Afternoon Update: Little-known loan program for rural colleges may actually be hurting them

U. of Arizona president to step down; UT-Austin fires former DEI employees; scandalous new protest policy; activist profs botch free speech; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. LIFELINE OR MILLSTONE? [A Little-Known Loan Program Meant to Help Rural Colleges May Actually Be Hurting Them]( By David Jesse [STORY IMAGE]( For some colleges, the feds are the lender of last resort. Their help may just dig campuses deeper into debt, a Chronicle investigation has found. ADVERTISEMENT LEADERSHIP [U. of Arizona’s President, Robert C. Robbins, to Step Down in 2026 — or Sooner]( In an email this morning to students and employees, Robbins wrote that if the Board of Regents picked a successor to start earlier, he would step aside earlier. Robbins, president since 2017, has drawn [scathing criticism]( for a cascade of [financial]( and [leadership]( problems over the last six months, in particular the university’s [$177-million deficit](. (Arizona Daily Star, The Chronicle) THE NEW WORKPLACE [U. of Texas at Austin Lays Off at Least 4 Employees Previously in DEI-Related Posts]( The terminations came a week after a state senator warned public-university officials about [complying with a new law]( against [diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts]( on campus. Since [the law took effect]( in January, its proponents have demanded evidence of compliance, while critics have assailed universities for what they called overcompliance. (Austin American-Statesman, The Chronicle) THE REVIEW | OPINION [Michigan’s New Protest Policy Is a Scandal]( By Silke-Maria Weineck [STORY IMAGE]( President Santa J. Ono and his administration want to crush the possibility of dissent. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Activist Professors at Columbia and Barnard Are Botching Free Speech]( By Jonathan Rieder [STORY IMAGE]( One-sided departmental statements are a threat to academic freedom. ADVICE [What to Expect in a ‘Serving at the Pleasure of’ Post]( By Jane S. Halonen and Dana S. Dunn [STORY IMAGE]( A look at the benefits and risks of “at will” positions in campus administration. RACE ON CAMPUS [A Wave of Hate Crimes Renews Interest in Asian American Studies]( By Daarel Burnette II [STORY IMAGE]( A new program at Amherst College is a small but monumental step toward better understanding race in America. PUBLISHING [Journal Editors Are Resigning en Masse: What Do Those Group Exits Achieve?]( Such editorial rebellions seem to be on the rise, amid a struggle for control with commercial publishers that, as one critic said, “demand and require constant growth.” So far this year, the editors of five journals have resigned together, according to a [tally]( by the website Retraction Watch. There were 12 such moves in 2023. (Nature) TITLE IX [California Lawmakers to Consider Raft of Bills on Sexual Harassment at Public Colleges]( The 12 bills are designed to prevent and respond to harassment in the state’s three public-college systems, which drew [criticism in a recent report]( that said their policies mainly focused on thwarting lawsuits, not protecting students or workers. The bills would, among other things, fight [pass-the-harasser efforts]( by requiring background checks of job candidates. (EdSource, The Chronicle) GOVERNANCE [Bill in Louisiana Would Enable Governor to Choose Chairs of 5 University Boards]( The governor now names the boards’ members, and they pick the chairs. Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, is backing the bill, which critics say would inject politics more overtly into oversight of state colleges. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Michael Fesi, a Republican, said the proposal had been brought to him by an outside group, but he couldn’t remember which one. (The Advocate) ATHLETICS [LSU Settles Sexual-Misconduct Lawsuit With Students Who Accused Athletes of Rape]( Ten former students sued Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge in 2021 over alleged sexual misconduct and domestic violence by several football players that drew national attention after an [in-depth investigation]( by USA Today. Settlement terms were not immediately disclosed. The plaintiffs said the university had failed to properly investigate their claims, in violation of Title IX. (The Advocate) CAMPUS CUTS [Concordia U. in Wisconsin to Lay Off 24 Staff Members on Mequon Campus]( The news followed the university’s recent announcement of plans to reduce its staff at both its Mequon, Wis., and Ann Arbor, Mich., campuses — a move that has [drawn skepticism on the Michigan campus]( about Concordia leaders’ intentions, a decade after it was acquired by the Wisconsin campus. (BizTimes Milwaukee, The Chronicle) NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Virtual Events: Tune In Live SAFETY AND SECURITY [What It Takes to Improve Campus Safety]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: April 10, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. 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