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Resources Forbes: College Financial Grades This list provides letter grades on the institutional finances of more than 900 private, not-for-profit colleges with full-time enrollments greater than 500 students. Components of the scoring model include endowment assets per FTE (full time students), primary reserve ratio, viability ratio, core operating margin, tuition as a percentage of core revenues, return on assets, admissions yield, percentage of freshman getting grant aid, and instruction expenses per FTE. LEARN MORE Composite Financial Index (CFI) The CFI is a longstanding financial calculation used by many institutions that stems from the book Strategic Financial Analysis for Higher Education by individuals at accounting firm KPMG (published in 1980 but updated seven times since). CFI condenses information to a single number and is based on four key ratios: primary reserve ratio, viability ratio, net operating revenue ratio, and return on net assets ratio. This report from SHEEO discusses CFI and other financial health resources. LEARN MORE Several leading organizations and individuals have made important contributions to increase transparency around higher education's costs, value, finances, and economic models. These additional resources can provide unique insights and context for users of the MAPS data tools. NACUBO Economic Models Project This effort seeks to help institutions pursue greater financial sustainability as higher education changes. It provides a framework for strategic decision making across four pillars: mission, structure, strengths, and resources. The website offers structured engagement ideas through strategic questions to help institutions understand their own standing and also provides examples and case studies of well-positioned institutions. LEARN MORE Edmit College Financial Health Center Edmit is a private company that seeks to provide third-party information on colleges and universities to prospective students and their families. Their financial health model scores 937 private institutions on how soon the combination of revenues and net assets could fail to cover operating expenses and categorizes them as either very high risk, high risk, medium risk, or low risk. Previous elements of their model were controversial since they provided a “time to closure estimate” for schools and not released publicly. LEARN MORE PASSHE Sustainability Standards Pennsylvania has received significant press for the changes happening and proposed in its higher education system. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) created a sustainability standard policy to simplify and evaluate the financial wellbeing of its institutions. The PASSHE model uses four key inputs that are closest to an institution’s control: enrollment, operating margin, primary reserve ratio, and university reserves. LEARN MORE Hechinger Report College Financial Fitness Tracker This financial health model measures the financial fitness of public four year universities, private non-profit universities, and two year public colleges. It is based on work by Robert Zemsky, Susan Shaman and Susan Campbell Baldridge as laid out in their book The College Stress Test. Each institution is ranked on a scale from 0 to 3 based on their performance in categories including: enrollment of first time undergraduates, retention rate, average tuition-and-fees revenue per student, state appropriations, ratio of endowment to total expenses, and the change in ratio of tuition-and-fees revenue to instructional cost. Hechinger’s model is different for each of the three types of institutions included. LEARN MORE PostsecondaryValue Commission This campaign attempts to answer the question “what is college worth?” by proposing a shared definition of value. The commission provides a measurement framework for how colleges and universities can create equitable value for their students and an action agenda to help guide changes in policy and practice. LEARN MORE

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MEET THE TEAM SORENSON IMPACT CENTER MAPS TEAM Allison Boxer Managing Director Contact Megan Brewster Senior Manager Contact Danika Borcik Associate Contact Frederique Irwin Director Contact Meredith Muller Manager Contact Christopher Firmage Associate Contact Chak Tan Director Contact Byoung-Gyu Gong Data Scientist Contact STUDENT COALITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Alex Rodriguez Abhi Harikumar Heidi Seabrooks-Smith Contact Us First Name Last Name Email Write a message Submit Thanks for submitting! JOIN OUR MAPS COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH OUR TEAM

