
But whether a four-year degree is the most valuable in- almost like it was designed to confuse you,” Ajinkya said.
vestment a student could make remains up for debate. “Until we clarify that whole process, and help students
Four in 10 Pew respondents say it’s not too or not at all understand what it actually takes, what it will cost, we’re
important to have a four-year college degree in order to going to see a lot of confusion.” ■

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higher-education-not-worth-it-students

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 8

 NEWS
April 24, 2024
STUDENTS

Understanding Disparities in Financial Security

A new report analyzes how race, ethnicity and gender
impact the financial stability of college students.
By Kathryn Palmer

Black, Latine and female college students experience higher rates of financial insecurity
than their white and male peers, according to a new report from Jobs for the Future.
William_Potter/iStock/Getty Images Plus

B lack and Latine college students are far more like-

ly to face financial hardships than their white peers. And
To achieve that, JFF partnered with Trellis Strategies, a
higher education research and consulting firm, and ana-
regardless of race or ethnicity, female students are more lyzed Trellis’s 2022 financial wellness survey of more than
likely than men to experience financial insecurities. 30,000 students from 89 postsecondary institutions
across 23 states.
Those are two of the biggest takeaways from “Unveiling
Disparities: Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Gaps in Student Controlling for factors such as age, gender, credits accu-
Financial Insecurity and Proposed Solutions,” a new re- mulated, parenting status and institution type, Joy and
port published Wednesday by Jobs for the Future (JFF), a her team used the data to identify racial, ethnic and gen-
nonprofit focused on education and the workforce. der gaps in students’ abilities to cover the cost of food,
housing, utilities, medical care, child care and a $500
“We know that financial insecurity presents many obsta-
emergency expense.
cles to postsecondary persistence and completion,” said
Lois Joy, research director at JFF and co-author of the “Black and Latine students are walking in the door from
report. “What we didn’t see was a large-scale analysis of situations where they face more inequality in various
racial, ethnic and gender differences in the incidents of fi- parts of our economy, labor market and educational sys-
nancial insecurity.” tem,” Joy said. “We wanted to capture what they’re com-

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 9

 Understanding Disparities in Financial Security (cont.)

ing in the door with because it’s going to be different than female college students, regardless of their race or ethnic-
white students.” ity, experience financial difficulties more often than men.

Black students were about twice as likely as white stu- Jobs for the Future: Disparities,
Women were Racial
almost twice as likely and
as men Ethnic
to report that Ga
dents to struggle to pay for basic needs. And although the By Justin
they would Morrison
struggle to on 23 Apr
handle 2024
a $500 emergency, 1.5
gaps for Latine students weren’t quite as wide, they were times more likely to use food assistance, 1.4 times more
about 1.5 times more likely than white students to need likely to require housing assistance, 1.3 times more likely
assistance paying for food, utilities and medical care. to draw on utility assistance and 1.6 times more likely to
seek financial help for medical care. Among student-par-

Racial and
Racial and Ethnic Ethnic
Gaps
Financial Insecurity
in Student Gaps in Student Financial Insec ents, women were two times more likely than men to need
child care assistance.

Black Latine
Gender
Gender Gap inGap inFinancial
Student Finan
Black Latine
Student Insecurity
4
All Women
All Women
Times More Likely Compared to White Students

2.5

3
2
Times More Likely Compared to Men

2 1.5

1
1

0.5

0
0
cy

ty

re

e
nc
sin
o

ili

Ca
n

Fo

cy

od

ty

e
ge

nc
ta

ar
in
Ut
u

ili
n

Fo

us
l

lC
ge

ta
Ho

sis

Ut
ica
er

Ho

sis
ica
er
Em

As
ed

Em

As
ed
l

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ta

00
00

n
$5
n

re
$5

re

Pa
Pa

Source: Jobs for the Future: Unveiling Disparities Source: Jobs for the Future: Unveiling Disparities

“These results aren’t surprising,” said Nicole Smith, While it’s well-known that mothers are more likely to bear
Source: Jobs foratthe
Chief Economist the Future: Unveiling
Georgetown Disparities
University Center the responsibility of managing child care than fathers,
on Education and the Workforce. “What we’re dealing Joy said there may be another underlying issue heighten-
with here is intergenerational passing down of financial ing financial insecurities for female students: Women are
insecurity a lot of students are trying to get out of with a more likely to enter career fields like nursing and teaching
TEMPLATE CREDITS
college degree.” that require more education to make salaries comparable
Line, bar and pie charts by Flourish team to what men can earn in high-demand trades.
But race wasn’t the only factor to correlate with higher
rates of student financial insecurity, the report found; “Access to higher-paying quality jobs for women tends

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 10

Understanding Disparities in Financial Security (cont.)

to require a secondary degree,” said Joy, who noted that are extremely likely to struggle with that debt especially
some of the more lucrative trade professions aren’t as if they come from households and communities that have
accessible for women as they are for men. “Apprentice- historically struggled to build wealth.”
ships in good-paying construction and electrician jobs
Black and female students of all demographics were more
are overwhelmingly still male-dominated. The on-ramps
likely than other students to rely on loans to fund college,
for women haven’t been built.”
according to the report. While Latine students were less
Closing the Gaps likely to depend on loans, they joined Black and female
students in reporting lower levels of confidence about
But both female and male student-parents were more
their ability to pay off debt after graduation compared to
likely than their nonparent peers to encounter financial in-
their white and male peers.
securities. Student-parents tend to rely much more heav-
ily on social assistance for food and medical assistance To correct such disparities, JFF’s report suggests a three-
programs than nonparents, according to the report. They pronged solution: equipping colleges with basic needs
were also 1.5 times more likely to say they’d have difficulty centers, making federal, state and local assistance pro-
paying for a $500 emergency. grams more accessible to students, and collecting more
data on student financial wellbeing.
The report also noted that how students pay for their col-
lege education influences their financial stability. Com- “Colleges could use that data to understand the needs
pared to students using personal savings and family of their students and how to service them,” Joy said.
assistance, those who relied on grants, loans and schol- “They’d have a clear picture to be able to show policy-
arships reported more financial insecurity, including an makers what’s contributing to these stop-out gaps.”
inability to cover food, housing, medical care and unex-
Shaun Harper, a professor at the University of Southern
pected emergencies.
California’s Race and Equity Center, said JFF’s report “is
“It’s not surprising at all to see students who are relying on timely, given the current politicized attacks on diversity,
Pell Grants struggle to repay the costs that the Pell Grant equity and inclusion in higher education.” And because
isn’t covering,” said Mark Huelsman, director of policy the inequities outlined in the report aren’t “raceless, a
and advocacy at The Hope Center at Temple University. raceless approach to addressing them won’t work,” he
“Loans can also provide a foot in the door for financing said. “In fact, colorblindness is almost guaranteed to ex-
higher ed, but at what cost? Students who take on debt acerbate these disparities.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 11

 NEWS
April 18, 2024
STUDENT SUCCESS

Report: Cost of College, Stress Pushes

Students to Consider Stopping Out
New survey data identifies trends among students who left college
and those who are still enrolled but seriously consider leaving.
By Ashley Mowreader

Student survey data shows the cost of college can be a barrier to

learners’ completion, graduation and overall student success.
Kameleon007/iStock/Getty Images Plus

A cross the U.S., there are over 40.4 million people

who have completed some college but have not earned Methodology
a credential.
The report draws on data from two groups: 1,029 under-
graduate students, ages 18 to 30, in a two- or four-year
A new study from student loan provider Sallie Mae, “How
college program, and 427 young adults of the same ages
America Completes College 2024,” conducted by Ipsos, who started a two- or four-year program but stopped out
finds a quarter of current college students are at risk of before completing.
stopping out or being dismissed from their institution,
The survey was distributed June 2023.
and the primary concern is the cost of tuition.

