Northern Arizona University has been awarded $750,000 because of how the institution is changing its framing around college admissions, by doing away with any sort of rejection.

Put simply, NAU says if you apply, you're in.

It was one of several winners of Lumina Foundation's Great Admissions Redesign challenge for expanding its Universal Admissions program with the state's nine community college districts.

Matthew Tantau, associate vice president for the Office of Economic Mobility and Social Impact at NAU, said it's focused on creating and strengthening pathways for those considering college.

"If that is directly to NAU or if that means they start at one of their local community colleges in a seamless manner," said Tantau, "it is really about this access piece in really making sure that we think about this as an ecosystem and that we really are identifying clear on and off ramps for all students so they have that access and the ability to be successful."

NAU's Universal Admissions program was created out of what Tantau calls a strategic coalition known as the Arizona Attainment Alliance.

Under the program, any student who doesn't immediately meet the requirements to be admitted to NAU, will be connected with a community college with the guarantee that they'll be able to transfer to NAU without an additional application when they're ready.

Jonathan Gagliardi is NAU's vice president for the Office of Economic Mobility & Social Impact.

He said it was important to bring together stakeholders that share a common interest in optimizing the post-secondary ecosystem for Arizona students, with the goal of not only getting more high school students in college but also getting adults back into the classroom.

Gagliardi said there are roughly 600,000 Arizona adults with some college experience, but no degree.

"That really points to structural issues that really only get fixed," said Gagliardi, "if institutions are willing to look into the mirror and that's really effectively what we've done."

Melanie Heath is the strategy director for participation at Lumina Foundation and contended the college application process is "incredibly burdensome for students."

She added that most describe it as one of the most stressful experiences of their academic careers.

She argued the current admissions system isn't working well, but is eager to see universities such as NAU being innovative and catalyzing change.

"I think it speaks to folks understanding that the system is broken," said Heath, "wanting to fix it and willing to try things, and to me that feels incredibly exciting."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Boston University's Prison Education Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and is hoping to expand.

Students at Massachusetts Correctional Institution Norfolk and MCI Framingham are earning undergraduate certificates and Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees, to reform their lives and find ways to give back to their communities upon release.

Program Director Mary Ellen Mastrorilli said it offers hope for a better self, and her students are eager to learn.

"They're highly motivated," said Mastrorilli. "They're not afraid to work hard. They do their assignments. They're just, in some ways, the ideal student."

Mastrorilli said there's a misconception that educating people in prison is being soft on crime, but research shows these programs reduce misconduct and cut the likelihood of recidivism nearly in half.

That may be due to the better job prospects and higher wages that formerly incarcerated people with education experience.

It's also one reason Mastrorilli said she hopes the program will expand - and why even more universities, including Tufts and Emerson, are growing their own prison initiatives, and giving students a second chance.

"The prison education classroom is a space where they get to claim their humanity and their dignity," said Mastrorilli. "And it's easy to understand how personal growth will come from that."

Students in Boston University's program have earned more than 400 bachelor's degrees in the past few decades alone.

Mastrorilli said the undergraduate certificate program has also become increasingly popular with people serving shorter sentences, and for those unsure if they can handle the degree program workload.

She said it's important to judge her students not by their crimes, but as human beings with unlocked potential.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

This summer, colleges and universities will have to comply with a new federal rule and not withhold students' transcripts over unpaid tuition and fees.

North Dakota officials see the movement as a boost to people pursuing new job skills. The U.S. Education Department said starting July 1, higher-ed institutions cannot refuse to turn over transcripts related to any course paid for by federal student loans or grants, which are sometimes prompted by overdue book fees or other school debt.

Lisa Johnson, vice chancellor of academic and student affairs for the North Dakota University System, said for a person looking to re-enroll or apply for a new job, overcoming such obstacles can be huge.

"If we're trying to attract returning adults, individuals who have 'stopped out,' this really has to be a part of your focus and the broader array of policies and procedures that we look at," Johnson contended.

North Dakota's system is not designed to issue partial transcripts. Johnson expects the state to honor releases for all situations involving an outstanding balance. A formal vote is expected this spring. She noted campuses would still have leeway to prevent a student from seeking new courses at their school over fears they would be taking on too much additional debt.

In those cases, Johnson pointed out a student can try to work with the campus on a repayment plan, or seek out opportunities at other schools, including certificate programs which may cost less. She added some North Dakota schools are exploring other ways to ease debt issues.

"Campuses are having preliminary discussions about waiving low levels of outstanding debt," Johnson emphasized. "Things like parking tickets."

Beyond wiping out minor balances, she noted schools within the North Dakota system are being proactive in working with former students looking to pay off their debt. She said it is better than relying on collection agencies tacking on additional fees and putting students in a more difficult spot.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

A new degree program could grant students across the Utah System of Higher Education a bachelor's degree in just three years.

Geoffrey Landward, commissioner of higher education with the Utah System of Higher Education, recently approved a new degree category called the Bachelor of Applied Studies. It would have a minimum of 90 credits for students to complete which would differ from the current standard of 120 credits.

"That saves a student a full-year of tuition, but it also puts them in the workforce a full year earlier. So that is a double benefit. They're saving money on the degree side, but they're also earning more money now that they have a degree and they're in the workforce," he said.

Landward added areas of study within the new category would be limited and tied to specific industry needs and occupations, but would also require national accreditation and need approval by the state's board of higher ed before being made available. He said that Southern Utah University already has a three-year degree program which lets students complete three semesters of school per year, rather than completing the traditional two.

Landward said they've asked schools across the state to think about what industries they would like to see more degrees in and adds that this provides institutions with a creative opportunity to work with industry partners to ensure students who potentially could earn three-year degrees are valued and what Landward calls "hire-able."

To make this happen, Landward said they'll be identifying what he terms "core competencies," while scrutinizing elective requirements.

"Do we really need all of these electives? And if not for this particular occupation, can we streamline that degree? And it may not be just three years, it may be three and a half years for example. We're not set on just one number, but the idea is let's see if we can finish this degree in under four years," he explained.

He said there will likely be challenges, and though these programs aren't available yet, he added he's excited for what this could mean for students accessing higher education in the Beehive State.


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