RESOURCES THE MAPS PROJECT NOT ONLY SEEKS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY DATA TO HIGHER ED LEADERS. WE ALSO LOOK TO INSTILL THOUGHT PROVOKING AND CONTEXT MATERIALS TO UNDERSTAND THE . CATEGORIES FINANCIAL HEALTH View resources that discuss barriers, hardships, and solutions for institutional financial health Learn More EQUITY Read how equity-centric programs are being established and developed from institutions across the nation Learn More STUDENT SUPPORT & SUCCESS Find resources to support and excel students in their academic experiences. Learn More Transformation 101: How universities can overcome financial headwinds to focus on their mission Troubled universities can reset their financial trajectory. Higher Education: A Pathway for Successful Cost Reduction This publication examines the three success factors that higher education providers should consider in their cost reduction approach. Successful delivery of cost reduction programs will not only be the key to managing immediate cash flow challenges but ensure universities have optionality moving forward. NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study The annual NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study (TDS), sponsored by Vemo Education, measures institutional tuition discount rates and other indicators of institutionally funded scholarships awarded to undergraduates attending private, nonprofit (independent) colleges and universities. See the TDS Glossary for more information. A Path to Sustainability: How Revenue Diversification Helps Colleges and Universities Survive Tough Economic Conditions The paper chronicles the significant changes in the financing of higher education, examines three rationales for revenue diversification, and then analyzes the effect of diversification on institutional revenue per student at a large sample of private, non-research institutions during the worst of recent economic periods. Implications for practice are then discussed. A Generational Challenge: State Postsecondary Education Policies to Support Economic Recovery and Individual Opportunity During this time of unprecedented economic, health, and social challenges, states must leverage higher education as a strategic asset rather than simply a budgetary expense. Diversifying Campus Revenue Streams: Opportunities and Risks The primary leadership challenge for college presidents today is to maintain high quality and competitive standing in the face of menacing resource constraints. To meet this challenge, many institutions have begun to adopt more business-like perspectives, particularly by aggressively pursuing alternative revenue streams. Financial Health FINANCIAL HEALTH EQUITY MAPS: Five Themes For Centering Student Equity In Fall 2020, MAPS contributors from across the country, including students, researchers, practitioners, and decision makers, convened to develop key assertions about how to move toward a more equitable future. How to Stand Up for Equity in Higher Education The pandemic has greatly intensified equity gaps. A Strada survey reported that half of all Latinx students surveyed and 42 percent of Black students canceled or altered their educational plans due to the pandemic, compared to 26 percent of non-Hispanic white students. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Action The terms diversity, equity, and inclusion have become ubiquitous on college and university campuses. Students, faculty, and staff agree that it’s important—even essential—to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus communities, but what does it take to make that happen? Best & Promising Practices for Equity in Higher Education Provide an array of concepts and successful practices for embedding equityin higher education to inform the strategic direction for GRC’s Equity-Centered Strategic Plan. Laying the Groundwork Where is your team starting from? Have racism and equity been part of your dialogue for a while, or are they new? The readings and activities in this phase will help you build a new vocabulary and a deeper understanding of racism and equity together. Aspen Institute Structural Equity: Big-Picture Thinking & Partnerships That Improve Community College Student Outcomes Community colleges play a vital role in creating a more equitable society through educational opportunity. The most effective community colleges—those that not only enroll but graduate large numbers of students from underserved communities—have worked hard to fundamentally reform internal structures and operations so that the education and supports students receive are aligned with student success goals. Much of the national dialogue and efforts to improve community college performance have focused on critical elements of internal change. Online learning during COVID-19: 8 ways universities can improve equity and access Our collaborative research group, based at Université Laval, Concordia University, Florida State University, University