Afternoon Update: Accreditation is reinstated for North Carolina’s Saint Augustine’s U.

Mass. funds free community college; charges dropped against Northwestern protesters; anti-DEI steps in N.C.; Vance’s ambivalent intensities; 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](. A UNIVERSITY'S REPRIEVE [Accreditation Is Reinstated for North Carolina’s Saint Augustine’s U. in Unanimous Vote]( The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges put the historically Black college on probation in 2022 over governance and financial problems, and in 2023 it [stripped the university’s accreditation]( a move that led to the president’s dismissal and threats of a lawsuit. But now an arbitration committee of the accreditor has reversed its decision. (WNCN, The Chronicle) ADVERTISEMENT [Accreditation Is Reinstated for North Carolina’s Saint Augustine’s U. in Unanimous Vote]( THE REVIEW [J.D. Vance’s Ambivalent Intensities]( By Len Gutkin [STORY IMAGE]( What Trump’s VP pick portends. JUST UPDATED [Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI]( By Erin Gretzinger, Maggie Hicks, and Christa Dutton [STORY IMAGE]( This week’s update details how eight campuses are complying with the University of North Carolina system’s new restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. IN THE STATEHOUSE [$58-Billion Massachusetts Budget Deal Features Free Community College]( Under the legislation for the 2025 fiscal year, which now goes to Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, every student in the state would be able to attend community college at no charge starting this fall, and take free regional public transit to do so. (WBTS) CAMPUS UNREST [Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Educators Involved in Encampment at Northwestern U.]( The state’s attorney’s office for Cook County, Ill., said it would not pursue charges because of its policy of not prosecuting peaceful protesters. The Northwestern employees had been [accused of obstructing law enforcement]( during [pro-Palestinian protests on campus]( in April. Many such protesters remain in [disciplinary and legal limbo]( this summer. (WBEZ/Open Campus, The Chronicle) FACULTY [2 North Dakota Universities Team Up for Nursing Program After Mass Resignation]( Two weeks after all full-time nursing professors at Dickinson State University [quit in a workload dispute]( the campus announced a partnership with Mayville State University, 300 miles away, in time for the start of the fall semester. The mass departure of Dickinson State faculty members was followed by the [dramatic resignation of the university’s president](. (The Dickinson Press, The Chronicle) IN THE COURTS [Central Connecticut State U. Pays Former Employee $760,000 After Loss in Supreme Court]( The state’s top court ruled for Christopher Dukes, a former director of student conduct who was fired in 2018 after an alleged domestic incident and police standoff at his home that CCSU said made him unsuited to his job. The court noted that charges against him had been dropped and said the discipline policy had been applied inconsistently. (Connecticut Inside Investigator) GOVERNANCE [Chapel Hill Pays $25,000 to Settle Open-Meetings Lawsuit Over Talk of Athletics Budget]( The University of North Carolina flagship’s Board of Trustees also affirmed its commitment to a state law requiring public discussion of budgetary matters. The dispute concerned a May meeting at which the board sought to go into closed session to discuss prospective conference realignment, athletics finances, strategic planning, and related issues. (WRAL) STUDENT LIFE [Former Student at Ohio U. Gets 5 Years in Prison for Thefts From Fraternity]( According to the prosecutor’s office for Athens County, Ohio, Matthew Streeter, 29, pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to nearly $180,000 in funds stolen from the university’s Delta Upsilon chapter from 2018 to 2022. Streeter was a volunteer treasurer for the group. (WCMH) Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Crash Course in Academic Leadership | August 2024] If you’re curious about becoming an academic administrator, we’re once again offering The Chronicle’s Academic Leadership Crash Course, a four-hour virtual workshop designed for faculty aspiring to administrative roles. Join us in August to gain essential insights, practical tips, and valuable resources that will help you pursue your next professional step. [Learn more and register!]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. 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