1
Can the Humanities Be Saved?
Sources
As Humanities Majors Decline, Colleges Try to Hype Up Their Programs
(The Atlantic)
The Vanishing History Major
(Inside Higher Ed)
The Problem Solvers of Tomorrow’s Workforce
(Washington Post)
The Liberal Arts Weren’t Murdered—They Committed Suicide
(National Review)
Further Reading
Of Faith and Tragedy
(American Scholar)
Which Colleges Did Best at Winning Humanities Grants?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
2
A Partial Victory in Wisconsin
Sources
How One University Went From Proposing to Cut 13 Mostly Liberal-ArtsPrograms to Eliminating Only 6
(Chronicle of Higher Ed)
UW-Stevens Point Rolls Out Transformation That Would Cut 6 Liberal Arts Degrees, Focus on Careers
(Journal Sentinel)
3
STEM Not Thy Humanity: Liberal Arts Do Coding
Sources
Can Tech and the Humanities Exist Side by Side? Can They Afford Not To?
(Washington Post)
At Penn State, Field Trips Go Virtual
(Wall Street Journal)
Colleges’ Online Push Possible Boon to Private Firms
(Bloomberg Government)
DeVos Moves to Boost College Online Learning While Reducing Regulatory Oversight
(Washington Post)
Further Reading
Education Dept. OKs Federal Funds for Western Governors U., Suggesting Rule Changes for Online Programs
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Cutting Oversight of Accreditation Will Spur Innovation, Says Education Dept. Critics Say Not So Fast.
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Can MOOCs Predict the Future of Online Education?
(Harvard Magazine)
4
Harvard Admissions Under the Microscope
Sources
Harvard’s Admissions Process Was Just Dissected in Federal Court. How Did It Hold Up?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Dueling Economists: Rival Analyses of Harvard’s Admissions Process Emerge at Trial
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
The Harvard Trial: A Double-Edged Sword for College Admissions
(New York Times)
Who Else Will Get Sued Over Their Admissions Policies?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
At Harvard Trial, Statistics Give Way to Personal Stories About Diversity
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Both Sides at Harvard Trial Agree on One Thing: ‘The Wolf of Racial Bias’ Is at the Door
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
As Harvard Trial Winds Down, Admissions Director Takes the Stand — Again
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Law Professor Seeks Data on Admissions at UC System
(Wall Street Journal)
5
So How Do You Get into Harvard?
Sources
Getting Into Harvard Is Hard. Here Are 4 Ways Applicants Get an Edge.
(New York Times)
Liberal Hypocrisy in College Admissions?
(New York Times)
Knowing the 13 Secret Steps into Harvard Doesn’t Make Admission Any Easier
(Wall Street Journal)
Further Reading
5 Harvard Friends, and a Frank Talk About How They Got In
(New York Times)
The Battle of Harvard Yard
(New Criterion)
6
Silent Sam” Keeps on Falling
Sources
‘Silent Sam’ Decision Provokes Loud Response at UNC
(Washington Post)
What Would It Take to Keep Campus Protests Safe? One Idea: a ‘Mobile ForcePlatoon’
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
UNC’s Chancellor Was Criticized as a Consensus Builder. How She DepartedMay Have Changed Everything.
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
UNC Graduate Students and Professors Who Had Threatened a Strike ReleaseGrades—For Now
(News Observer)
Further Reading
UNC Chancellor Steps Down and Orders the Removal of Silent Sam’s Remains
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
UNC Chancellor Says Confederate Monument Silent Sam Must Go—And So Will She
(Washington Post)
The Remnants of the Confederate Monument Silent Sam Are Gone. And UNC’sChancellor Will Leave Swiftly as Well.
(Washington Post)
Blackmail Added to Mob Rule on UNC Activists’ Resumes
(James G. Martin Center)
Chapel Hill Chancellor to Step Down After Moving Pieces From ConfederateMonument Site
(Inside Higher Ed)
Chapel Hill Finally Has a Plan for Its Confederate Monument. ProfessorsLament the Price Tag.
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
7
Did “Sam” Scare Off Spellings?
Sources
Margaret Spellings Is Stepping Down at UNC. Will Anyone Want to Replace Her?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Margaret Spellings Says ‘It’s Not Too Late’ for UNC to Take a Stand on Silent Sam
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Shrink UNC Board of Governors, Give Governor Appointment Powers
(The News & Observer)
Further Reading
Departure of Spellings from UNC Creates Opportunity for Governance Reform
(James G. Martin Center)
8
Larry Nassar Fallout at Michigan State Keeps on Spreading
Sources
‘
Culture of Indifference’ and ‘Institutional Protection’ at Michigan State Stymied Investigation of Larry Nassar
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Michigan State’s President to Resign After He Said Sexual Abuse Victims Enjoyed the Spotlight
(Washington Post)
Backlash Is Fierce for Michigan State President, Who Said Abuse Survivors Are‘Enjoying’ the ‘Spotlight’
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Former Michigan State President Charged With Lying to Police About NassarSexual Abuse Scandal
(Washington Post)
Ex-Michigan State President Facing Jail Time for Lying to Police
(Lansing State Journal)
Satish Udpa: New MSU Leader Brings Broad Academic, Administrative Experience
(Detroit News)
Further Reading
Ex-Michigan State President Charged With Felonies in Nassar Case
(Wall Street Journal)
Former Michigan State President Arraigned on Charges of Lying to Police AboutNassar Sex-Abuse Scandal
(Washington Post)
9
Fourth and Forty for Maryland
Sources
D.J. Durkin Is Fired by Maryland a Day After Being Reinstated
(New York Times)
University of Maryland Chaos Is Rooted in Lofty Sports Goals
(New York Times)
U-Md. Accreditation Remains Under Review; Agency Has Further Questions
(Washington Post)
Further Reading
Regent’s Resignation Signals Turning Tide in U. of Maryland Crisis, as President Exerts His Power
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Three Found Guilty in N.C.A.A. Basketball Recruiting Scheme
(New York Times)
A College Started a Tackle Football Team. For Little Guys.