of Southern California and San Francisco State University, sought to better understand how universities planned to make sure all students would have access to online learning and be able to participate as courses moved online. Our team met remotely with staff from 19 centres in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Lebanon. Anti-Racism in Higher Education: A Model for Change Racism continues to persist in higher education and traditional diversity initiatives that focus only on support resources and tolerance training continue to fall short in making lasting change on college and university campuses. The purpose of this scholarly paper is to present a model for change within higher education that distributes leadership and institutional power across racial lines and enlightens the White community about systemic inequities. Load More Equity ​ STUDENT SUPPORT & SUCCESS Advising at HBCUs: A Resource Collection Advancing Educational Equity and Student Success Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) play an invaluable role in promoting equity in higher education. Each of the three articles in this collection—a qualitative research project, a set of case studies, and a journal review—offers a unique perspective exploring how advising best practices conducted by HBCUs can promote positive student outcomes. Why Colleges and Universities Need to Invest in Quality Teaching More Than Ever This paper presents the available research on the connections among better teaching, improved student learning outcomes, higher degree completion, and institutional financial solvency. It helps make the case that strengthening the pedagogical core of what we do in our classes can have multiple positive effects throughout higher education. Best practices for Mental Health Services in Colleges and Universities Higher education students and their families look increasingly to college and universities to provide mental health and behavioral health services for their students thus leading to a growing demand for supportive services on college campuses. First Generation Students in Community College and Technical College Community and technical colleges are critical access points for higher education, particularly for first-generation college students. To understand the current state of first-generation student support programs and services at community and technical colleges across the United States, the Center for First-generation Student Success partnered with Phase Two Advisory to interview institution leaders, administrators, student services staff, and first-generation students and collect data from a national survey. FIVE THINGS: Student Affairs Administrators Can Do to Improve Success Among College Men of Color The Research and Policy Institute Five Things Issue Brief Series is designed to connect leaders in the field of student affairs with academic scholarship focused on critical issues facing higher education. Intended to be accessible, succinct, and informative, the series provides NASPA members with thought provoking perspectives and guidance about what current research tells us about supporting student success in all its forms. Three Ways to Better Support Student-Parents and Their Children Did you know that college students who are also parents are 10 times less likely than their childless peers to receive their bachelor’s degree? As Congress considers historic investments to expand high-quality, affordable child care, state policymakers should start thinking about the best ways to support the needs of student-parents and their children with those new funds. Campus Mental Health Action Planning Today, mental health professionals have access to treatments that can effectively help people with a variety of mental health concerns. When young people are connected early to support and treatment, most mental health problems can be successfully managed, with symptoms reduced or even eliminated. Best & Promising Practices for Equity in Higher Education Provide an array of concepts and successful practices for embedding equityin higher education to inform the strategic direction for GRC’s Equity-Centered Strategic Plan. Laying the Groundwork Where is your team starting from? Have racism and equity been part of your dialogue for a while, or are they new? The readings and activities in this phase will help you build a new vocabulary and a deeper understanding of racism and equity together. Aspen Institute Structural Equity: Big-Picture Thinking & Partnerships That Improve Community College Student Outcomes Community colleges play a vital role in creating a more equitable society through educational opportunity. The most effective community colleges—those that not only enroll but graduate large numbers of students from underserved communities—have worked hard to