First-generation students were more likely than their An additional 12 percent considered leaving, but not too
continuing-generation peers to consider leaving their seriously.
program or were at risk of dismissal, indicating a need
First-generation students were more likely to say they
for greater supports for this group, as well.
have considered leaving college or face a dismissal risk
Risk factors: About two-thirds of students said they’d (41 percent) compared to their continuing-generation
never considered leaving school, compared to a quarter peers (18 percent). Students from low-income families,
who seriously thought about it or are at risk of dismissal. similarly, had higher risk factors (33 percent) compared

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 12

Report: Cost of College, Stress Pushes Students
to Consider Stopping Out (cont.)

to those from middle- or high-income backgrounds (18 First-gen needs: First-generation students were dis-
and 16 percent, respectively). proportionately represented in students who had con-
sidered leaving college, with over half (52 percent) con-
Students at community colleges also had a higher risk
sidering leaving at some point and 41 percent seriously
of stopping out or being dismissed from their institution
considering stopping out.
(37 percent).

The No. 1 reason students have thought about leaving Six in 10 first-generation students said external fac-
school is due to financial challenges (30 percent), fol- tors played a role in their decision to continue college.
lowed by motivation or life changes (24 percent) and One-quarter (24 percent) cited wanting to earn a degree
mental health challenges (18 percent). to support their family, 21 percent felt an expectation
from their family to attend college and 19 percent wanted
This is on-par with national data from Gallup and the Lu- to be the first in their family to attend college.
mina Foundation, which identified emotional stress (54
percent), mental health reasons (43 percent) and the In addition, first-generation students were more likely
cost of a degree (31 percent) as the top factors in stu- to say prioritizing mental health (58 percent) and living
dents having considered leaving their programs. away from home (25 percent) were difficult, compared to
their peers (44 percent and 11 percent, respectively).
Some of the financial challenges these students have
include meeting the cost of tuition (53 percent) and the

“
cost of additional expenses including books, living costs
and food (50 percent).

On-track trends: Around two-thirds (64 percent) of

Sallie Mae’s survey respondents had never considered
leaving school. Among these students who are on-track
to graduate:
Financial
• 97 percent committed to attending college while in challenges are a primary
high school
driver of non-completion and
• 90 percent of students started college immediately are a top reason at-risk students
after high school have considered leaving school.
• 73 percent started with an idea of the exact career or First-generation students face these
major they wanted to pursue obstacles disproportionately more
• 88 percent believe attending college will help them than those students with parents
obtain their dream job who completed college.
• 68 percent discussed scholarships with their family
“How America Completes College 2024,”
Ipsos/Sallie Mae
• 56 percent discussed how much college was going to
cost prior to enrolling with their family

• 69 percent say living away from home is easy

• 59 percent say living with roommates is easy

“
• 52 percent say meeting new people and making
friends is easy for them

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 13

Report: Cost of College, Stress Pushes Students
to Consider Stopping Out (cont.)

Identifying stop outs: The survey also collected perspec-

tives of young adults (those under 30) who had decided to
leave college without earning a credential or degree. A Comeback Story
A February report from California Competes iden-
Of students who had stopped out of college, 48 percent tifies four areas colleges and university leaders can
said financial challenges played a role in their decision to help stopped out learners enroll and complete their
leave school, followed by motivation or life changes (42 college degrees.
percent). Academic challenges (26 percent), social or Read more here.
school life (25 percent) and mental health challenges (22
percent) were less common reasons learners left college.

Students who left due to financial concerns were more What helps: Stopped-out students said additional fi-
likely to say it was easy to manage the social (72 per- nancial resources (41 percent) would have helped them
cent) and academic (73 percent) elements of college stay in college, as well as more flexible class schedules
compared to all stopped out learners (58 percent and 55 (20 percent) and additional mental health resources
percent, respectively). (20 percent).

Three in 10 stopped-out learners reported they have Students also requested online and hybrid class options
plans to go back to higher education within the next year (19 percent), additional employment resources (18 per-
and 14 percent have concrete plans to return within the cent) and more opportunities to meet friends and get
next five years. involved in social organizations (18 percent). ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 14

 NEWS
February 06, 2024
STUDENTS

Differential Tuition Is Popular. But Is It Equitable?

Colleges have long charged more for costly programs like nursing and engineering.
Some put money back into scholarships meant to offset negative impacts.
By Johanna Alonso

At many universities across the country, engineering majors pay

more in tuition or fees than their history-major peers.
illustration by Justin Morrison/Inside Higher Ed | Rawpixel

A s the secretary of college affordability for the Illi-

nois State University Student Government Association,
programs in the hopes of funding the top supplies, facili-
ties and faculty in those areas.
Ross Vancil advocates for students on the issue of ed-
To Vancil, whose majors—legal studies and political sci-
ucational cost. Nevertheless, he’d never heard of the
ence—will not be impacted by the tuition differentials,
concept of differential tuition until ISU administrators
the change makes perfect sense.
briefed the SGA on the model, which the university’s
board approved in late January. “Currently, the cost is subsidized by other programs that
That’s not surprising; the practice of differential tui- don’t use as much money,” he said. “By having differen-
tion—requiring students in different classes, majors or tial tuition, those programs will be able to pay for them-
academic years to pay more than baseline tuition—isn’t selves.”
widely known. But it is a popular strategy for colleges
Differential tuition has existed in some form or another
nationwide to offset the costs of majors that require,
since the 1970s, according to Casey E. George, an asso-
say, specialized equipment, advanced labs or higher-
ciate professor of higher education administration at the
than-average salaries for professors.
University of Louisville who studies the practice at pub-
ISU is seeking to do just that. Starting next year, the uni- lic research universities. Historically, differential tuition
versity will raise the tuition price for students in several has been applied to majors that are expensive to offer,

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 15

Differential Tuition Is Popular. But Is It Equitable? (cont.)

such as engineering, business, nursing and computer from their higher tuition rate will contribute to expanding
science. that lab.

