The automotive industry is changing, and one Utah university is reimagining how to prepare new and current auto technicians to meet the demands of the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.

Brian Rague, associate dean of the College of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology at Weber State University, says their automotive technology program's "stackable" credentialing approach enables students of any age and desire to learn the fundamental skills they'll need to be hired by industry partners.

"We are a higher education institution, our four-year degrees are valuable to us. But certainly, within our college and across the university, we see the necessity to allow students to take things a little bit at a time. To learn things and earn credentials in a step-by-step fashion," he explained.

Rague added they work with car companies to ensure students are learning in-demand skills. Add EVs and autonomous driving into the mix, and students are also learning about IT and engineering. He said many already work in the field and can apply their professional certifications toward credits for an associate degree. Students can stop there, or continue on toward a bachelor of science in automotive technology.

Rague said the college is in constant conversations with industry partners to update their courses and certificates.

"We have a couple of certificates available for our automotive students. We have several certificates in other disciplines within the college; and we also have advanced certificates for those who have been in the workforce for a while," he continued.

He said the more advanced certificates could be attractive to those who want to learn more about electric vehicles and newer battery technology, and added that the need for experts and specialists of all ages will grow as EVs gain more traction.

The first semester for Minnesota college students is winding down.

Supporters of the state's new free tuition program - which assists low-income households - say for those who haven't taken advantage, now's a good time to consider eligibility going into 2025.

Preliminary data from the state show this new program, which covers full tuition expenses for households earning less than $80,000 a year, awarded roughly 17,000 scholarships this fall.

Mike Dean, executive director of the group North Star Prosperity, said he feels those numbers are a "game changer" in removing accessibility barriers when it comes to higher education.

"We know that getting that post-secondary education or credential," said Dean, "is really the surest path to joining the middle class right now. "

Eligible households still have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, as part of the process.

The latest application round, which usually begins in early October for the next academic year, began taking shape in late November.

Federal officials pushed things back after a tumultuous rollout of a streamlined system last winter that resulted in delays.

Minnesota's program covers the tuition tab for eligible students after they've exhausted any other state and federal grants and scholarships.

States such as Minnesota have seen enrollment gradually decline for undergrad students, and Dean said opening up the doors to more people - who otherwise wouldn't have been able to finish or pursue a higher-ed path - helps address workforce shortages.

"Research shows that by 2031," said Dean, "72% of all jobs will require some sort of education or training beyond high school."

He was referring to a recent study from the Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

Program supporters stress that the Minnesota initiative can also help those interested in technical schools and gain valuable training for jobs some employers are having a hard time filling.

Maine's College of the Atlantic has once again topped the Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges.

The Bar Harbor-based school has been recognized as the nation's "greenest" nine years in a row, based on student surveys regarding administration, student support and conservation efforts.

Rob Levin, dean of communications for the college, said the school's location between Acadia National Park and Frenchman Bay draws students looking to channel their environmental passions.

"Sustainability is really at the heart of this pedagogy," Levin explained. "It underlies so much of what we do here at COA and why students choose to come here."

Levin pointed out the school is reducing its carbon footprint with construction of a new dormitory and academic center, both built with sustainable materials. College of the Atlantic was the first school in the U.S. to achieve carbon-neutrality in 2007 and is working to be completely fossil fuel free by 2030.

The school's system of inclusive governance was also a factor in the school's top "green" ranking. The population of 360 full-time students are highly involved in campus policymaking, as well as day-to-day campus operations.

Levin noted students have laid insulation in at least 10 campus buildings and worked on alternative heating and cooling systems, which has already led to a 50% reduction in fossil fuel use over the past three years.

"Engaging students in a real way in campus decision-making can create a very productive channel for institutional change while also providing meaningful, valuable educational experiences," Levin emphasized.

Levin stressed students have been crucial in school initiatives to use nontoxic cleaning products, boost recycling and composting programs and phase out single-use plastic. All undergraduate students receive a self-designed degree in human ecology, which focuses on the connection between humans and their environment.


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State data first reported by EdSource show that fraudsters have stolen more than $7.5 million in student financial aid from California community colleges so far this year.

The theft amounts to less than one-tenth of 1% of student aid awarded in the Golden State.

Victor DeVore, dean of student services with the San Diego Community College District, said they use technology to flag suspicious applicants, and require them to submit proof of identity and residency, but it's still a game of cat and mouse.

"Last year, we had about 10,000 fraudulent applications that we blocked," said DeVore. "But even with that, every time we have some kind of metric or filter, the fraudsters are able to get through that."

The California Community College Chancellor's office says about 25% of applications are flagged as suspected fraud, up from 20% two years ago - as both fraud and its detection get more sophisticated.

The problem got worse during COVID as so many classes went online, making it difficult to require students to get financial aid checks in person.

The financial fraud means less money goes to students in need.

But Nicole Albo-Lopez, vice chancellor of educational programs and institutional effectiveness with the Los Angeles Community College District, said the enrollment fraud that goes with it has real consequences.

"The biggest frustration is when our classes are being filled by individuals that have no intention of actually attending the class," said Albo-Lopez, "keeping students from completing their educational goals within a preferred time frame, because they'll have to wait a semester or two to be able to take that class."

Many schools now require students to meet via zoom with staff trained to detect fraud - and they drop students who haven't verified their identity a few weeks before classes start.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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