THE HIGHER EDUCATION RACE & THE ECONOMY (HERE) LAB

We explain uneven racial and class distributions of resources and risk in higher education systems and economies — and help reverse those inequalities, starting with our home in the Central Valley of California

The Racial Wealth Gap and Student Loan Debt

By failing to adequately account for racial wealth disparities, the student financial aid system saddles Black students with debt.

The federal government, not student borrowers should ask for forgiveness.

Wall Street Pressures in Higher Education and Beyond

Private equity-owned for-profit colleges and online degree subcontractors target underrepresented students but provide poor outcomes.

Online education is a form of “predatory inclusion.”

Administrative Burdens in Financial Aid and Debt Relief Programs

Punitive administrative burdens in financial aid programs can lead students to take on debts or fail to receive relief.

College students in California accrued unexpected institutional debts during COVID-19.

Racialized Equity Labor in White Spaces

Racially marginalized people engage in uncompensated labor within universities to address systemic racism, often a a personal cost.

Caleb Dawson discusses (un)free labor and the costs of service work in the university.

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