But that has changed over the years, George noted. At “[Differential tuition] allows us to give more students the
some institutions, students are being charged extra for opportunity to get that education that they’re already
majors that are not traditionally seen as costlier, like art. saying they want to get at ISU,” Yazedjian said.
More and more colleges are also introducing tuition dif-
Other universities that have implemented differential tu-
ferentials for upperclassmen, which former Iowa State
ition have put the extra bucks toward similar goals. The
University president Steven Leath attributed to the “in-
University of Wisconsin at Madison began charging extra
creasingly specialized coursework, learning opportuni-
tuition to juniors and seniors studying business in 2007
ties, personalized instruction, smaller classes that you
and has since expanded the practice to engineering and
get as you proceed through your undergraduate edu-
cation” when he proposed the model in 2016. Other col- nursing majors as well as underclassmen majoring in
leges choose instead to impose sliding fees on students business.
in different departments. According to Greg Bump, a spokesman for the university,
The additional costs can vary wildly. According to the “Program-specific tuition provides sustainable funding
Nevada System of Higher Education Procedures and to programs within the respective schools, directly sup-
Guidelines Manual, courses in the certified registered porting expanded curricular offerings, additional faculty
nurse anesthetists track in the doctor of nursing prac- and instructors, as well as enhanced support services
tice program at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas such as advising, career services and tutoring.”
will cost a whopping $800 more per credit than base-
The University of Nebraska at Omaha notes on its web-
line tuition when the track launches in 2025. Meanwhile,
site that the differential tuition applied to business stu-
students studying emergency management and home-
dents is used to “hire new faculty members and busi-
land security at Truckee Meadows Community College,
ness-specific advisers, add student support services
also in Nevada, have to pay a tuition differential of only
and develop a new personal finance class.”
$15 per credit.
For all its popularity, differential tuition has its critics.
“The idea of differential tuition has become increasingly
When the ISU Board of Trustees debated the policy in
complex over time,” George said. “It’s pretty amazing how
late January, Trustee Scott Jenkins, strategy director for
complex some of the policies have gotten.”
state policy at the Lumina Foundation, raised concerns
STEM Surcharge about equity, worrying that the higher tuition prices
would lock low-income students out of majors that typi-
At Illinois State, students who are majoring in nursing, cally lead to higher-paying careers.
business, cybersecurity or computer science will pay
$462.52 per credit hour starting next fall, compared to “First-generation students, students of color, students
the $402.19 that students in other departments pay. Af- with not a lot of social capital look at the sticker price,
ter ISU opens its new engineering college in 2025, stu- and sometimes that dissuades them from enrolling, and
dents majoring in engineering will also pay higher tuition. that leads to an impact on student choice. So specific
majors being more expensive may cause students to en-
ISU’s acting provost, Ani Yazedjian, said that the revenue
roll in different majors instead of challenging themselves
will help support the faculty salaries, facilities, equip-
and enrolling in those programs they could be successful
ment and technology that are necessary to create top-ti-
in, simply over price,” he said at the meeting.
er programs in those disciplines. ISU’s nursing school,
for example, has a simulation lab that’s not big enough George, the differential tuition researcher, said she and
to accommodate all the students who apply; the revenue her colleagues have long been interested in the question

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 16

Differential Tuition Is Popular. But Is It Equitable? (cont.)

of whether differential tuition indeed causes students That transparency was the crux of the University of Mis-
to shy away from more expensive majors. There is no souri-Columbia’s new differential tuition policy, which
publicly available information on the impact of differen- launched last fall. The institution used to charge differ-
tial tuition; databases like the Integrated Postsecondary ential tuition by the credit hour, but last semester it im-
Education Data System rely on average tuition prices, plemented a new, tiered system, in which every major
which makes it difficult to gain a comprehensive view of falls on one of three tiers, from most to least expensive.
the issue. However, analyzing just one university’s data, As long as students take between 12 and 18 credits, they
George and her team did find that Pell-eligible students pay the same rate per semester as anyone else taking a
were less likely to enroll in a major with a higher tuition major on the same tier, regardless of what specific cours-
rate than one that charged the standard tuition. es they take.

Some universities—including ISU—hope to circumvent “We wanted to make sure students and their families had
this issue by putting a portion of the revenue from their an accurate prediction of what tuition was going to cost
tuition differentials into scholarships or financial aid. At them instead of having to go by a per-credit-hour fee,”
ISU, Yazedjian said, 25 percent of the revenue will go to- said Christian Basi, director of public affairs for Mizzou.
ward financial aid.
The university also worked for about a year to prepare for
Transparency Concerns the rollout, publishing press releases, social media posts
and newsletters and holding personal meetings with stu-
George also said her team’s research has raised con- dents and families to explain the change. And Mizzou in-
cerns about transparency in differential tuition. Not ev- troduced a new tuition calculator, separate from the net
ery college makes it clear that it charges different rates price calculator required by federal law, so that students
for different majors, hiding that information in footnotes know the exact tuition price for their major.
and PDFs rather than featuring it in an obvious location
on the institution’s financial aid webpage. Other colleges “I can tell you that the parents I have spoken with have
offer differential tuition by the credit hour, meaning it is greatly appreciated the ease of understanding what tui-
nearly impossible for students to calculate four years’ tion would cost them,” Basi said.
worth of tuition without knowing exactly what classes ISU’s strategy closely aligns with Mizzou’s, according to
they will take each semester. Chris Coplan, an ISU spokesman. In addition to setting
In a randomized study, George and her colleagues found up a website and calculator to communicate differential
that high-income students had better success parsing tuition, ISU will present information about it during ad-
mission events and campus visits and “include tuition
highly complex information about differential tuition
and fee costs specific to their program in each student’s
than their lower-income peers.
award letter (which clearly outline the difference be-
“Institutions can do a much better job being much more tween aid and cost), and Student Accounts and Financial
transparent about it and making sure prospective fami- Aid will have updated cost information on their website
lies have the information up front,” she said. and portal.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 17

When Students Can’t Afford Their
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 NEWS
March 15, 2024
GOVERNMENT

Funding Models Don’t Drive Performance, Study Finds

Research shows that how states fund their public colleges doesn’t influence
enrollment and completion as much as consistency and clarity do.
By Jessica Blake

A new study examines relationships between different funding models and

student enrollment, completion and post-graduation outcomes.
Photo illustration by Justin Morrison/Inside Higher Ed | designer491 and
Balefire9/istock/Getty Images

S tate funding mechanisms for higher education don’t

hold influence over either enrollment or student outcomes
enrollment- or performance-based funding, otherwise
known as incentive models. This study, however, also
at public institutions, a new peer-reviewed article sug- includes traditional base-adjusted models, under which
gests. Instead, the researchers say the amount of appro- all institutions’ budgets go up or down by the same per-
priations and the clarity and consistency of the allocation centage, and hybrid models that fuse traditional and in-
formulas are more likely to influence outcomes. centive-based formulas.

The study, published in the March edition of Educational “There have been a few snapshots of what state fund-
Researcher, uses a novel database to offer a longitudi- ing models look like in a particular year, but those hav-
nal examination of the relationships between different en’t gone over time … They haven’t been as detailed,”
funding models and student enrollment, completion and Kelchen said. “The big advantage of this is seeing how
post-graduation outcomes. states and systems change their funding in response to
changes in student demographics, political party or just
Robert Kelchen, lead author of the report and head of the
how much funding is available.”
educational leadership and policy studies department
at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, said that The study was based on a sample of 576 four-year and
the majority of previous research has focused solely on 1,098 two-year institutions across all 50 states and

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 19

Funding Models Don’t Drive Performance, Study Finds (cont.)

included data from 2004 to 2020 by examining nearly

“
3,500 artifacts such state budgets, legislation and board
meeting packets.

Dominique Baker, an associate professor of education

and public policy at the University of Delaware and a
co-author on the report, said including the other vari-
eties of funding models only reinforced the fact that de- The
spite growing popularity, incentive and hybrid models conversation that’s
provide little to none of the intended effects. starting to happen in policy
“We did see some relationship between incentives and circles is that we need to talk
enrollment at community colleges,” Baker said. “But we more about the funding level,
did not see a relationship between creating incentives for not just the mechanism
institutions to get funding and actual completions.” for allocating the
‘Money Matters’ funding.”

