Weekly Briefing: Is this misinformation expert spreading misinformation?

A STEM program for minority students draws scrutiny. The Harvard Corporation gets involved in faculty governance, and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. She studies misinformation. Is she spreading it herself? - Joan Donovan’s role at Harvard University was eliminated last year. She alleged, without firsthand evidence, that Harvard was acting on behalf of the tech-giant Meta, a focus of her research. A Chronicle investigation has now found that several of Donovan’s claims about her time at Harvard are misleading, untrue, or have been contradicted by people involved. [Our Stephanie Lee reports](. - The University of Maryland-Baltimore County’s Meyerhoff Scholars Program is renowned for propelling promising minority scholars in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. The program, which has been around since 1988, has inspired at least five institutions to create their own versions and boasts alums that include a surgeon general and a scientist who helped create a Covid vaccine. But the six-week summer boot camp that kicks off the program has drawn scrutiny for its harsh methods. [Our Maggie Hicks and Katherine Mangan have the story.]( - Before Harvard University’s commencement ceremonies were scheduled to begin, the Harvard Corporation, the institution’s governing board, rejected a list of undergraduate-degree candidates put forward by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The corporation adopted a list that left out 13 graduating seniors. Though these students all met the academic requirements to graduate, they had participated in a pro-Palestine encampment in Harvard Yard. Thus, the corporation refused to issue the degrees their instructors had voted to confer. This move shows that the board, composed mostly of business leaders who have never worked in higher education, runs the most important parts of the institution. That’s a problem, [argue Andrew Manuel Crespo and Kirsten Weld, both Harvard faculty members, in this opinion essay for The Review.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. ADVERTISEMENT Lagniappe - Read. I love stories about a closing, or a place or person that is one of the last of its kind. Here are three: - Manhattan says goodbye to Webster Apartments, one of its women-only boarding houses. In the first half of the 19th century these apartments were vital to the city’s economic expansion, but over the following century [nearly all of them closed](. (The Paris Review) - In Tampa, the Sulphur Springs Pool, is closed. Though the city has 11 other public pools, this one served a neighborhood where most of the residents are Black and median incomes are low. For some,[it feels like the last pool is gone](. (Tampa Bay Times) - Here’s a Chronicle classic: The puppetry program at West Virginia University, nearly the last of its kind, [makes the case for its survival](. - Listen. Thanks to AI, there’s now a search engine for faces, a powerful and potentially dangerous tool in the hands of law enforcement, corporations, and even regular people. [This podcast episode explains](. (Search Engine, Apple Podcasts) —Fernanda UPCOMING PROGRAM [The Chronicle's Library and Institutional Success Program | July 2024] The Chronicle is partnering with Ithaka S+R to host a brand new [professional development program for librarians]( in July. This innovative two-week program will help library leaders understand the many roles they might take on, boost the success of the campus library, and better align with their institution’s goals. Learn more about our seminars and workshops, and [register today]( Chronicle Top Reads THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Can Small, Struggling Colleges Survive?]( By Robert Kelchen [STORY IMAGE]( There are paths forward, but they all require acting early. SPONSOR CONTENT | NACUBO [Evolution of Endowments]( Discover how colleges strategically allocate endowment funds to drive student success, faculty innovation, and campus development in an ever-changing landscape. THE REVIEW | OPINION [It’s Time to Stop the Double Talk Around Diversity Hiring]( By Matt Burgess [STORY IMAGE]( First, let’s admit that it’s happening. AGONIZING DECISIONS [After a Suicide, What Information Does a College Owe Its Campus?]( By Kate Hidalgo Bellows [STORY IMAGE]( Sharing too much can inspire vulnerable students to act on dark impulses. Sharing too little can set the social-media rumor mill in motion. ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Fostering Students' Free Expression - Buy Now]( [Higher Education in 2035]( Higher education is facing an array of challenges: economic headwinds, political pressures, and shifting demographics. [Order your copy]( to help your institution prepare for what’s ahead, and discover how the sector will evolve in the coming decade. JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Search jobs on The Chronicle job board]( [Find Your Next Role Today]( Whether you are actively or passively searching for your next career opportunity, The Chronicle is here to support you throughout your job search. Get started now by [exploring 30,000+ openings]( or [signing up for job alerts](. 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