Tag

Higher Education

All articles tagged with #higher education

politics4 days ago•10 min saved

Trump backs DeSantis push to overhaul college accreditation, igniting a red-state reset

Ron DeSantis, backed by Donald Trump, is spearheading a red-state campaign to replace the current college accreditors with a conservative-led alternative, funded in part by a $1 million Education Department grant; several states are weighing or passing bills to switch to the new accreditor, arguing for less DEI-driven evaluation and more competition, while critics warn the move could politicize accreditation and disrupt access to federal student aid.

via Politico|

#accreditation #dei #desantis

education5 days ago•4 min saved

UT System Tightens Classroom Topics, Sparking Academic-Freedom Fears

The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved a policy to curb 'controversial topics' in courses, requiring faculty to avoid coercion, not include unrelated controversial matters in syllabi, and to follow the syllabus while promoting balanced discussion and academic integrity. While officials say the goal is to foster trust and expose students to multiple viewpoints, critics warn it could curb responses to current events, hamper inquiry, and lead to censorship, with enforcement details still unclear across 14 UT institutions. The move follows broader Texas higher-ed restrictions on curricula related to race and gender, and comes as UT Austin consolidates several ethnic- and gender-studies departments.

via KUT|

#academic-freedom #curriculum #education

higher-education6 days ago•25 min saved

UT System Sets Rules to Minimize 'Controversial' Topics in Courses

UT System Regents unanimously approved a rule requiring universities to ensure graduates can finish programs without studying “unnecessary controversial subjects,” and to have syllabi disclose covered topics with a mandate for a broad, balanced discussion. Critics warn the vague terms could push self-censorship and leave students less prepared for real-world work, and civil-rights advocates warn of potential legal challenges and bias against Black students and faculty. The policy does not ban topics like race or gender but increases oversight amid broader campus reforms and state guidance under Senate Bill 37 and related changes.

via The Texas Tribune|

#curriculum #higher-education #policy

politics6 days ago•6 min saved

Susanne Shore seeks NU regent seat in Omaha, pledging cross-campus innovation

Democrat Susanne Shore, former Nebraska first lady and wife of Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, has announced a campaign for an Omaha seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. She aims to heal infighting, push cross-campus collaboration, expand internships and work-study, and pursue data-driven, measurable goals to strengthen NU and its funding, in a nonpartisan race to fill Elizabeth O’Connor’s term amid a field of Democrats.

via Nebraska Examiner|

#higher-education #nebraska-politics #omaha

education9 days ago•6 min saved

Tainted Funds, Reputational Risk: How Epstein Shaped College Fundraising

Elite universities welcomed Jeffrey Epstein’s money to fund labs and budgets, even as questions about his motives and ethics lingered; after Epstein’s 2008 conviction and 2019 death, schools faced reputational fallout, with some donors and campuses distancing themselves and debates intensifying about how private gifts shape academia. The piece underscores how reliance on philanthropy—often accepted at lower administrative levels—can expose institutions to tainted-money risks and prompts calls for stronger donor screening and governance.

via The New York Times|

#donor-due-diligence #education #epstein

education18 days ago•5 min saved

Bard College President Leon Botstein’s Epstein Ties Surface in New Documents

New documents show Bard College president Leon Botstein’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein went beyond fundraising, including a 2013 email saying 'Miss you', a 2017-era watch purchase, and a planned 2012 trip to Epstein’s island; Botstein says these interactions were about securing long-term funding for Bard, not personal gain, but the disclosures raise questions about donor influence and ethics in small liberal arts colleges.

via The New York Times|

#bard-college #donors #education

education19 days ago•5 min saved

Oklahoma Moves to Phase Out Tenure Across Public Colleges

Gov. Kevin Stitt signs an executive order to phase out tenure at Oklahoma's regional and community colleges in favor of renewable, fixed-term contracts tied to teaching performance and workforce outcomes; tenured professors at those colleges will face five-year post-tenure reviews, while two research universities retain tenure under new review rules; the move bypasses legislative approval and has drawn criticism from faculty groups who warn it could erode academic freedom.