When asked what he would suggest to policymakers Dustin Weeden,

associate vice president at
moving forward, Kelchen said there was an easy an-
the State Higher Education Executive
swer—“more money matters.” Officers Association

There’s ample research, dating back more than a decade,

suggesting that the variable most closely correlated with
positive college outcomes is increased funding, he said.
“
And more recent studies show the inverse is also true.
When public universities face budget cuts they often re-
duce wraparound support spending and increase tuition,
which hurts access and completion rates, especially for
money available?’” Kelchen said. “But in other states,
Black and Hispanic students.
there’s a more predictable funding model and colleges
However, Kelchen also acknowledged that additional know if we improve our outcomes or increase enroll-
dollars aren’t always available. In years with tight bud- ment, we’ve got a decent shot of getting more money if
gets, the decision of whether to boost funds for public the funds are available.”
higher education has become more and more political.
“I think the clearest recommendation is to have a formula
This forces higher education officials in many states to
that you’re committing to for a period of time,” he added.
fight an uphill battle as they lobby against other critical
“That way colleges can understand what they need to do
sectors for a piece of the pie.
to improve.”
That’s where the idea of simplifying the funding formula
No Model Method
or providing greater consistency in funding models from
year to year comes in. When the funding formula for ed- Even then, Baker said, there’s no clear cut front-runner
ucation is complex and unpredictable, Kelchen said, it funding method she can suggest as a model for state
may disincentivize college and university leaders to in- leaders to stick with.
vest in performance metrics.
“Part of the challenge, quite frankly,” she said, is that
“They may think, ‘Why would I put in all this effort to im- “for a significant period of time, the way that states have
prove, just for the formula to change or for there to be no been innovating is through these incentive models. So it

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 20

Funding Models Don’t Drive Performance, Study Finds (cont.)

becomes challenging for us to do research on new sourc- the study shows many higher education systems aren’t
es, techniques or ideas, in part, because incentive mod- adequately funded regardless of the current model.
els have been so much of the focus.”
“The conversation that’s starting to happen in policy cir-
And despite the fact that research has repeatedly prov- cles is that we need to talk more about the funding level,
en incentive models to be inequitable for regional and not just the mechanism for allocating the funding,” he
minority-serving institutions, Baker says “there can be said.
very real political reasons that state leaders still want to
have these policies.” The report’s authors and outside experts hope this re-
port will encourage policy makers to think more about
Kelchen noted that these may include seemingly posi- the balance between base funding and incentives, as
tive motives such as gaining public trust in higher ed by well as the details of what types of institutions and stu-
establishing what at least appears to be a means of ac-
dents need more assistance.
countability. But Baker said lawmakers sometimes have
other motives, such as targeting higher education for the It’s critical to ask, “Who are you trying to reward? What
private good or cutting funding to specific types of insti- types of students? What types of institutions?” Kelchen
tutions. said. “If the state wants to encourage more nursing ma-
jors, will they provide more funding for students who
James Ward, principal of policy and economic research
take really expensive nursing programs?”
at Ithaka S+R, a research group and consulting firm for
higher education, said that just because current mech- And although experts said there’s no one ideal model
anisms don’t drive the intended outcomes doesn’t mean that has fully blossomed and put these kinds of ques-
they have no influence at all. tions into effect, they pointed to explorations of an inno-
“That’s an important thing to consider when we think vative formula in Illinois, which could adjust appropria-
about who’s enrolling in flagship universities compared tions to support particularly underserved students and
to regional publics, MSIs or HBCUs,” Ward said. “These institutions, as something to watch.
traditional funding models … really just have the ability to
“There’s this idea that we are kind of funding for efficien-
widen gaps that we already know exist among the haves
cy, as opposed to equity,” Ward said. “But if we thought
and have-nots.”
more purposefully about leading with equity and funding
Dustin Weeden, an associate vice president at the State for that, it might be more effective, but it also might end
Higher Education Executive Officers Association, said up being more efficient.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 21

 NEWS
May 17, 2024
STUDENT SUCCESS

Study: Housing Assistance Boosted Graduation

for Homeless Learners
New analysis from Education Northwest finds housing support for homeless community
college students in Washington state helped with completion rates among participants.
By Ashley Mowreader

Community college students facing homelessness in Tacoma, Washington

were supported by a partnership led by their college and the local
housing authority, boosting retention among participants.
Dobrila Vignjevic/E+/Getty Images

F inancial constraints are a primary barrier to student

persistence, and a lack of permanent or stable housing
ments—and these learners had higher graduation rates
compared to their peers. Additionally, any student who
can cause students to stop out. Nationally, 8 percent of participated in the program had less basic-needs inse-
undergraduate students experience homelessness and curity in the following academic term, which researchers
students who attend community colleges often face ad- attribute to increased communication and visibility of
ditional challenges, as these students are more likely to services due to the program.
be parents, low-income and attending nonresidential
The program: The College Housing Assistance Program
campuses.
(CHAP) was created by Tacoma Community College and
A recent study by Education Northwest evaluated a the Tacoma Housing Authority in 2014 as a way to address
housing voucher program supporting students at Taco- housing insecurity among college students in the area
ma Community College in Washington and the effects and the program was later expanded to include students
of the program on students’ overall well-being and aca- who transfer to the University of Washington, Tacoma.
demic success.
To be eligible, students had to be enrolled in TCC—or
Overall, the program most benefited students who were later UW Tacoma—and completing at least six credits,
able to overcome challenges and find housing place- as well as prove that they were homeless (living in an

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 22

Study: Housing Assistance Boosted Graduation for Homeless Learners (cont.)

emergency shelter or transitional housing facility) or are a few other initiatives that have benefited student
near-homeless (unable to meet basic housing expenses, success and address basic needs insecurity.
couch surfing, victim of domestic violence, etc.).
• LaGuardia Community College partnered with Airbnb
Students also provided proof of residency in the state, to offer short-term housing for students experienc-
completed a background check and confirmed their in- ing homelessness. Students could rent an apartment
come level, meeting state funding requirements. costing up to $1,700 a month for a semester with Airb-
nb directly, with funds provided by Airbnb.
After filling out an application, students received support
navigating intake and next steps in the process from the • Fort Lewis College partnered with local nonprofits and
college, and the housing authority provided a voucher to community members to provide free rapid housing
subsize rent for a private market apartment. On average, assistance for students who need it, then transition-
students received a $450 discount on $1,000 rent using ing them to stable or permanent housing.
the voucher.
• Columbus State Community College has a tiered hous-
The outcomes: The study followed 422 students who ing support program providing short- and long-term
entered the program from fall 2017 to spring 2019 and support for housing insecure students alongside non-
upon the program’s conclusion in spring 2022, using profit partners.
survey data, data from the Tacoma Housing Authority,
the Washington State Department of Social and Health
Services, and TCC.
Housing Solutions
Students were identified in two groups, homeless and
near homeless, and compared against their peers of Housing community college students remains
a challenge for higher ed institutions across the
nonparticipants. The most frequent causes of housing
country. Here are a few other initiatives that have
insecurity were being new to the area, experiencing a benefited student success and address basic
family crisis, loss of income or medical expenses. needs insecurity.

Only one in four students who were admitted to the pro- • LaGuardia Community College partnered with
gram used a voucher, which researchers attribute to Airbnb to offer short-term housing for students
experiencing homelessness. Students could
challenges in completing paperwork, identifying suitable
rent an apartment costing up to $1,700 a month
housing and providing up-front costs to secure a lease for a semester with Airbnb directly, with funds
(such as a deposit or funds for utilities). In 2019, TCC es- provided by Airbnb.
tablished a fund exclusively to help students pay their • Fort Lewis College partnered with local non-
security deposits to address this obstacle. profits and community members to provide free
rapid housing assistance for students who need
Among the positive outcomes for students who used
it, then transitioning them to stable or perma-
their vouchers were higher graduation rates, increased nent housing.
employment, higher levels of food security and greater
• Columbus State Community College has a tiered
financial security. housing support program providing short- and
long-term support for housing insecure students
Two-thirds of students completed a credential, trans-
alongside nonprofit partners.
ferred to a university or remained enrolled and on track
to a degree.

