Afternoon Update: The antisemitism hearing forgot about academic freedom (opinion)

A fresh path for faculty role models; new anti-DEI policies adopted in Kansas and Kentucky; state prisons and colleges team up in Maryland; 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](. THE REVIEW [The Antisemitism Hearing Forgot About Academic Freedom]( By Len Gutkin [STORY IMAGE]( Plus: On “folx,” and “Ashkenormativity.” ADVERTISEMENT BACKGROUNDER [How Faculty Discipline Played a Key Role in the Congressional Hearing on Columbia U.]( By Sarah Brown, Sonel Cutler, and Alecia Taylor [STORY IMAGE]( In the hearing, on Columbia’s response to alleged antisemitism and pro-Palestinian protests, lawmakers asked its president whether professors would be punished for comments on the war. TEACHING [An Overlooked Way Professors Can Be Role Models]( By Beckie Supiano [STORY IMAGE]( Revealing unseen parts of their identities could help science instructors show students what’s possible for them, a researcher says. VIDEO [What Counts as a Rural College?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Watch our explainer to better understand how researchers and policymakers are defining rural colleges, and why it is important to support these institutions. ATTACK ON DEI I [Kentucky Governor Signs Bill Eliminating Race From Higher-Ed Funding Model]( The Republican-backed legislation signed by Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, would bar the state’s Council on Postsecondary Education from [considering]( the student body’s racial makeup at public colleges and universities as part of the council’s performance-based funding model. The new law is [part of a surge]( in [anti-DEI legislation]( in the states. (Lexington Herald-Leader, The Chronicle) ATTACK ON DEI II [Kansas’ Higher-Ed Board Adopts Anti-DEI Policy After Pressure From GOP Legislators]( The Board of Regents [prohibited requiring]( prospective students, potential hires, and employees seeking promotion to disclose their views on [diversity, equity, and inclusion]( but did not specify penalties. [Lawmakers approved]( a similar policy with a $10,000 fine for violations, and voted to withhold $36 million in funding unless the board dropped such requirements. (Associated Press, The Chronicle) ACCESS [All State Prisons in Maryland to Get Higher-Ed Program Through University Partnership]( The state’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services is teaming up with the 12-campus University System of Maryland in a program that will allow incarcerated people to earn bachelor’s degrees and credit-based certificates by using [Pell Grants]( for [which]( they [recently]( became [eligible](. (The Baltimore Sun, 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. SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for as low as $59. Take advantage of our limited- time savings event and get unlimited access to essential reporting, data, and analysis. Virtual Events: Tune In Live RURAL COLLEGES [Building the Rural Work Force]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: May 1, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. Learn how rural colleges can team up with small-town employers to provide technical training in manufacturing, health care, engineering, and agriculture. With Support From Ascendium. [Register here.]( STUDENT SUCCESS [Making Sure Students Are Prepared for College]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: May 2, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. 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