ATD’s president appointed to board of Common App

Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream, was appointed to the Common App board of directors this summer, joining leaders from across the country who play active roles in advancing educational equity and who are united by a commitment to expanding higher education access for all of America’s learners.

Dr. Stout has previously worked with Common App to advocate for the needs of community college students: in 2018, she provided the closing keynote address for the organization’s annual membership summit. Her address focused on the important relationship between community colleges and four-year institutions, and she stressed the need to create equitable opportunities for transfer students.

This month the Common Application (often referred to as the Common App) released an update to its online application, including the alteration or removal of certain questions with a goal of removing barriers for students trying to access higher education.

One significant change includes removing a question about applicants’ high school disciplinary records, or discharges for veteran applicants. According to a report from the Brookings Institution, Black students in the United States are more likely than their white peers to experience disciplinary actions, such as suspensions, in school.