Housing Solutions
Homeless students who did secure housing had a 43
Housing community college students remains a chal- percent graduation rate, compared to 28 percent of
lenge for higher ed institutions across the country. Here those who did not find housing, and those who were near

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 23

Study: Housing Assistance Boosted Graduation for Homeless Learners (cont.)

homeless and got a lease had a 57 percent graduation • Flexible funding. CHAP required several forms and
rate, compared to 45 percent of their peers. The national pieces of documentation to meet state requirements
average three-year completion rate for community col- and the college hopes to identify a different source of
lege students is 35 percent. funding to decrease barriers of entry, Harrell said.

Researchers did note there was a chance some students • Staffing. The college only designated one staff mem-
remained at TCC to keep their housing voucher rather ber to work on CHAP part-time initially, which ex-
than graduating or transferring. panded to 2.5 FTEs by the program’s conclusion, with
continued need for additional support. Identifying
Even among students who did not secure housing, pro- staff members who are able to provide holistic and
gram participation increased their level of food security comprehensive support to effectively care for stu-
and utilization of public assistance programs, highlight- dents was crucial, as well.
ing the need to make students aware of offerings avail-
able to them at their institution and in their community. • Partnerships. Most community colleges don’t have
the funding to develop comprehensive programs to
So what? Based on the success of the program, Tacoma address housing, so leaders should identify commu-
Community College hopes to provide a model for other nity and other partners to join in.
community colleges but also glean insight for future pro-
• Delineating roles. Each partner in the program must
grams it offers, TCC president Ivan Harrell said in an April
be aware of what areas of concerns they’re support-
30 webinar hosted by Education Northwest.
ing students in so there is no gap in service or support
“The work of addressing housing insecurity for commu- for the learner. Providing housing is a complicated
nity college students is difficult and complicated work, process and TCC wasn’t always prepared to address
but it is extremely necessary. The nuances of develop- some of the external issues students faced, so sharing
ing this type of program was so much more intricate than responsibilities between the groups was key.
any other type of support program than I have been a part
TCC is exploring future alternative housing options in-
of,” Harrell said. “We learned lots and lots of lessons that
cluding building pods, establishing a residence hall, cre-
are going to inform our continued work in this space.”
ating an on-campus tiny home village or partnering with
A few of the key lessons Tacoma Community College a new housing facility being built near campus for afford-
took away from CHAP: able solutions. ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 24

 NEWS
February 05, 2024
GOVERNMENT

Using Financial Aid Data to Help Students Meet Basic Needs

A new report says using FAFSA data to identify students who qualify for public assistance
programs will help pay for their basic needs and boost retention and completion rates.
By Jessica Blake

Meeting students’ basic needs, such as food security, is becoming

a growing focus for colleges and universities.
MangoStar_Studio/iStock/Getty Images

A growing body of research has shown that stu-

dent persistence and college completion are strongly
financial support, including means-tested public ben-
efits such as SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assis-
connected to and determined by whether students’ ba- tance Program), subsidized health insurance, broad-
sic needs are being met. But college administrators are band assistance, and tax credits,” the brief states.
hamstrung by insufficient funding to fully address basic
The brief, released earlier this month, argues that college
needs insecurity on their campuses and help students in
administrators should leverage pre-existing data from the
a comprehensive way.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid, completed by
A new policy brief by Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), millions of students annually, to inform them of their eligi-
a nonpartisan research organization, and the Nation- bility for the various benefits and help them apply.
al Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators The brief was based on an analysis of how colleges are
(NASFAA), says that although state and federal higher using FAFSA data to alert students of their potential eli-
education funding alone is not enough to meet those gibility for benefits.
needs, “millions of college students” could be better
For example, data from the U.S. Government Account-
helped with existing government assistance programs
ability Office shows roughly two million of the approxi-
for which they qualify but are unaware of their eligibility—
mately 3.3 million students who are eligible for SNAP
or even how to apply for the benefits.
benefits aren’t participating, which translates to $3 bil-
“One solution is to ensure students access all available lion in unused benefits.

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 25

 Using Financial Aid Data to Help Students Meet Basic Needs (cont.)

“What’s really beneficial about using FAFSA data is that or wider outreach campaigns. Eighteen percent of sur-
it’s more targeted,” said Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, HLA’s vey respondents said they planned to do such outreach
managing director of policy and research. “Papering your in the future. Almost half (43 percent) of the respondents
school with signs that say ‘you might be eligible for SNAP’ said they weren’t planning to flag students who qualify
is not as effective as sending an email or a text to a student for public benefits.
and letting them know that they are likely eligible.”
“We have a lot of work to do to make sure student basic
HLA is not the first organization to make this argument. needs are addressed in the financial aid process,” said
The Biden administration provided initial guidance on Bryce McKibben, senior director of policy at Temple Uni-
how colleges could best use FAFSA data to help students versity’s Hope Center for College, Community and Jus-
access public social welfare benefits in a Dear Colleague tice, a student equity research center.
letter released by the U.S. Department of Education in
A few assistance programs, including SNAP and the Af-
January 2022.
fordable Connectivity Program, which provides broad-
The HLA brief contends that the guidance was only ef- band access, had high rates of direct outreach to stu-
fective if colleges and universities actually put the rec- dents based on FAFSA data (85 percent and 64 percent
ommendations into effect. A March 2023 survey of 359 respectively). But fewer than one in five of the colleges
college financial aid officers indicates that hasn’t neces- were providing any notification to students about any
sarily been the case. other benefits, such as those provided through the Af-
fordable Care Act or the Child Tax Credit.
FAFSA: Snap access
Institutions providing direct outreach
By Justin Morrison on 1 Feb 2024
   

with or without FASFA data Programs that institutions

target for outreach
One-quarter of respondents said their
Institutions
institution providing
of higher education isdirect
currentlyoutreach with Programs
SNAP and ACPthat
or without institutions
are the FASFA target for outre
dataprograms
most popular
conducting
One-quarter direct outreach to students
of respondents said theirabout SNAP and
for targeted
institute of higher ACP areisthe
outreach
education most popular
using FAFSA
currently programs
data
conducting directfor target
federal benefit programs.
outreach to students about federal benefit programs. Child Tax Credit
15%
Yes
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
27%
85%
No, but we plan to do so in the future A ordable Connectivity Program
18% 64%

No, and we have no plans to do so Health insurance under the A ordable Care Act
16%
43%
Other federal benefit programs not specified in ED guidance
Don't know
18%
12%
Recovery Rebate Credit/Economic Impact Payment
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 11%
Percent 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Source: HLA + NASFAA Percent

Source:
Source:HLA
HLA+ NASFAA
+ NASFAA
Source: HLA + NASFAA
Just over a quarter of the financial aid offices surveyed
(27 percent) were conducting direct outreach to students
TEMPLATE CREDITS McKibben partly attributes the “surprisingly” low num-
Line, bar and pie charts by Flourish team
about any public benefit programs, whether through tar- ber of institutions using FAFSA data to do outreach to
TEMPLATE CREDITS
geted FAFSA-based notifications to individual students capacity issues. Line, bar and pie charts by Flourish team

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 26

Using Financial Aid Data to Help Students Meet Basic Needs (cont.)

