Arizona State University is looking to ease the pathway toward admission for Los Angeles-area high school students who’ve been impacted by the California wildfires. As a result, some parameters for admission into the university will be more lenient.
ASU met with Los Angeles-area school officials who had concerns over how students who’ve lost their homes could continue to pursue higher education.
“A majority of the superintendents were most concerned about just the disruption and added stress to an already stressful situation called: searching for college," said Matt Lopez, the executive director admissions at ASU.
Those high school students who are thinking about attending ASU can now contact the university to get details on deadline extensions, one-on-one help with applications and support with managing their educational costs.
With around 20,000 students from California currently attending ASU in-person or online, Lopez said the university feels like it has a fundamental responsibility for the communities it serves.
“Do people say, ‘ASU’s just trying to get more students?’ Well, we’ve never denied that our purpose is to provide educational opportunity," he said.
Students currently enrolled that have been impacted by the wildfires can also request help from ASU through their counseling and academic advising services.
They can also apply for financial help from ASU’s emergency fund which has served hundreds of students since its launch.
-
“They have the authority to cancel these projects. Grants can be canceled at any moment,” ASU President Michael Crow said. “But nonetheless the less impact in the areas where these projects are operating is significant.” -
President Donald Trump this month signed an executive order calling for getting rid of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, “to the maximum extent of the law.” -
In the wake of anti-DEI directives from the White House, local LGBTQ+ advocates say Arizona State University has been quietly making digital resources less available. -
The Arizona Legislature passed an emergency measure that limits the requirement of 9/11 instruction in schools to students in seventh-12th grades. -
One in 5 children in Arizona experience food insecurity, according to the Children’s Action Alliance, and school meals help bridge the gap for many families. But a federal budget-cutting proposal could put free school meals at risk for thousands of Arizona students.
