Area college presidents discuss affordability and equity in higher education

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Tuesday the Hall Enterprise Journal hosted a roundtable on the way forward for greater schooling. Presidents from Coe, Cornell, Kirkwood, Iowa, and Mount Mercy talked about affordability, enrollment challenges and alternatives, and the position that expertise performs in schooling.

One of many subjects throughout Tuesday’s roundtable was affordability on the subject of greater schooling. One thing that, Cornell President Jonathan Model says, goes hand in hand with fairness amongst college students.

“The notion of being equitable requires a deeper degree of thought to essentially just remember to are serving all your college students,” stated Model. “To have a course of the place college students would apply for funding. And the aim of the funding was to assist them proceed their instructional experiences, understanding that they’d better prices and bills.”

He shared his story on dividing up CARES Act Funding, initially having it open to all college students. Quickly, a fellow school member modified his thoughts.

“The pinnacle of monetary assist got here to me and stated, we don’t suppose that is the suitable option to allocate this cash. We’ve got a pupil, for instance, whose household lives beneath the poverty line and so they’ve requested for 50 {dollars} in order that they’ll proceed to eat for the subsequent few days,” stated Model.

His story was considered one of many shared in the course of the open dialogue.

It was additionally considered one of many classes, his fellow presidents like College of Iowa’s Barbara Wilson will take again to enhance their very own campus.

“Each time I meet faculty presidents I be taught that we’re all in the identical challenges collectively,” she stated.

Dr. Wilson shared her objectives and efforts for retention.

Proper now, 40 p.c of the undergraduate pupil physique at Iowa is out of state.

Dr. Wilson says they need to see increasingly of these college students keep in state after they graduate yearly.

“The extra alternatives we are able to present within the hall and out of doors the hall by way of internships, profession alternatives, and shadowing professionals and their job walks of life, all of these actions will assist us to encourage college students to consider Iowa for his or her future,” stated Wilson.

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