fundamentally reform internal structures and operations so that the education and supports students receive are aligned with student success goals. Much of the national dialogue and efforts to improve community college performance have focused on critical elements of internal change. Online learning during COVID-19: 8 ways universities can improve equity and access Our collaborative research group, based at Université Laval, Concordia University, Florida State University, University of Southern California and San Francisco State University, sought to better understand how universities planned to make sure all students would have access to online learning and be able to participate as courses moved online. Our team met remotely with staff from 19 centres in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Lebanon. Anti-Racism in Higher Education: A Model for Change Racism continues to persist in higher education and traditional diversity initiatives that focus only on support resources and tolerance training continue to fall short in making lasting change on college and university campuses. The purpose of this scholarly paper is to present a model for change within higher education that distributes leadership and institutional power across racial lines and enlightens the White community about systemic inequities. FIVE THINGS Student Affairs Professionals Can Do to Support Latinx/a/o Students in Community Colleges Published by NASPA’s Research and Policy Institute, the Five Things Issue Brief Series is designed to connect leaders in the field of student affairs with academic scholarship on critical issues facing higher education. Intended to be accessible, succinct, and informative, the briefs provide NASPA members with thought-provoking perspectives and guidance from current research on supporting student success in all its forms. Students of Color Are Not OK. Here’s How Colleges Can Support Them. Drop-in counseling for Black students. Therapy groups on coping with racism. Programs for white students on how to be anti-racist. Building Family-Friendly Campuses: Strategies to Promote College Success Among Student Parents For parents, receiving a college degree is one of the best investments they can make to improve the financial security, social mobility, and overall well-being of their family. Research has repeatedly shown, for example, that college graduates have higher lifetime earnings than their peers with just a high school diploma, and are more likely to report experiencing better health than those with lower educational attainment. Resources Designed for International Students Could Also Help First-Generation Students The U.S. higher education system is vast, diverse, and complicated to navigate, and earning a degree can be difficult. The challenge is especially felt by students entirely new to the U.S. higher education system and its culture. This includes both first-generation students and international students. Better Together: Four Mutually Reinforcing Strategies for Retaining Black Students and Faculty Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions are doubling down on efforts to retain Black faculty and students, especially at predominantly White institutions. In most instances, colleges and universities approach faculty and student retention separately, without understanding existing connections between Black faculty and Black students. Following are four ways that Black faculty and Black students are already connecting to provide support for each other. Diverse Conversations: How Can We Increase Minority Graduation Rates? Many schools focus on recruiting a diverse student body. But, once the students arrive on campus, not every institution spends a significant amount of time on retention. Neglecting retention strategies means that fewer students ultimately graduate from college and that shortcoming disproportionately affects minority students. Load More Student Support & Success

The disruptions caused by COVID-19 accelerated several existing trends in higher education, with a disproportionate impact on students from historically marginalized backgrounds. Now more than ever, elevating student voices and encouraging higher education leaders to first consider the impact their decisions have on students is critical if the industry is to thrive. In an effort to center student perspectives in the MAPS Project’s equity work, the Student Coalition for Higher Education was created. The Coalition provided opportunities for diverse young leaders from across the nation to discuss emerging trends, engage with industry practitioners and community leaders, and contribute to key conversations. This group produced several publications and thought pieces, which are available for leaders to use to gain deeper insight into the student experience and learn how to engage