A faculty adviser for Indiana University's student newspaper has filed a federal lawsuit over his firing. Jim Rodenbush filed a complaint in U.S. District Court on Thursday. He says his constitutional rights to free speech and due process were violated when he was dismissed Oct. 14 for refusing a directive to ensure no hard news was published in the paper's homecoming edition. The complaint says Rodenbush was ordered to “censor student work in the campus newspaper and print only fluff pieces about the upcoming homecoming festivities.” The university had canceled future print editions of the heavily subsidized newspaper. The chancellor announced Thursday that he was allowing them to print through the end of the school year.
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An Associated Press analysis finds that the number of Black students enrolling at many elite colleges has dropped in the two years since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in admissions. New enrollment figures from 20 selective colleges provide mounting evidence of a backslide in Black enrollment. Many campuses have also seen decreases in Hispanic enrollment, though they have been more scattered and less pronounced. At Princeton and some others, the number of new Black students has fallen by nearly half. Some colleges attribute it to natural fluctuations. Some students say the changes are too big to ignore.
The U.S. Justice Department has announced an agreement with the University of Virginia to pause civil rights investigations. The Charlottesville campus became a target of President Donald Trump’s administration in April when the Justice Department began reviewing the university’s admissions and financial aid processes. Officials accused its president of failing to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices Trump has called unlawful. Under the agreement, the university will abide by department guidance for not engaging in “unlawful racial discrimination” and will provide relevant information and data to the department on a quarterly basis through 2028, the department said. Unlike some deals with the Trump administration, the Virginia deal does not involve a fine.
University of Virginia strikes deal with Justice Department to pause civil rights investigations.
AP Wire
A spokesperson for Oklahoma State University says a shooting at a residence hall has wounded at least three people. University police said there was “no ongoing threat to campus.” Police said the shooting happened Sunday at around 3:40 a.m. and at least one of the victims is known to be a student. Initial reports suggest the shooting occurred when people arrived at the residence hall after attending a large private party off-campus. All the injured were being treated at hospitals. Authorities became aware of the shooting after victims reported it from off-campus locations.
After billions in failed big bets, funders and schools are turning to this small education nonprofit
Leslie Cornfeld launched the National Education Opportunity Network, or NEON, to address educational inequality. After working with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President Obama’s education secretaries, she noticed that low-income students rarely attended top universities. In 2019, with funding from the Carnegie Corporation, she started NEON to bring elite university courses to non-elite high schools. Over five years, NEON has offered 60 college courses to more than 40,000 students in 33 states. The nonprofit aims to reach 1 million students within a decade, providing college-level education to those who need it most.
Five remaining universities have been weighing an offer from President Donald Trump to sign a “compact” for higher education. None has signed on as the deadline approaches, and on Friday, the University of Virginia declined the offer. The White House has faced several rejections after inviting nine universities to become initial signers of the compact. The document requests that universities adopt commitments aligned with Trump’s political priorities, including eliminating race and sex from admissions decisions. On Friday, the Trump administration met with the universities still trying to decide whether to sign the agreement. More than 30 higher education organizations have urged the White House to withdraw the compact.
AP Wire
For many young Americans, deciding on college has become a complex choice. Increasingly, a main question is whether a degree is worth its cost. Confidence in higher education has dropped due to high tuition, student loans and a tough job market. Colleges are now trying to prove their value. New rankings and reports focus on the financial benefits of degrees. Research shows most bachelor's degrees still pay off, but not all lead to good salaries. More students are choosing technical schools or trades over four-year universities to avoid debt. In response, colleges are working to align degrees with job market needs.
U.S. lawmakers and national security officials are increasingly alarmed that long-standing research ties between the U.S. and China could give China an advantage when it comes to developing new military technology. Members of Congress say China has exploited American colleges and universities. They have proposed new rules to restrict federally funded research partnerships with universities in China that also work with the Chinese military. They've also expressed concerns that U.S. universities could be targeted by foreign spies eager to steal research secrets, highlighting the need for greater cybersecurity measures.
MIT's president said she “cannot support” a White House proposal that asks MIT and eight other universities to adopt President Donald Trump’s political agenda in exchange for favorable access to federal funding. In a letter to federal officials, MIT President Sally Kornbluth said the proposal includes provisions MIT disagrees with, including some that would limit free speech and the university’s independence. MIT is among the first to express forceful views on the compact either in favor or against it. College leaders face immense pressure to reject the deal from faculty, students and free speech advocates.