Responses

Hello everyone,

Hope all is well and healthy! 

There is one policy that comes to mind I think had just as much of a positive impact as it does negative. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990 (National Network, 2019).  The ADA is a civil rights law that forbids discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public all life functions.  This including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public (National Network, 2019).  In the past, before the implementation of the ADA, students with disabilities were not afforded the same rights and opportunities as those without disabilities.  The purpose of the ADA is to ensure that the people with diagnosed, approved disabilities are protected and have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else (National Network, 2019).  Equal rights and opportunities are guaranteed to those with disabilities in the areas of public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local governmental services, and telecommunication and is split into five different sections that define accommodations in the different areas of public life, Titles I-V.  This creates a positive outcome providing more access to those in this group.  

As mentioned above, I believe this causes an equal negative outcome.  The ADA under civil rights law is an example of an unfunded mandate.  An unfunded mandate is federally imposed, and the institution receives no funding for it to accommodate any changes.  Noncompliance could mean the institution will not be eligible for funding and or participate in student financial aid.  It could be as simple as moving a coat rack lower for those who may be in a wheelchair to as big as outfitting a building to accommodate an elevator.  An unfunded mandate such this could negatively impact the institution regular operating budget.  Causing the institution to increase tuition and fees to make up for the cost.  Increased tuition and fees make it even more difficult for lower to mid economic groups to gain access to higher education.  So, we help and improve diversity by adding one group but has the potential to negatively impact another group’s access.   

The policy that I think has the biggest influence on how higher education institutions recruit and retain students from a diverse background is the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The act prohibits discrimination based on race, color and nation origin (U.S. Department of Education, 2020).  I think this was the most influential because it requires institutions to move and demonstrate equality within their recruitment and retainment efforts.  Noncompliance with this could not only have a negative impact on the institutions yearly federal funding but could lead them to a time and financial consuming lawsuit.  Thanks for stopping by everyone!

Lytle  

References

Nation Network. (2019, August 29). What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Retrieved from https://adata.org/learn-about-ada

U.S. Department of Education. (2020, January 10). Impact of the Civil Rights Laws. Retrieved April 13, 2020, from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/impact.html

Vera Discussion

Dear all,

            All the policies and regulations that have been implemented over the last century have impacted access to higher education. Beginning with the Morrill Land grants, which started the proliferation of state-sponsored schools to the changes in Title V laws that addressed minorities and disabilities. However, in my view, the biggest impact came from the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. This was the catalyst that began the shift to jobs requiring college degrees, and a student's ability to finance a college education (Pell Institute, 2019). The 1960s started several decades of change for Americans, but the HEA was a large part of making a college degree part of the American dream.

            The HEA was enacted as part of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society campaign and push to create a more educated and innovative population. This legislation brought the federal government into the business of financing higher education with federal funded grants and loans. Initially, without provisions for minority and gender equality, amendments over the years were added to address access for protected classes. Although fraught with red tape and confusing regulations, the HEA has allowed millions of Americans to afford a college degree. No federal legislation is without drawbacks, and some experts feel that the available money to finance higher education brought about the tuition crisis (Johnson, Ostern, & White, 2016).

            Now at a crossroads, where tuition has risen to a point that has crippled many American families, access to higher education has yet another barrier. The social and political systems have failed to address this disparity and a once highly touted federal initiative has spiraled out of control. Administrators at higher education institutions have an important task ahead to address the tuition problem while maintaining access for all students. 

Stay safe and have a great week,

Vera

References:

Johnson, A., Ostern, T. V., & White, A. (2016). The Student Debt Crisis. Retrieved from