their own student population in decision-making. COALITION MEMBERS 2021-2022 Alex Rodriguez | He/Him Abhi Harikumar | He/Him Heidi Seabrooks-Smith | She/Her Student Coalition 2020-2021 Student Managers Marin Murdock | She/Her Austin Hendrickson | He/Him Clara Randall | She/her Tramaine Jones | He/Him JP Flores | He/Him Coalition Members Taylor Kamhong | She/Her Kurien Thomas | He/Him Julianne Liu | She/Her Michaela Zeno | She/Her Karlyn Bradley | He/They Alex Johnson | He/Him Aajah Harris | She/Her Jordana Maciel | She/Her Carolyn Dennis | She/Her Alex Rodriguez | He/Him Catalyzing Student Equity In Higher Education Drawing from a months-long process speaking with students and administrators across the nation. The Student Coalition of 2020-21 on Higher Education designed a guidebook that dives into factors that emerged as important in catalyzing student-equity-centricity. Full Student Guidebook Student Guidebook: Summary

TAMMY DIVYAM EXPLORE THEIR STORIES. DANTE ERIKA JOLLY CAROLYN

ERIKA IS NOT AN OUTLIER. Erika is one of millions of financially-at-risk students whose education and career paths are being jeopardized by Covid-19. READ ERIKA'S STORY Erika comforts her cat, Lucy JAN. 2020 FIGHTING TO COMPLETE Due to financial strain, Erika has dropped out of college twice, re-enrolling when able. Erika's Story “ALL OF THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS STARTED TO PILE UP. I STARTED TO GET FRANTIC. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO IF I CAN'T GRADUATE?” MAR. 2020 FINISH LINE IN SIGHT Erika has only one semester left to complete. She plans to start a business or non-profit after graduation. Erika with her sister and father at a Utah Utes football game Erika's notebook, where she writes down her non-profit and business ideas THEN COVID-19 HIT. JUL. 2020 THE KEY TO SUCCESS OUT OF REACH Erika realized she was most likely going to have to abandon her dream of graduating. ​ Erika struggles to grapple with her worth and identity if she is unable to graduate. ​ She promised herself that she would not have to wait tables again, but… Erika's serving apron, which she wore waiting tables for seven years “TODAY, HIGHER EDUCATION IS A GATEKEEPER THAT STANDS BETWEEN THE POPULACE AND A PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. THIS DEGREE WILL PROVE THAT I HAVE WORTH.” ERIKA IS NOT AN OUTLIER SEE THE DATA EXPLORE THE DATA DASHBOARD Self-portraits drawn by Erika representing the highs and lows of the pandemic AUG. 2020 ANOTHER SCHOOL LOAN Through a change in her student loans, Erika was, fortunately, able to continue her classes this semester, and is on track to graduate this winter. The months Erika spent in uncertainty and anxiety weren’t an isolated case. Students across the nation are experiencing immediate financial burdens brought on or heightened by the current pandemic, threatening their ability to continue their education. “THERE'S A FEELING OF UNCERTAINTY BUT ALSO OF HEARTBREAKING RESENTMENT. ” SEPT. 2020 SEMESTER BEGINS Erika takes online courses this semester, but she still worries about what will happen this fall semester, and about starting her career after she graduates. Erika holds her cat, Gus TO BE CONTINUED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERDUE CHANGE The higher education sector faces a crucial set of decisions that will shape its future for decades to come. While the current pandemic has amplified the strain on an already-vulnerable higher education sector, institutions have the opportunity to transform in proactive and student-centric ways. READ MORE STUDENT STORIES

JOLLY IS NOT AN OUTLIER. Jolly, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has already faced incredible adversity in her journey to pursue a college degree. The Covid-19 pandemic presents not only a threat to her ability to graduate, but her access to vital resources, her home, and her community. READ JOLLY'S STORY Jolly's Story Ugandan refugee camp 2008 BORN INTO A WAR Due to ongoing violent conflict across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jolly and her siblings are forced to flee their home. At the age of 8, Jolly and her siblings relocate to Kyaka, a Ugandan refugee camp. ​ The camp has little to no access to basic living essentials. There is inadequate access to clean water, nutrition, and medical equipment "THE WAR TOOK AWAY MY CHILDHOOD." 