“It’s a little bit a function of financial aid offices being in- drop out or help them rectify their satisfactory academic
credibly overwhelmed,” he said. “Right now, we know progress,” which ensures they qualify for aid, she said.
that they’re facing a complicated FAFSA rollout period
She also said financial aid departments should be able
and have significant staffing shortages.”
to pass the data along to social services and student
NASFAA data indicate approximately half of the nation’s support staff to actually execute the outreach. But some
financial aid departments are understaffed. respondents voiced concern about violating the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which limits access
Jill Desjean, senior policy analyst at NASFAA, said for
to students’ financial and educational records.
many of the survey respondents, resource constraints
are a major challenge. The policy brief calls on the Department of Education to
allow colleges to request students’ permission to share
“Since the pandemic, we really never bounced back to
FAFSA data as early as possible, to clarify guidelines on
full staffing,” she said. “When you’re already working
data sharing and provide training on best welfare out-
overtime to do the minimum that your office has to do,
reach practices over all.
it’s obviously really difficult to take on additional initia-
tives, as much as financial aid officers appreciate that McKibben believes these policy adjustments would allow
they would be valuable to their students.” financial aid departments to spread the workload among
other departments and staff and establish clear outreach
She said the recent announcement of yet another delay
protocols for state higher education agencies.
of the release of this year’s FAFSA data further compli-
cates the situation. He noted that some states, including California, have al-
ready implemented policies to notify students who might
“Those resource constraints were real before, but now in
be eligible for benefits, but many others have hesitated
the past couple of months they are exceptional,” she said.
to take action.
Duke-Benfield, of HLA, however, noted that conversa-
“We have thousands and thousands of institutions across
tions with financial aid administrators indicated that an-
the country, and asking each of them to reinvent the wheel
alyzing FAFSA data was not highly time-consuming and
in the way that they do outreaches is a tall order,” McK-
was worth the time investment.
ibben said. But the most efficient way to address this is
“If you invest in connections up front, then you don’t through the state. “So it’s critical that the Department of
have to go back and re-enroll those students after they Education clarify and update its guidance.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 27

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 NEWS
May 30, 2024
STUDENTS

In Massachusetts, a Push for Free Community College for All

The first year of a program offering free college for those over 25 was a rousing success
at boosting enrollment. Now, some legislators want to expand the program to all ages.
By Johanna Alonso

A free community college proposal included in the Massachusetts Senate’s

budget aims to increase the number of students attending community college
in the state by 4,000 annually.
Photo illustration by Justin Morrison/Inside Higher Ed | londoneye/iStock/Getty Images

M assReconnect, Massachusetts’s free communi-

ty college program for nondegree holders over 25, has
interview with Inside Higher Ed, she said she believes
MassEducate will encourage students who didn’t pre-
proven so successful that now some state legislators are viously see college as a pathway to enroll. The program
looking to extend the offer to all Massachusetts residents might even help reverse the trend of Massachusetts’s
who don’t hold a degree—regardless of age or income. young people leaving the state, she added.

Known as MassEducate, the universal free community “MassEducate will provide opportunity to so many stu-
college program is a cornerstone of the Senate’s bud- dents who will have a better shot at achieving good, fam-
get, which the chamber approved last week; a commit- ily-supporting jobs, and perhaps fulfill their goals … of
tee composed of both House and Senate members now moving on to a four-year college and staying in our state
needs to develop a final budget. The plan proposes using and getting on the path of the American Dream that ev-
revenue from the state’s recently implemented “million- ery Massachusetts resident deserves,” she said.
aires tax”—a four-percent tax on earnings over $1 mil-
Free college has become an increasingly popular policy
lion—to cover the cost of tuition and fees.
position in recent years, and MassEducate, if passed,
Democrat Karen Spilka, the president of the Massa- would offer the broadest eligibility for tuition-free com-
chusetts State Senate, is spearheading the effort. In an munity college of any state in the U.S. The program

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 29

In Massachusetts, a Push for Free Community College for All (cont.)

would almost certainly boost community college enroll- can come for free,’ that message translates, and it trans-
ment; MassReconnect, which passed last year and was lates exactly to the population we’re trying to reach,” in-
implemented for the 2023–2024 academic year, spurred cluding first-generation students and those who don’t
about 5,000 new learners to enroll in community college speak English as a first language, said Nate Mackinnon,
in fall 2023—the first increase in over a decade. executive director of the Massachusetts Association of
Community Colleges.

That contrasts sharply with programs in other states that

may offer free community college to certain populations,
but often lose students due to complex paperwork or a
failure to clearly communicate whether or not they qualify.

One of the few concerns Mackinnon has about the pro-

posal is the ability of community colleges to keep up with
the massive influx of students that MassEducate could
bring in. He said institutions faced challenges this past
year due to increased enrollment from MassReconnect,
with financial aid offices and student success centers
struggling to keep up with demand for their support ser-
Massachusetts Senate president Karen Spilka announces the vices. He had hoped the Senate would increase funding to
MassEducate proposal at Middlesex Community College. an existing program called Supporting Urgent Communi-
Courtesy of the Office of the Senate President ty College Equity through Student Services (SUCCESS),
which funds wraparound services for community college
students, but legislators ultimately kept the funding level
According to research conducted by the Massachusetts the same as the previous year, at $18.3 million.
Association of Community Colleges and Boston Consult-
“We’ll make do with what we have,” he said. “In the long
ing Group, free community college for all is projected to
run, we’re concerned about our capacity and whether we
increase yearly enrollment by 4,000 students, and yearly
can grow quickly enough with our staffing to meet the
degree completion by 2,000. The association estimates
demand from students now that community college will
that students who enroll in community college through
be free.”
MassEducate would earn $160 million more in total an-
nual wages than if they didn’t attend community college. Other education access advocates have criticized the plan
for taking a one-size-fits-all approach, rather than priori-
The proposal also includes a $1,200 stipend for students
tizing resources and support for lower-income students.
whose income is less than 125 percent of the state medi-
Because the program provides “last-dollar” funding after
an to cover books and other expenses, as well as a $10 scholarships and other aid are applied, it essentially offers
million fund to support colleges and universities in help- more value to wealthier students, who would pay more tu-
ing low-income students access their basic needs. ition out of pocket than lower-income students already el-
Opportunities and Concerns igible for financial aid, said Bahar Akman Imboden, man-
aging director for the Hildreth Institute, a research firm in
A key element of MassReconnect’s success, which politi- Massachusetts focused on higher education policy.
cal leaders and education access advocates hope will also
Research by the Hildreth Institute estimates that MassE-
be the case with MassEducate, is its straightforwardness.
ducate would allot students with incomes of $131,000
“When you make community college free by simply say- and above the value of an entire $6,600 tuition payment,
ing, ‘If you don’t have a degree and you’re over 25, you whereas students making under $95,000, whose tuition

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 30

In Massachusetts, a Push for Free Community College for All (cont.)

would generally be covered by financial aid, would be al- tend public, rather than private, K-12 school.
lotted only the value of the $1,200 the stipend.
The future of free community college remains unclear;
Imboden, who noted her strong support of the free col- negotiations over the budget between the House and the
lege proposal, said she’s worried that MassEducate will Senate have not yet begun, Spilka said, so she is unsure
“direct a disproportionate share of these resources to whether the House and Governor Maura Healey will be
upper-middle-income families” rather than help “work- open to the plan, which was not included in either of their
ing-class low-income background students who face budget proposals.
several financial challenges that are beyond just tuition
In response to a request for comment from Inside Higher
and fees and books. We know that the lowest income
Ed, a spokesperson for Governor Healey said via email,
students that are Pell-eligible are the ones that often
“The Healey-Driscoll administration is committed to
have to stop out because they are unable to cover their
making community college more affordable and acces-
cost of living.”
sible. We were proud to partner with the Legislature to
Mackinnon pushed back against that criticism, arguing pass MassReconnect last year, which makes community
that few upper-middle-class families send their children college free for Massachusetts residents age 25 and old-
to community college in the first place. And even if they er. The Governor will review the final budget that reaches
do, it’s no different from wealthy families whose kids at- her desk.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 31