via The Chronicle of Higher Education|

#accountability #education #executive-order

education21 days ago•1 min saved

Campus Watch Tightens the Grip on Professors Through New Laws and Complaints Channels

States like Texas and Oklahoma are formalizing surveillance of professors through online syllabus postings, student-complaint tip lines, and new offices to handle grievances, prompting fears of censorship and chilling effects on academic freedom as incidents in Texas and Oklahoma illustrate the trend.

via The New York Times|

#academic-freedom #campus-culture #education

higher-education21 days ago•24 min saved

Texas A&M professor sues over firing tied to gender-identity lesson

Former Texas A&M lecturer Melissa McCoul filed a federal lawsuit alleging her firing over a gender-identity lesson violated her First Amendment free-speech rights and due-process protections, and that state officials pressured for termination; she seeks reinstatement, back pay and punitive damages, as the university has moved to restrict contentious course content.

via The Texas Tribune|

#first-amendment #free-speech #gender-identity

politics22 days ago•6 min saved

Trump Reverses Harvard Deal, Demands Damages Instead of a Penalty

President Trump abruptly reversed his approach to a potential Harvard settlement, shifting from a possible $200 million payment to demanding $1 billion in damages and threatening a criminal investigation, as talks remained uncertain amid partisan scrutiny and concerns about the administration's consistency in high-stakes negotiations.

via The New York Times|

#funding #harvard-university #higher-education

education22 days ago•4 min saved

Ban on Race-Conscious Admissions Reshapes College Demographics

After the 2023 Supreme Court ban on race-conscious admissions, a Class Action analysis of 2024 data finds underrepresented minority freshmen rising at public flagship and less-selective colleges (overall +8%), while the most selective schools cut Black (−27%) and Latino (−10%) enrollment. Notable gains include Mississippi (+50% Black) and Miami (+45% Latino); Ivy Plus schools saw about a 25% drop in Black representation. Experts warn of a cascade effect that could perpetuate long‑term inequities, and some HBCUs did not see universal gains.

via The New York Times|

#college-enrollment #diversity-equity-inclusion #education

politics23 days ago•7 min saved

Trump Drops $200M Harvard Payment Demand as Talks Ease

The Trump administration has dropped its demand for a $200 million payment from Harvard as part of talks over civil-rights enforcement and federal research funding, signaling a concession to close a deal while Harvard weighs potential backlash and its reliance on federal grants.

via The New York Times|

#education-department #federal-funding #harvard

higher-education26 days ago•26 min saved

Texas A&M Ends Women's and Gender Studies Degree Amid Campus Review

Texas A&M announced it will discontinue its women’s and gender studies degree program due to low enrollment and cost, tying the decision to a campus-wide course review sparked by a viral incident over gender-content material; six undergraduate courses were canceled under a policy restricting race and gender discussions, with current students allowed to finish their programs over six semesters but no new admissions.

via The Texas Tribune|

#academic-freedom #course-review #higher-education

politics29 days ago•4 min saved

Texas Slams the Gate on H-1B Hiring in Public Sector

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies and public universities to halt H-1B visa sponsorship and launched investigations into current visa holders, proposing a hiring freeze until after next year’s legislative session. The move aligns with a broader Trump-era “America First” push and Florida’s similar stance, drawing Republican support but drawing pushback from higher-education groups who say H-1B workers are vital to teaching and research and could hurt Texas universities.

via The New York Times|

#h-1b #higher-education #immigration

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

Spanberger Shakes Up Virginia University Boards in Early-Hours Power Play

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger moved quickly after taking office to overhaul the University of Virginia board and revamp boards at George Mason University and the Virginia Military Institute, forcing resignations, appointing 10 new UVA board members (with further changes at GMU and VMI), and installing a new UVA president—an aggressive move to shift university direction and push back against the previous leadership and its diversity-adjacent policies.

via The New York Times|

#higher-education #politics #spanberger