The Lumina Foundation of Indianapolis has announced the winners of The Great Admissions Redesign.
The Great Admissions Redesign aims to transform the admissions process and increase access to higher education for all students, especially those who are under-admitted relative to their proportion of the U.S. population.
melanie heath
The foundation's award announcement came after reviewing more than 70 applications and using criteria that included ensuring fair outcomes for black and brown students, and a commitment to ensuring simplicity and innovation. Seven organizations were selected to receive a total of $3.1 million in implementation and planning grants.
Lumina Foundation Implementation Grants include:
· The Illinois Commission on Higher Education awarded $750,000 to provide direct admission to the University of Illinois for community college transfer students and high school seniors from across the state.
· The California State University System received $750,000 to automate admissions to the CSU System and support the submission of verified transcripts through CaliforniaColleges.edu, California's college and career readiness platform. and
· Northern Arizona University received $750,000 to expand its universal admissions program to nine Arizona community college districts.
The Foundation's planned grants will be delivered as follows:
· The Louisiana Board of Regents awarded $300,000 to prepare for the automation of admissions for high school seniors and students using Louisiana's universal transfer pathway.
· The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board awarded $250,000 to develop a direct admissions pathway for Texas students using MyTexasFuture.org, the state's college and career readiness platform.
· The Washington Student Achievement Council awarded $150,000 to prepare for an active admissions process that incorporates financial aid eligibility. and
· The Kentucky Commission on Higher Education awarded $150,000 to consider the use of AI in admissions offices to adjust existing plans toward a simplified admissions process for Kentucky students and alleviate capacity issues.
These grants support initiatives that streamline the admissions process, reduce barriers to admission, and promote inclusion. Recipients must work to improve transparency and accessibility of the admissions process while addressing the needs of diverse student populations.