(New York Times)
At Notre Dame, Football Tradition Makes Room for Financial Reality
(New York Times)
10
A New Animal House—at Dartmouth?
Sources
Dartmouth Professors Are Accused of Sexual Abuse by 7 Women in Lawsuit
(New York Times)
Dartmouth Lawsuit Says School Allowed ‘Animal House’ Culture Among Professors, Students
(Wall Street Journal)
Seven Women Sue Dartmouth, Alleging Sexual Assault in ‘Animal House’ Climate
(Washington Post)
Further Reading
When Scandals Hit Campus, College Boards Rarely Get Hurt
(Wall Street Journal)
11
Bloomberg’s Billions May Not Close the Poverty Gap
Sources
Michael Bloomberg to Give Johns Hopkins Record $1.8 Billion
(Wall Street Journal)
Wait, Is Bloomberg’s $1.8-Billion Donation to Johns Hopkins a Good Thing?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
Bloomberg Gives $1.8 Billion to Johns Hopkins for Student Aid
(New York Times)
With Bloomberg’s backing, top colleges seek more low-income students
(Washington Post)
12
Free Speech is Floundering
Sources
The “Campus Free Speech Crisis” Ended Last Year
(Niskanen Center
Free Speech and Its Present Crisis
(City-Journal)
Further Reading
Administration, Faculty, and the Hard Free-Speech Questions
(AAUP)
Johns Hopkins Pushes for Armed Police on Campus
(Wall Street Journal)
New Policy Supports Freedom of Speech and Intellectual Diversity
(National Association of Scholars)
If Orwell Were Alive Today…
(New Criterion)
13
New Concept: Get to Class on Time
Sources
What Time Is It at Berkeley? Ten Minutes Past Reality
(Wall Street Journal)
With Student Interest Soaring, Berkeley Creates New Data-Sciences Division
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
UVA to Set Up School of Data Science With $120 Million Gift
(Wall Street Journal)
Berkeley’s Fastest-Growing Class Is Data Science 101
(Wall Street Journal)
14
“Made in China” Ain’t What It Used to Be
Sources
Another Confucius Institute Closes
(James G. Martin Center)
Chinese Military Researchers Exploit Western Universities
(Financial Times)
China’s Military Sends More Scholars Abroad, at Times Without Schools’ Knowledge
(Wall Street Journal)
Duke Professor Apologizes for Telling Chinese Students to Speak English on Campus
(Washington Post)
Further Reading
U.S. Accuses Chinese Firm, Partner of Stealing Trade Secrets From Micron
(Wall Street Journal)
15
Yale Professor Disciplined a Second Time
Sources
The Stubborn Culture of Harassment in America’s Medical Schools
(The Atlantic)
A Star Professor, Removed From Endowed Chair for Harassment, Accuses Yale of ‘Pandering’ to #MeToo Activists
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Stripped of Endowed Chair, Simons Files Lawsuit Against Yale
(Yale Daily News)
Simons Withdraws Suit Against Yale
(Yale Daily News)
Alpern Steps Down From School of Medicine Deanship
(Yale Daily News)
16
Frats Strike Back
Sources
Harvard Faces Lawsuits Over Sanctions on Single-Sex Clubs
(Wall Street Journal)
Harvard to Bar Members of Single-Gender Clubs From Leadership in Official Groups
(Wall Street Journal)
Fraternities and Sororities Sue Harvard Over Its Policy Against Single-Sex Groups
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
Suspension Continues for Bowie State Marching Band in Wake of Hazing Allegations
(Washington Post)
17
Betsy DeVos Proposes Sweeping Changes to Title IX Regulations
Sources
What You Need to Know About the Proposed Title IX Regulations
Keep Cross-Examination out of College Sexual-Assault Cases
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Sex Assault Rules Under DeVos Bolster Defendants’ Rights and Ease CollegeLiability
(New York Times)
New Rules for Sexual-Assault Cases Boost Protections for Accused Students
(Wall Street Journal)
Assessing Betsy DeVos’s Proposed Rules on Title IX and Sexual Assault
(The New Yorker)
Further Reading
Harvard Zealots Abuse Title IX to Nail the Accused
(Minding the Campus)
Appeals Court Rules U of Southern California’s Sexual Misconduct InvestigationsUnfair
(Education Dive)
Why This Is a Very Scary Time for Young Men
(Minding the Campus)
DeVos Keeps Her Promise on Campus Due Process
(Wall Street Journal)
Title IX Regulations: More Speech, Due Process Safeguards
(FIRE)
Why Shouldn’t College Students Have the Equivalent of Miranda Rights?
