Good evening!
 
September - and almost fall - is in full swing and I hope the splashes of cooler weather are bringing everyone some joy this time of year.

I am excited to share a targeted opportunity for the Denver metro area from the team at New Profit: the Equitable Education Recovery Initiative. Starting this week, the initiative will be accepting applications for $200K awards for catalytic, unrestricted funds to each of 24 organizations. In addition to the funding resource, New Profit will be providing cohort-based capacity-building support in a peer learning community over the course of the next two years. The topics of this peer learning community could range from assessing organizational strengths to refining a theory of change. The peer network will also give organizations the rare opportunity to meet others in their community and in other geographies working toward similar outcomes.
 
New Profit is seeking leaders who are working to provide math/ELA tutoring, whole child supports, and/or postsecondary education advising to K12 students in their community -- and the Denver metro community is a target geography for their investment. More information can be found on the New Profit website and questions will be answered this Friday during a webinar at 11MT -- but, I encourage you to examine the opportunity, share with your network and apply. The applications are due on October 5!

And, an opportunity for all across Colorado higher education: you can help tell the story of institutions, higher education leaders and students by sharing your ideas with Chalkbeat Colorado and higher education reporter, Jason Gonzales. Complete this form and share your ideas and stories with the local Chalkbeat team.
 
Hope you all have a great week,
Alison
 
What We’re Reading
 
Colorado’s Community Colleges Challenged by Falling Enrollments: The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) has 16% less students than two years ago. This decline is partially due to many low-income students making the decision not to re-enroll during the pandemic. This downturn comes after several years of gradual declines at community colleges across the state and the country. To combat the downswing, colleges in the state are incentivizing some students who agree to stay in school with $1,000 credits, free laptops, and car repairs. Some of these supports have helped students financially, but many have yet to reverse enrollment trends. [Denver Post]

Colorado University Creates New Academy to Guarantee Admission: Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) has launched a new admissions pathway that will expand college access through low-cost, flexible online courses for students who did not meet basic admissions requirements. CSU Pueblo has collaborated with StraighterLine to offer low-cost, competency-based general education courses that enable students to earn admission to the university and apply the credits toward their bachelor's degree. [PR Web]

One Colorado Institution Remains Flexible on Campus Reopening and COVID Protocols: At Colorado Mesa University, students are not required to get vaccinated against COVID-19. John Marshall, the university’s president has encouraged students, faculty and staff to come together with a collective sense of community and responsibility to each other and engage in a conversation around COVID-19 protocols. The university will continue to monitor the situation around COVID-19 as new information around infection rates and new variants become available. [Colorado Public Radio]

CU Regents Establish Presidential Search Committee and Approve Policy Changes: The University of Colorado’s Board of Regents held their first in-person meeting in more than 18 months last week. The Regents approved policy changes, took requests and discussed the process of searching for a new president. The Regents changed their search policy to include placing a priority on selecting a diverse range of candidates, adding additional members to the search committee, clarifying public records and nomination requirements, and clarifying that there may be more than two Regents appointed to the search committee. The board also elected Regent Lesley Smith to serve as chair of the search committee. Read more about the meeting here. [Daily Camera]

Fort Lewis College Removes Plaque Inaccurately Depicting Indian Boarding Schools: Fort Lewis College removed panels underneath its clock tower that portrayed Indian children being forcibly taken from their families and described them as “happy.” The timeline displayed on the panels showed Fort Lewis’s transition from a 19th-century military fort, to a federal Indian boarding school in the late 1800s, to the college that it is today. The imagery inaccurately depicted the painful past of Indian boarding schools and campus leadership noted this action is one of the first steps in the healing process. [Denver Post]

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Takes Action on Income Share Agreement Provider: The CFPB took action against Better Future Forward, a company offering income share agreements to help students finance their degrees. Better Future Forward directly offered its contracts to students and CFBP argues did not comply with the law. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said they plan to work with the CFPB on income share agreements in the months ahead. [Inside Higher Ed]

Opinion: Why One University Leader Believes Entrepreneurship Will Replace The Liberal Arts: Tim Holcomb, the chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship at Miami University talks about the future of education and entrepreneurship. Holcomb argues that the future of learning is at the intersection of traditional higher education, entrepreneurship and technology. Read more about the teaching and application of entrepreneurship in postsecondary education here. [Forbes]

Opinion: Hip-Hop Icon Gives Attention to College Mental Health Issues: Darryl McDaniels, hip-hop icon and front man to 80’s rap group Run DMC talks about mental health, his personal struggle with suicide and why he is committed to destigmatizing therapy and counseling with college students. Read more about McDaniels’ latest investment in a technology platform to provide just-in-time teletherapy support to students. [Forbes]

What We’re Watching & Listening To
 
Boundless Potential Book Talk with Mary B. Marcy: With higher education costs rising, traditional college student populations shrinking, and pundits predicting significant institutional closures, small colleges cannot afford to pretend that business-as-usual can sustain them. Join me as I talk with Mary B. Marcy, president emeritus of Dominican University in California about “The Small College Imperative: Models for Sustainable Futures,” her book which outlines five models for addressing the rapidly changing landscape of postsecondary education. The book talk will be held virtually on Thursday, September 29 at 5pm MT. Register here. 
 
