The last time the Higher Education Act was reauthorized, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” was the number one song, said Emily Bouck West, deputy director of Higher Education Advocates.
It’s been 11 years, and “a lot in our world has changed,” she said. “We’re excited policymakers are continuing to talk about Higher Education Act reauthorization, and we think it’s necessary to update policies to better meet today’s students.”
Bouck West is a part of Today’s Students Coalition, a group of higher education advocacy organizations born in August. The coalition consists of twelve different groups, including Higher Learning Advocates, Veterans Education Success, Young Invincibles, the National College Access Network and others. The goal is to advocate for policies that expand supports for nontraditional and underrepresented students.
The coalition recently released a set of policy goals against the backdrop of the impending reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. They also held a panel discussion coinciding with the release called “Stories of Today’s Students” where four student panelists shared their diverse college experiences and their hopes for higher education. On the panel, low-income students, veterans, students of color, career switchers and student parents were represented.