Education

The share of Massachusetts students who take out loans to pay for public higher education has exploded in the past two decades while the combined pressure of inflation and a lack of investment have hamstrung the impact of state-funded financial aid, according to a new report.

State education officials use criteria that allows exclusionary admissions practices at vocational technical schools, leaving behind students of color, English language learners and students with disabilities, according to a new lawsuit filed by a coalition of educational advocacy groups.

The Healey Administration and legislative budget managers agreed Monday to build their upcoming state budget plans on the assumptions that they will have elevated general state tax revenue and and addition $1 billion from the high-earner surtax.

Assumption University and Saint Vincent Hospital are partnering for a program to give 15 students hands-on clinical experience and provide the hospital with a pipeline of prospective nurses.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday cut the ribbon to open its Center for Well-Being, which adds a dedicated space for wellness programming to the campus and centralizes student services.

Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Co. will release a new beer and host a fundraiser for the Framingham after-school and summer program Hoops & Homework on Saturday.

Higher education advocates are escalating their calls to steer a large portion of the more than $1 billion in anticipated income surtax revenues to students who attend public colleges and universities.

The College of the Holy Cross has hired Elliott Visconsi, an administrator from the University of Notre Dame and a Holy Cross alumnus, to be the Worcester school’s next provost and dean of the college.

Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, along with three Central Massachusetts vocational schools and the nonprofit Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership in Auburn, received $1.57 million in funding for workforce development programs which partner with local businesses.

Merrimack Valley Realty Group, LLC of Lawrence, owned by Bernard Goulet, purchased three multi-family properties in Fitchburg totaling 18 units.