 NEWS
June 04, 2024
GOVERNMENT

Colorado to Cover Two Years’ Tuition at Any Public College

The tax-credit–based aid program provides a last-dollar reimbursement to cover
up to 65 credits for any student with a household income of $90,000 or less.
By Jessica Blake

The recent promise program bill isn’t the only way Governor Jared Polis has supported
higher education this year. He also signed a state budget in April, pictured here,
which increased spending by $134.9 million, or about 10 percent.
Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

C olorado governor Jared Polis signed a bill last week

that establishes a state-level promise program to cover
augments existing promise programs offered by individ-
ual institutions, which generally cover one year’s worth
tuition and fees for up to two years at trade schools and of credits with an income cap of $60,000 to $70,000.
community colleges, as well as four-year institutions—a
Angie Paccione, executive director of the Colorado De-
rare provision in such plans.
partment of Higher Education, cheered the bill’s pas-
sage, noting that the state has been working toward it for
The bill, called the Incentives for Post-Secondary Edu-
the last five years and that it aids the Democratic gover-
cation, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. It
nor’s larger goals of investing in college affordability and
creates the Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College
workforce development.
Expanded, which uses a last-dollar tax credit—instead
of grants or up-front subsidies—to cover 100 percent “Governor Polis, his whole campaign, in fact, his whole
of tuition and fees for up to 65 credits for all students in political life, has talked about a ‘Colorado for all’ and so
good standing with a household income of $90,000 or this is a way to make college for all,” Paccione said. “It’s
less. Scheduled to go into effect next fall, the new plan not just for community college. It’s not just for the lowest

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 32

Colorado to Cover Two Years’ Tuition at Any Public College (cont.)

of low income … If you’re making less than $90,000, you

“
should have access to any program at any public institu-
tion of higher ed.”

Representative Rick Taggart, a Republican and co-spon-

sor of the bill, called it “a major step in the right direction”
for a state where the population is growing, postsecond- It’s not just for
ary education is becoming increasingly necessary and community college. It’s not just
yet college enrollment is stagnant or declining. for the of low income … If you’re making
According to the 2023 Talent Pipeline Report, 85 per- less than $90,000, you should have
cent of the state’s “Tier 1 Jobs”—those that provide a access to any program at any public
stable enough income to support a family of three—re- institution of higher ed.
quire a bachelor’s degree. Yet enrollment across all 28
public postsecondary institutions in fall 2023 remained Angie Paccione,
executive director of the Colorado
stagnant, even though the state’s population increased
Department of Higher Education
about 0.6 percent last year.

The Colorado Promise expands on promise programs of-

fered by institutions, which generally have been low-cost,
“
since they primarily target the lowest income students,
whose college costs are largely covered by federal Pell
grants and other state-level need-based aid. Many of
tax credits instead of subsidies. This was done to com-
those programs have also been limited to community and
ply with the state’s unique Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and
technical colleges or high-demand workforce pathways.
means the funding comes from—and returns directly
The new expansion comes with a larger annual price tag to—taxpayers’ pockets rather than being pulled from
of about $40 million, but Taggart said it’s an investment general funds.
worth making.
“This is a really innovative way to use those tax credits to
“The families that are really caught in a bind with college help make college more affordable for students,” Zaback
education today are the moderate-income families,” he said. “The big challenge is that students have to pay up
said. “Pell Grants go away somewhere in the $65,000 front in order to be able to get those tax credits. But I
range. And so those folks carry the entire burden. I want- think that the state did a lot when they built the system
ed it to be as broad based as possible, and to give stu- to mitigate some of those challenges.”
dents and families all the options that are available.”
Both Taggart and Paccione said they hoped this doesn’t
To Katie Zaback, vice president of policy at Colorado mark the end of state aid expansion. Depending on
Succeeds, a business coalition that focuses on educa- the program’s outcomes and tax revenue trends, Tag-
tion policy and implementation, giving students the abil- gart said he’d like to see the income cap reach as high
ity to choose which institution to attend is an admirable as $150,000 in the coming years. And Paccione said
hallmark of Colorado’s new program. it would be “wonderful” if the state could make all four
years of college free.
Another difference between Colorado Promise and other
free tuition programs, such as MassReconnect in Mas- “We’re trying to balance a budget at the same time as
sachusetts or the Free College scholarship in Maine, is making college more affordable to as many students as
that the Rocky Mountain state’s program is based on we possibly can in the state,” Taggart said. “Next year,

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 33

Colorado to Cover Two Years’ Tuition at Any Public College (cont.)

we’ll get back at it and see if we can improve upon it. But by four-year institutions and had no income cap.
it’s a step, and I’m pleased to do this much.”
“We were concerned that it simply wouldn’t pass. We
The program could have stretched its funds to cover wanted something that would pass and that would
all four years or create a higher income cap if it offered help students with lower family incomes,” he said. “We
different amounts of coverage based on a sliding scale, thought something more limited might make sense, and
Taggart said, but he considers the 100 percent coverage the governor did, too. He really believed that there was
model best because it is likely to increase not only enroll- some real potential here if we focused on those first two
ment but also completion. years of college.”

Taggart has a personal stake in the matter: the represen- The bigger concern now, Garcia said, is educating stu-
tative also serves as an adjunct business professor at Col- dents and families about the program’s more complicat-
orado Mesa University. One of the hardest parts of his job, ed tax credit process.
he said, is watching students drop out part way through
their program with some college credit but no degree. “It’s not money up front. It’s more like a tuition reim-
bursement program from an employer,” he said. “Now,
“There’s nothing more disappointing to me than to see a we think that’s good, because it will help reduce student
student go to school for a year and not have something debt loads, but it’s a little bit complicated to explain to
concrete,” he said. Providing two years of full coverage students who will still have to apply for their Pell Grant
gives students what they need to at least finish a certifi- and pay their tuition up front. Only after they’ve complet-
cate or associate degree. “In addition to that, my obser- ed those educational credits, [and filed a tax return] will
vation of a baccalaureate is that if we get them through they get money back.”
their sophomore years, they can now see the end in
sight,” he added. “They’ll figure out how to finish.” Since the program is open to four-year degree programs,
some have expressed worry that community college en-
The bill includes a caveat that ensures any credits from rollment could decline. But Garcia shrugged off such fears.
dual enrollment, advanced placement or international
baccalaureate courses, or prior learning programs will “We’re always concerned about enrollment,” he said,
not be factored into the 65-credit cap. “We encourage adding that the real worry is that without aid, students
students to complete their associate’s while they’re in won’t attend any college at all.
high school,” Paccione said. “So they could actually end
A recent study from the Lumina Foundation found that
up getting a full bachelor’s degree for free.”
Colorado has the country’s highest state postsecondary
Paccione also hopes that the new program will encourage credential attainment level for those over 25—about 63
fewer students to go out-of-state for college—nearly a percent. But the rate of immediate enrollment for high
third do currently—and that more will fill out their Free Ap- school graduates is not as high; according to the state
plication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms—a task Department of Education, only about 50 percent of high
which is required to be eligible for tuition reimbursement. school graduates in 2024 have enrolled or will enroll in
some form of higher education, compared to about 60
Joe Garcia, chancellor of the Colorado Community College
percent five years ago.
System, said that people in his community are generally
excited about the program and pleased that the legisla- “We want students to go to school,” Garcia said. “We
tion passed. He noted that it is more “moderate” and fea- would love to have them come to community college, but
sible than some original proposals, which were presented if they choose to go to a four-year, well, that’s fine, too.” ■

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Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 34

 OPINION
April 23, 2024
VIEWS

Is AI Finally a Way to Reduce Higher Ed Costs?

