SOL: Multicultural LGBTQ + Support Network (SOL) is an initiative at Oregon State University (OSU) that uplifts students who are at the intersections between queer and trans identities and nonwhite racialized identities. Historically, OSU is a predominantly white institution, with major student-led activism that has shifted the progressive course…

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are frequently on the lips of higher education professionals yet we struggle to infuse these concepts throughout the academy as evidenced in challenges recruiting faculty of color, graduating students of color, and hostile environments reported by students. The authors posit that this is because, to date, most…

In this brief, the authors aim to equip policymakers and advocates for higher education opportunity and equity with a framework for analyzing and pushing for "equity-driven" free college policy. The purpose is not to challenge the momentum around free college, but to understand how programs can be designed to advance opportunity and…

To support state efforts to close postsecondary attainment equity gaps for students of color, Research for Action (RFA) developed a framework that describes three drivers behind efforts to place racial equity at the center of postsecondary policymaking and practice: awareness, inclusion, and integration. The framework is adapted from Equity in the…

Despite advances in improving CCR for students with disabilities, a great deal of work is needed to help more students achieve their full potential. The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) provides states with flexibility over the design of their educational systems and offers additional provisions to support CCR for all students, including…

Dramatic changes in the higher education landscape and the recent recession have intensified the challenges students face in postsecondary enrollment and completion. In response, some states, communities, and institutions have developed "postsecondary opportunity programs (POPs)"--comprehensive college access and success programs…

In 2009, Excelencia in Education launched the Ensuring America's Future initiative to inform, organize, and engage leaders in a tactical plan to increase Latino college completion. An executive summary of Latino College Completion in 50 states synthesizes information on 50 state factsheets and builds on the national benchmarking guide. Each…

This study analyzes the current condition of higher education in Oregon, presents a conceptual framework for a voucher system alternative, and within this framework outlines a proposed voucher system for Oregon. The authors focus on three problems in higher education: (1) the need for relevance, (2) the financial crisis, and (3) inequality of…

This state plan presents Oregon's 11 educational goals for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) education, which have been revised and detailed by the statewide Indian Education Council. The goals support the policy of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the educational philosophy of the AI/AN community, and the Indian Student Bill of…

This report analyzes some effects of the ways in which some $132 million in state and local taxes will be spent on Oregon higher education. These effects are evaluated in the light of some socioeconomic objectives. Discussed are: (1) the important components in state subsidies for higher education--institutional subsidies, need grants, scholarship…