Ashley A. Smith
Follow @ashasmithnewsAshley A. Smith covered community colleges, for-profit schools and non-traditional students for Inside Higher Ed. She joined the publication in 2015 after covering government and K-12 education for the Fort Myers News-Press in Florida for three years. Ashley also covered K-12 and higher education for three years at the Marshfield News-Herald in Wisconsin. She has interned with The Flint Journal, USA Today and the Detroit Free Press. Ashley grew up in Detroit and is a 2008 graduate of Michigan State University. She joined EdSource in July 2019.
All articles by Ashley A. Smith
Fewer students attending California community colleges, early fall numbers show
California Community Colleges see an overall drop in fall enrollments with some colleges experiencing double digit losses, according to preliminary data.
Ashley A. Smith
September 21, 2020
Why San Diego State offers a model for how to approach a rise in campus Covid infections
San Diego State took a different path than Chico State, as the first of the CSU campuses to end in-person classes following increases in coronavirus infection.
Ashley A. Smith
September 11, 2020
CSU Chancellor announces 23 campuses to remain virtual for spring term
CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White cited anticipated increases in Covid-19 cases, a lack of testing and no coronavirus vaccine as why campuses won't return to normalcy anytime soon.
Ashley A. Smith
September 10, 2020
Chico State becomes first California university to close dorms after students move in
Chico State and San Diego State shut down in-person classes as coronavirus infections spread on both campuses attributed mostly to off-campus activity.
Ashley A. Smith
September 3, 2020
How California universities welcome students back to campus: testing, contact tracing, few in-person classes
California's universities are opening this week with few in-person classes but dorms will house students and some campuses will have testing and contact tracing.
Ashley A. Smith And Michael Burke
August 26, 2020
Pandemic pushes California college students to change or delay enrollments
Some students delaying enrollment in hopes college classes return to “normal.”
Ashley A. Smith
August 24, 2020
Gov. Newsom signs bill making ethnic studies course a requirement at California State University
Intense dispute between CSU and state legislature ends with Gov. Newsom signing Assembly Bill 1460 that requires freshmen starting in 2021-22 to take an ethnic studies course for graduation that focuses on one of four racial and ethnic groups.
Ashley A. Smith
August 17, 2020
A tale of two ethnic studies proposals for California State University students
Gov. Newsom has until Aug. 19 to decide whether to sign a bill that dictates to the California State University system the ethnic studies courses students must take as a requirement for graduation.
Ashley A. Smith
August 12, 2020
California legislators urge Newsom to sign bill requiring CSU students to take ethnic studies
Presssure builds on Gov. Newsom to impose ethnic studies requirement on CSU dictated by the state legislature. He has until Aug. 15 to sign the bill.
Ashley A. Smith
August 4, 2020
California’s higher education leaders see an opportunity in crisis
The pandemic could force California higher education systems to work together and improve.
Ashley A. Smith
July 30, 2020
California’s online community college still has much to prove
Calbright College's new president sees a fresh path of innovation for online community college.
Ashley A. Smith
July 22, 2020
Enrollment growth doesn't justify cost of a new CSU campus
Study finds a new CSU campus for about 8,000 students could cost up to $3 billion, too expensive for a system facing budget cuts.
Ashley A. Smith
July 21, 2020
CSU one step closer to making ethnic studies a graduation requirement
California State University board is poised to decide on Wednesday whether to require students to take an ethnic studies course.
Ashley A. Smith
July 21, 2020
Calbright College board picks interim president for permanent job
Calbright College's board of trustees is poised to name the interim president to the post permanently. The move comes at a critical time for California's only online community college.
Ashley A. Smith
July 20, 2020
Latino students make up largest ethnic group of students admitted to UC
As students consider their options amid the pandemic, UC turns to waitlist to admit more applicants.