AI could free up faculty time to focus on the teaching and relationship-building
that matter most, José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson write.
By José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson

tondone/iStock/Getty Images Plus

N ew technology has often changed work. The In-

dustrial Revolution did not eliminate weavers, brewers
lower cost), concluding “these results are not just statis-
tics—they signal a seismic shift in legal practice.” Similar-
and farmers, but it did change core aspects of their work ly, a Google study has found that software bug fixes can
while increasing productivity and efficiency. For those now be identified and fixed more quickly using AI.
who could master the new machines, wages increased,
Jobs consist of groups of tasks. AI can’t do everything
and for those who owned the machines, costs went down
better, but almost every job has some tasks that AI can
and the volume of production went up. More recently,
already do better. The ability to outsource tedious tasks
countless innovations—calculators, email, the inter- (either to others or machines, like a spellchecker) often
net, spellcheckers, spreadsheets, citation software and makes us happier and more efficient, and it is no surprise
learning management systems—have all changed how the same has already been demonstrated when we use
higher education faculty and staff work, but they have AI well.
done little to increase salaries or lower student costs.
Supporting these technologies, of course, added costs Despite the promises and hype of previous technology,
television, satellites, the internet, online courses and
which may have cancelled out any savings.
MOOCs all failed to lower higher education costs. All
Today, professional jobs that were immune to earlier of them made it easier and faster to distribute content,
shifts in physical labor are already seeing disruptions from but none of them helped us scale the feedback and
artificial intelligence (AI). Indeed, one new research study relationships that form the core of higher education.
found that AI could already “match or exceed human Faculty labor has remained central and impossible to
accuracy in determining legal issues” (at a significantly scale.

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 35

Is AI Finally a Way to Reduce Higher Ed Costs? (cont.)

AI offers different possibilities. • Write my departmental accreditation report using

these formats, guidelines and data.
1. AI can relieve faculty from some
tedious tasks and do it at scale. Research

Here are some (perhaps tedious) tasks with (much ab- • Create a literature search/bibliography/list of articles
breviated) prompts that might allow AI to give you back on topic A, using methodology B, with sample size C
some time and even make you happier or better at your that disputes claim D. (Consensus and Elicit are ex-
job. Recognize that you will get significantly better re- amples of AI that search only the published articles in
sults with a more advanced (i.e., paid) AI (GPT-4, Claude the Semantic Scholar database to give you verifiable
3 or Gemini Advanced) and that many of these require results.)
an AI connected to the internet (like the free Copilot or
• Who are the other major figures in this field who might
Perplexity).
be potential reviewers of this article? What work of
Course Design theirs should I be sure to cite?

• Provide me with three sample policies I might include Grant Writing

on my syllabus regarding how AI might be used by
• Read these emails/strategic goals and advise me how
students in my X course.
to make my funding request more compelling to my
• How could I make this syllabus/assignment more in- provost.
clusive?
• Transform this research brief into a compelling pro-
Content and Pedagogy posal for the X foundation using its format and guide-
lines.
• Find me five relevant videos appropriate for college
students on A that are B minutes in length and give me Job Search
a 75-word summary for each that includes its content,
reliability and source. • Pretend you are faculty member X on this search
committee for a new dean. Read the uploaded posi-
• Provide five ideas for how to introduce college stu- tion description, my cover letter and CV. How might
dents at X university to topic Y using examples or the committee or X react to my materials? List miss-
analogies they will find relevant. ing elements and suggest ways for me to improve my
Grading application.

• Create a rubric in table form to assess the learning in • Act like professor Y on this search committee. Help
this assignment using these learning outcomes. List me prepare for my interview by using the attached
criteria in the first column and then provide descrip- materials and ask me a series of potential questions
tions in subsequent columns for poor, fair, good and that will challenge me. Include questions with inac-
excellent performance. curate information and require me to correct you with
real data.
• Provide grades and feedback for these essays. Use
my rubric, previously graded essays and samples of Student Support
my feedback to calibrate your feedback to write and
• Write a reference letter for student A using these
grade in my voice.
materials. Begin by reading my previous letters and
Assessment and Accreditation describing the elements of my voice and form.

• Evaluate these essays using rubric A and assess what • Act like student X using these details and context.
percent of essays meet the B standard. Help me practice for a conversation with X about Z.

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 36

Is AI Finally a Way to Reduce Higher Ed Costs? (cont.)

Administration plaint that faculty, whose job requirement entails five

years of mostly solitary confinement, are not responsive
• Produce three spreadsheets with three different ver-
enough, or trained enough, to build the relationships we
sions of the department schedule using this data on
now know are so vital for student success. As one re-
faculty preferences, room availability, student de-
searcher put it: AI is “like Grammarly for empathy.”
mand and X.
AI can now transcribe, organize and fact-check meeting
• Write a kind and personal 75-word letter of rejection
notes while also showing who talks or interrupts the most
for authors whose manuscript has been rejected by
(a feature now in Teams and Zoom!). An AI companion
the Journal of X.
gets all of your references but can also determine when a
More context, process and iteration will greatly improve student is in distress. This strange and creepy new world
the results of these prompts. For example, a larger set of is here, but who better than faculty to help us understand
essays with your previous feedback is critical for better and test where it can be useful or harmful? Further, AI is
results and for training AI (and for greater privacy and already reducing costs in a plethora of sectors, and fac-
security, you can download an opensource AI to run and ulty need to be on the front lines of discovering if and how
fine-tune on your laptop). There are a rapidly increasing AI might help us combat high tuition.
host of bots that will do specialized tasks and these func-
tions are already creeping into your LMS. But what will There are many tasks where AI will never be able to re-
you do with the time that you were spending grading or place humans, and we should focus on them. Faculty
writing reports? have rushed to say that human teaching will never be re-
placed with AI. True—and the need for human faculty will
2. AI can improve relationships. still be the primary driver of costs in higher education.
AI presents opportunities not just to reduce costs or im- Still, AI may finally be the technology that gives faculty
prove efficiency. Consider this scenario: more time and more assistance for the most important
educational and relational tasks.
A student has come into your office needing an approval
to take an overload. Assuming you remember your pass- For now, try some of the tasks and prompts above, but
word and which system to use, you can probably complete when you don’t get results you like, don’t assume AI is
this task, but do you remember the student’s hometown? useless. Try to ask a better question with more detail,
Now imagine, you have an AI assistant that recognizes the complexity and specification (and perhaps pay for a sig-
student and immediately organizes the relevant informa- nificantly better AI).
tion and prompts you to ask about the student’s dog. The
The abacus, thesaurus and computers have all provid-
AI listens to your conversation and prompts you that the
ed aids to human thinking, but none of them replaced
student will need Statistics 101 to complete her major or
the educational priorities of questioning assumptions
might like the new basketball club. These are among the
and asking better questions. AI will change how humans
opportunities that are now ahead of us.
think and has the potential to strengthen the ways we in-
In emerging studies regarding AI as an assistant, it is the teract. Like the internet, it will change some of the skills
least experienced who benefited the most from AI sup- we need, but it won’t change the need for thinking with
port. That is hardly a surprise, but neither is the com- this new technology. ■

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/04/23/ai-finally-way-reduce-higher-ed-
READ THE ARTICLE
costs-opinion

Bio: José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson are the authors of Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human
Learning, forthcoming from Johns Hopkins University Press. Bowen is the former president of Goucher College and Watson is the
vice president for digital innovation at the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable 37

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