(James G. Martin Center)
Will Colleges Actually Heed the New Title IX Regulations?
(Weekly Standard)
The ACLU Moves to Embrace Due Process on Title IX
(The Atlantic)
18
Accreditation Reform
Source
s
DeVos Outlines ‘Rethinking’ of Higher Education
(Inside Higher Ed)
DeVos Reinstates For-Profit College Accrediting Group
(WSJ)
No Penalty for Western Governors
(Inside Higher Ed)
Further Reading
Education Dept. OKs Federal Funds for Western Governors U., Suggesting Rule Changes for Online Programs
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
19
Judge in Harvard Trial Has Harvard Connection of Her Own
Sources
Presiding Over the Harvard Admissions Trial: A Judge Who Was Rejected From Harvard
(New York Times)
Harvard’s Star Witness Testified All Day. Here Are 4 Moments That Mattered.
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
20
When Is a Hoax Just a Hoax?
Sources
A Hoax and Its ‘Human Subjects’
(Wall Street Journal)
Proceedings Start Against ‘Sokal Squared’ Hoax Professor
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
Literary Hoaxes and the Ethics of Authorship
(New Yorker)
Bait and Switch
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
21
To Survive, Colleges Must Tighten Belts and Adapt to Shifting Markets
Sources
How Many Colleges Will Go Under? Will Yours Be One?
(Minding the Campus)
Moody’s Gives Higher Ed a Negative Outlook, Again
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Tuition Revenue Won’t Be Enough For Most Schools, Forecast Says
(Hechinger Report)
College Bloat Meets ‘The Blade’
(Wall Street Journal)
Further Reading
Higher Education Moon Shot Remains Stuck in Lower Orbit
(Washington Post)
International Perspectives in Higher Education: Balancing Access, Equity, andCost
(AEI)
Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress;12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
(Independent Institute)
Is This Higher Education’s Golden Age?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
What the Rise of the Mega-University Might Mean for the Rest of Us
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
With HBX Rebranding, Harvard Puts the ‘Online” Back in Online Business School
(Education Dive)
Hampshire College to Admit Pared-Down Freshman Class Next Year
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
As Bennett College Faces Loss of Accreditation, High Point U. Steps in With $1-Million Donation
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
22
Slavery, Settlements, and Survival
How Universities Can Respond to Their Slavery Ties
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
The Georgetown Memory Project: Further Research Is Necessary
(GMP)
A New Path to Atonement
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Federal Appeals Court Sends Maryland to Mediation in Long-Running Case Involving Historically Black Schools
(Washington Post)
For Alumnae, the Fight to Keep Bennett College Open Is a Fight for Black Women in Academe
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
A ‘Long Overdue Conversation’: Do Universities That Benefited From Slavery Owe a Debt to Black Colleges?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
23
How to Restore Public Confidence in Higher Education
Sources
How Academe Can Retrieve Its Good Name
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Colleges Teach Students How to Think. Should They Also Teach Them How toThrive?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
Higher Education—Part of the Battle for America’s Soul
(National Review)
How Professors Ceded Their Authority
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
10 Years Later, Goal of Getting More Americans Through College Is Way Behind Schedule
(Hechinger Report)
24
Tuition Revenue Threat
Sources
International Student Enrollment Drops for Second Year, Report Says
(WSJ)
International Student Growth is the Slowest Since 9/11
(University World News)
25
One-of-a-Kind Stories: From Eminent Domain Abuse to Free Courses at Harvard
Sources
Public Universities Exploit Eminent Domain Powers With Little Oversight
(James G. Martin Center)
When College Degrees Impede Opportunity
(AEI)
400 Free Ivy League University Courses You Can Take Online in 2019
(Quartz)
Further Reading
Be Wary of This Test
(James G. Martin Center)
UConn Athletic Department in 2018: Generated $40 Million In Revenue, Spent $81 Million In Expenses
(Hartford Courant)
Going to College Should Not Be a Financial Albatros
(New York Times)
26
A Divided Congress and What It Means for Higher Ed
Sources
The Democrats Retake the House; Now What for Higher Ed?
(James G. Martin Center)
A Divided Congress Is Unlikely to Compromise on Higher Ed. But What if ItDid?
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Further Reading
Stay Awake for These 5 Issues During Negotiated Rulemaking
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
27
“Free Tuition” May Have Lost Its Luster
Source
Free Tuition Isn’t the Best Way to Improve Access to College
(Los Angeles Times)
Why Democrats Have Stopped Talking About Free College
(Wall Street Journal)
Further Reading
Investors Bet $30M More on Lambda School's Income-Share Tuition Model
(Education Dive)