Kaler to join Obamas at White House for higher education summit

The University of Minnesota president will visit the White House for an announcement on colleges committing more resources to help low-income students attend and graduate from college.

January 16, 2014 at 3:05PM
Eric Kaler the new University of Minnesota President began his day around 6 Am on Tuesday, 7/05/2011 in Minneapolis, Minn outside of Morrill Hall on Northrop Plaza. He spent the first hour doing live television interviews and hanging out with a quintet of the U of M Marching Band, and Goldy Gopher the U of M Mascot Richard Sennott/Star Tribune. Richard.Sennott@startribune.com Minneapolis, Mn. Tuesday 07/05/11)
Eric Kaler the new University of Minnesota President began his day around 6 Am on Tuesday, 7/05/2011 in Minneapolis, Minn outside of Morrill Hall on Northrop Plaza. He spent the first hour doing live television interviews and hanging out with a quintet of the U of M Marching Band, and Goldy Gopher the U of M Mascot Richard Sennott/Star Tribune. Richard.Sennott@startribune.com Minneapolis, Mn. Tuesday 07/05/11) (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler will be in Washington, D.C., today for a White House higher education summit where President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will announce that colleges nationwide have committed to helping more low-income students access higher education.

The summit also includes members of nonprofit groups, foundations, state governments, and businesses, as well as more than 100 college and university presidents.

"Together, the President, the First Lady and these leaders in higher education are taking another step to help ensure that every child, rich or poor, has the opportunity for a quality college education so they can get ahead," said a White House statement.

Their commitments fall into four general categories, the White House said:

- Connecting low-income, high-performance students with colleges that are right for them;

- Helping more low-income students become college-eligible through early intervention;

- Reducing inequality in preparations for college entrance tests like the SAT and ACT;

- Remediation to help unprepared college students catch up and graduate.

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