News You Need to Know: Daily Roundup, Fri., Oct. 13th

New Research Center to Focus on Access and Drop-Out at Two-Year Colleges

A new postsecondary research center announced yesterday that it will study college access and completion at two-year institutions. The National Center for Postsecondary Research opened at Columbia Universitys Teachers College in July. One project will investigate the effect that “learning communities” at a local community college have on retention and completion rates. Another collaborative study, funded by a five-year, $9.8-million grant from the U.S. Department of Educations Institute of Education Sciences, will examine dual-enrollment programs in Floridas community college system.

Nelnet Donates $25,000 to ThanksUSA

The Nelnet student loan corporation has donated $25,000 to the ThanksUSA scholarship program, which supports the education of spouses and dependent children of active duty U.S. military personnel. ThanksUSA, a non-partisan, charitable organization, was launched in 2005 as a “thank you” to the U.S. armed forces. Eligible spouses and children can receive scholarships for college, technical and vocational education. The Nelnet money will provide funding for scholarships for an additional 13 military families. If Nelnet gives up the $1.2 billion in excess subsidies that the Department of Educations Inspector General says they should, the education of an additional 624,000 military families could be financed.