2014 ENTERING A NEW WORLD After 6 years in the refugee camp, Jolly's family is sponsored by a Catholic group in the US. Upon arrival, the siblings are split up in foster care. Jolly started her new life in Salt Lake City, Utah East High School, where Jolly received her high school diploma 2016 PLAYING CATCH UP Jolly pushes herself academically. Even though she came to the US without knowing any English, she manages to catch herself up on a decade worth of education in just a few semesters by taking online courses, summer classes, and after school programs in order to be able to graduate with her class. "EVEN THOUGH I FELT OUT OF PLACE, GOING TO SCHOOL WAS MY FAVORITE THING. I HAD SUCH A DESIRE FOR EDUCATION." Jolly and her friends from First Ascent Scholars pose for a photo 2017 THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME Through the help of the University of Utah's First Ascent Scholars Program, Jolly is able to pursue a degree. Through the program, Jolly is offered full tuition, housing, as well as mentorship. "I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. I NEVER IMAGINED ACTUALLY GOING TO COLLEGE." JAN. 2020 PAYING IT FORWARD Now a senior about to receive a bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Jolly starts to envision the next stage of her life. She's determined to go to law school in order to study immigration law, planning on using her education to help individuals in communities who weren't as fortunate as her. "WITH AN EDUCATION, WE CAN GO BACK AND HELP OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GO BACK AND HELP BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE PAIN THAT WE'VE FELT." THEN COVID-19 HIT. MAR. 2020 ALONE ON CAMPUS For Jolly, campus resources are a necessity. She relies on campus for everything from her housing to her community. When everyone leaves campus, Jolly stays. She has nowhere else to go. Jolly studying in her dorm room JOLLY IS NOT AN OUTLIER SEE THE DATA EXPLORE THE DATA DASHBOARD SEPT. 2020 BRACING FOR THE SEMESTER As classes begin, Jolly worries what will happen to her academics, living situation, and scholarship as the semester progresses. In the first two weeks, two floors of her dorms have already had to quarantine. She worries she'll lose all that she's worked so hard to get. "I'M SCARED THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GRADUATE." TO BE CONTINUED PROTECTING VULNERABLE STUDENTS For students like Jolly, who depend on university campuses, the pandemic threatens not only their education, but their livelihood, home, and community. Institutions have the opportunity to implement student-centric and equitable solutions to protect vulnerable students. READ MORE STUDENT STORIES

TAMMY IS NOT AN OUTLIER. Tammy is one of millions of students affected by the loss of on-campus housing and employment. READ TAMMY'S STORY Read Tammy's Story JAN. 2020 DELAYS AND ROADBLOCKS Tammy starts the semester knowing her original plan to graduate at the end of 2020 with a degree in education isn’t possible, her program having eliminated its summer-fall student teaching. Tammy receiving a social justice award for her work with the housing at her university THEN COVID-19 HIT. MAR. 2020 FORCED TO FIND A NEW HOME Covid-19 not only moves Tammy’s coursework online, but takes away her room and board. Tammy relies on her job as an on-campus RA and social justice advocate to survive. Tammy received just one week’s notice that she’d have to leave the dorms where she lived. Tammy decorating her dorm for Halloween FACED WITH DIFFICULT DECISIONS Tammy’s never paid rent before. She doesn’t know if she can find an apartment she can afford in just a week. She could try to go back to her family, over 400 miles away, but her brother has since started living in her old room. Tammy worries whether her family’s home will have enough space for her to successfully finish her online semester. “MY OTHER OPTION WAS TO MOVE IN WITH THE PERSON THAT I WAS DATING. MY MOM WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE,'I THINK YOU SHOULD DO IT.' MY PARENTS NORMALLY WOULDN'T ENCOURAGE ME TO MOVE IN WITH SOMEONE WHO I'VE ONLY BEEN DATING BECAUSE I'M SO YOUNG, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION.” FEW OTHER OPTIONS Tammy moves in with her partner, who lives in low-income housing, requiring Tammy to submit six months of bank statements with transaction history, the worth of her vehicle, and more, to prove that, together, Tammy and her partner would still qualify for the apartment. Tammy and her partner TAMMY IS NOT AN OUTLIER SEE THE DATA EXPLORE THE DATA DASHBOARD AUG. 2020 CALCULATING RISKS Seeing a last chance to see her family before the start of a challenging semester, Tammy drives over 400 miles to visit them. After arriving at her family’s home, Tammy’s car shows signs of trouble. Her dad promises to help her, but he gets sick, showing symptoms consistent with Covid-19. Tammy finds herself unsure if which is the greatest risk, driving back home with car trouble or potential exposure to Covid-19. FINDING FOCUS In the midst of her present situation, Tammy has been working on her honors thesis, which focuses on teacher turnover, but finds it difficult to focus. Tammy's student teaching starts in two days. She still hasn't been informed if she'll need to be physically present in class or whether she can teach remotely. Tammy doesn't know how well an online student teaching experience will prepare her for the classroom. “THE NUMBER ONE REASON THOSE TEACHERS QUIT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ADEQUATELY PREPARED.” TO BE CONTINUED PROTECTING VULNERABLE STUDENTS For students like Tammy, who depend on university campuses, the pandemic threatens not only their education, but their livelihood, home, and community. Institutions have the opportunity to implement student-centric and equitable solutions to protect vulnerable students. READ MORE STUDENT STORIES

