A Recap of This Week’s Top News – September 1, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, August 26, to Friday, September 1. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Education News:

• According to Higher Ed Dive, the Department of Education is releasing a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the first time in 40 years. The new application is set to go live in December, a two-month delay from previous FAFSA’s that could disrupt colleges, states, and financial aid officers across the country.
• 2,300 student loan borrowers will have some of their loans forgiven after being “cheated” by Ashford University, an online university that allegedly misled students about the cost of tuition and chance of employment after graduating. The Department of Education announced that it would forgive $72 million in loans for students involved.

Health News:

• A new study by the Air Quality Life Index found that air pollution is more dangerous to humans than smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. The study comes as parts of America have struggled with bad air quality due to wildfires throughout the summer.
• A recent analysis in the American Heart Association’s Circulation journal said that “prescribing produce” had positive health benefits. As a way to combat food insecurity, patients in the analysis received vouchers for a median of $63 per month to purchase free or reduced-price produce. According to an ABC article on the analysis, more research needs to be done. However, results show that patients saw an increase in produce consumption and a decrease in chance of being food insecure.
• New research reflects that 21 percent of marijuana users have some level of cannabis use disorder. Of that that 21 percent, 6.5 percent reported “moderate to severe” disorder.
• Deborah Birx, former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under Donald Trump, said in an interview with ABC News that the government should increase their COVID response in the midst of a recent uptick in cases.