Podcast: Discussing The Student Loan Crisis: Dr. Beth Akers, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, speaks with Josh Mitchell, a Wall Street Journal reporter who covers economics and student debt in this episode of “An Economist Goes to College.” They discuss Mitchell’s newest book, “The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe,” and the situation surrounding the crisis. They go into detail about the history of the student loan system, the impacts of the student debt crisis, and the future of higher education policy.
 
Podcast: The Challenges Facing Youth During the Pandemic: Strada Education Network provides insights on the impact the pandemic has had on youth. Dr. Nichole Torpey-Saboe, Director of Research and Insights for Strada Education Network discusses the challenges facing youth in reconnecting to education and getting back on track in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. Nichole shares insights from Strada research, which is complemented by personal stories from young people about the pandemic’s impact. Listen to the episode here.
 
Webinar: Bridging the Talent Gap Employer Survey Data Available: The Bridging The Talent Gap Employer Survey data is now available and the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and the Graduate! Network are hosting an informational webinar on September 29 at 1:30pm MT to further explore the data. The webinar will provide a high-level overview of the Colorado Bridging the Talent Gap employer survey results and allow time for questions from participants. The CWDC is committed to helping all the partners in the TalentFOUND network use these data to develop effective, targeted talent development solutions and work with employers to implement practices and programs to strengthen their business. To register for the webinar, use this link.
 
Webinar: How Higher Education Can Address Challenges with Analytics: Join the Education Commission of the States on October 6 from 1-2 p.m. MT for their virtual event series and a discussion of “Why Higher Education Needs Analytics Now More Than Ever.” To register for the session, visit this link.
 
Opportunities We’re Following
 
Third Way Women in Higher Education Virtual Fall Happy Hour: On Thursday, September 23 from 2:30-3:30pm MT, Third Way will host a virtual fall happy hour for women in higher education with Dr. MaryEllen McGuire, founder and president of the Postsecondary National Policy Institute (PNPI). MaryEllen served as President Obama’s Senior Advisor for Education on the Domestic Policy Council at the White House and has extensive experience on Capitol Hill. Join Third Way to hear about MaryEllen’s journey into higher ed, how PNPI came to be, tips and tricks for making it in federal higher ed policy, and more. Register for the virtual happy hour here.
 
Education Commission of the States Hiring a Development Director: The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is hiring a Development Director, responsible for achieving annual and long-term organization deliverables and revenue goals. As a member of the leadership team, the ideal candidate will help lead all outreach opportunities with philanthropic funders including corporations and foundations. To apply for the position, send your resume and cover letter to Kate Haggerty at khaggerty@ecs.org with “Development Director” in the subject line by September 24.

CodePath Hiring a Director of Communications: CodePath, a non-profit transforming computer science education for underrepresented students, is hiring a Director of Communications The Director of Communications will support CodePath’s vision as one of the leading organizations creating tomorrow’s technology leaders while closing the racial equity gap. Ideal candidates will be experienced in communications strategy and narratives, can share CodePath’s story in transforming computer science education and sharing the stories of the thousands of students who have overcome systemic barriers to enter into the industry. Learn more about this opportunity and apply here.

NCAN Hiring a Chief Of Staff: The National College Attainment Network (NCAN), a non-profit organization striving to achieve equity for historically underrepresented students in higher education is hiring a Chief of Staff to support the CEO, leadership team and DEI vision of the organization. The ideal candidate for this opportunity has led DEI work, enjoys building an inclusive organizational culture, has managed people and strategic initiatives, and believes in closing equity gaps for all students.

ECS 2021 Virtual Forum on Education Policy: Join the Education Commission of the States on October 20-21 from 9am-3pm MT daily for their virtual Forum on Education Policy as they cover topics across the education spectrum. The experience includes Ed Talks with prominent national leaders in education, concurrent sessions which will provide current information on pressing education policy issues, and policy vignettes spotlighting innovative state strategies and initiatives. To register, use this link.

WCET Annual Meeting on Higher Education: The WCET Annual Meeting will be a virtual event showcasing effective practices, innovative solutions, and roundtable discussions in online learning in higher education. Hear from leaders and practitioners about student-centered, equitable solutions and strategies, as well as applications of emerging technologies such as blockchain. The live event will be held on November 2 from 8:00am MT - 4:30pm MT. Register here.

ACE Fellows Program Accepting Applications: Over 2,000 vice presidents, deans, department chairs, faculty, and other emerging leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program, a learning experience that allows fellows to immerse themselves in the study and practice of leadership. Participants experience the culture, policies, and decision-making processes of another institution and bring those learnings back to their home campus. This program condenses years of on-the-job experience and skills development into one year. Apply to become a fellow, nominate a colleague, or apply to mentor a Fellow at your institution. The 2022–23 Fellows Program application is open through November 5.