CAROLYN IS NOT AN OUTLIER. For Carolyn, who is simultaneously juggling a full-time job, taking care of her immunocompromised family, and pursuing a graduate degree, high-quality online classes are the only way she can reasonably complete her degree. READ CAROLYN'S STORY Read Carolyn's Story AUG. 2018 A LONG-AWAITED RETURN Carolyn, a mom of two teenage sons, works full-time for the State of Utah government. After over 20 years in the workforce, Carolyn decides to pursue her goal to finish an undergraduate degree in political science and ultimately a graduate degree in public administration. Carolyn, her husband Mark, and two sons, Evan and Ryan. Carolyn tracks her project meetings using a corkboard in order to organize her tasks and obligations JAN. 2020 TAKING THINGS OFF THE PLATE To focus on school, Carolyn considers taking a sabbatical from her job at the State of Utah, where she's been working for over 14 years. "I'M A FULL-TIME MOM, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND A FULL-TIME STUDENT. GETTING ALL THAT WITHIN TRADITIONAL HOURS IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. " MAR. 2020 HALFWAY THERE Carolyn completes her associate's degree at her community college. She's excited to transfer to the University of Utah to complete her undergraduate degree. Carolyn's associate's degree from her local community college THEN COVID-19 HIT. Carolyn and her family on a trip to Phoenix MAR. 2020 A FAMILY AT RISK Carolyn, a mom of two, feels the fear that so many families across the nation begin grappling. ​ She's a cancer survivor, which presents her with auto-immune issues. Her husband has a congenital heart condition. On top of that, her husband's condition is genetic, which means her two boys are also at high risk. These factors combine to create an extremely stressful and challenging situation for Carolyn and her family. EXPLORE THE DATA DASHBOARD A PRECISE JUGGLING ACT Due to the uncertainty of the job market during the pandemic's accompanying recession, Carolyn decides against taking a sabbatical from work to focus on her degree. She continues to balance her family, work, and degree the best she can. ​ With her current obligations to her work and family, as well as her situation as a non-traditional student, living in a rural community, with an immunocompromised family, Carolyn's only option to complete her degree is to take asynchronous online courses. Carolyn helps her son with homework while preparing dinner "EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE SEEMS TO INVOLVE JUGGLING MULTIPLE TASKS AT ONCE." AUG. 2020 A CHALLENGING RETURN TO CLASSES Carolyn and her family face an extremely difficult beginning to their semester. While swimming, Carolyn's husband, Mark, goes into cardiac arrest. Carolyn takes him to the hospital, and because of Covid-19 restrictions, she isn't allowed to go in and is forced to wait outside. By the day classes start for her and her kids, Mark is still in the hospital awaiting surgery. Carolyn with her husband, Mark "BALANCING THE START OF SCHOOL, COVID, WORKING FROM HOME, AND HIS SURGERY WAS FOR SURE ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE, BUT WE SURVIVED." TO BE CONTINUED THE ONLY OPTION For many students, effective online classes are the only way they can reasonably continue their education. As Carolyn's story illustrates, this statement holds especially true for non-traditional students, rural students, and immunocompromised students. ​ Making the right decisions to support students now can shape a more equitable higher landscape for years to come. READ MORE STUDENT STORIES

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE ​ The MAPS newsletter seeks to provide a platform for students to speak alongside thought provoking articles and MAPS work. View past newsletters and subscribe to stay up to date on MAPS news. MODEL. ANALYZE. PROTOTYPE. Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here SHARE. "We are never going to reach equality in America until we achieve equality in education." -Sonia Sotomayor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States In Their Voice Our Work What We Are Reading MAPS Newsletter Thought Leaders Takes