Weekly Briefing: AI assistants are coming to your college

Plus, are diversity statements dead? ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. How will AI assistants change your college? - AI is coming to college admissions. In all likelihood, AI assistants will be deployed all over college campuses in the near future. In theory, they will free up time for overburdened staffers and help students identify their interests and degree programs. But bleaker scenarios are also a possibility: Would bots reduce student exploration? And would financially strapped institutions see these tools as a way to replace staff? [Our Scott Carlson reports](. - More on chatbots. In this week’s The Edge newsletter, Scott reflects on the story above and whether chatbots can truly conjure wisdom. [Read and subscribe here](. - Tim Walz’s alma mater wants to celebrate him. Critics say the college should stay out of politics. Chadron State College, a public regional institution that is part of the Nebraska State College System, wants to celebrate one of its alums, Tim Walz, the vice presidential nominee on the Democratic ticket. But Chadron’s president is facing backlash for his support. More than 70 percent of residents in Chadron’s county voted for Donald Trump in 2020. And in the last year, some critics and lawmakers have nailed college leaders for wading into politics. [Our Jasper Smith has the story.]( - What will happen to diversity statements? At many institutions, diversity statements, which typically ask job seekers or faculty members seeking promotions or tenure to describe how they will contribute to a college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, are on the chopping block. [Nine states]( have passed bans on their use. Other institutions are proactively doing away with the statements. Though there isn’t much data to show whether the proportion of diversity statements has changed over the years, intense backlash raises questions: Are the statements flawed as a concept? Have they been irreparably damaged by political attacks? [Our Megan Zahneis looks for answers.]( Something new: A podcast Higher ed is always changing. To keep up with the news, characters, and controversies that are often featured in this newsletter, subscribe to our new podcast, College Matters from The Chronicle. Every week, we’ll interview Chronicle reporters, newsmakers, and opinion shapers about the big questions shaping higher education and our world. Starting next week, we’ll feature podcast episodes every week in this newsletter so you don’t miss a beat. Subscribe today on [Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts](. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. ADVERTISEMENT Lagniappe - Learn. [This is why]( songs get stuck in your head. (The New York Times) - Read. Two sisters who were very close as children grow up to live wildly different lives. [That’s the gist]( Richard Yates’s novel The Easter Parade. It’s also a story about middle-class striving and all the changes of the 20th century. (The Guardian) - Listen. The album T[he Deer Are Small and The Rabbits Are Big]( Laura Cannell and Lori Goldston was recorded in St Olave’s Priory and St. Andrew’s Church in Raveningham, both in the U.K. And if you listen closely you can hear the acoustics of the space in the folk, chamber-music album. (Bandcamp) —Fernanda Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Administrative Leadership Institute | October 2024] Join us in October for a two-day virtual workshop that will offer administrative staff leaders the opportunity to build their capacity for collaboration, understand their role in shared governance, and gain insights on how to more effectively lead their teams. [Learn more and register!]( Chronicle Top Reads THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Don’t Scrap Standardized Tests. Make Them Fairer.]( By Nicholas Lemann [STORY IMAGE]( Testing can do more than help elite colleges select a small handful of students. 'AN IMPORTANT DECISION' [She Sued the Sleuths Who Found Fraud in Her Data. A Judge Just Ruled Against Her.]( By Stephanie M. Lee [STORY IMAGE]( But the judge will allow part of Francesca Gino’s lawsuit against Harvard to proceed. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Law Professors’ Supreme Squabble]( By Noah Feldman [STORY IMAGE]( Radical legal academics have turned on the Constitution. They may regret it. ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Campus Housing for Tomorrow]( [Campus Housing for Tomorrow]( Student housing has undergone substantial shifts in recent years, due to inflation, the high cost of building, and drops in enrollment. [Order this report]( for insights on how to navigate these challenges and meet students’ evolving needs. 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](. READ OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS [Latitudes]( | [Race on Campus]( | [The Review]( | [Teaching]( | [Your Career]( | [The Edge]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. [The Chronicle of Higher Education Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2024 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037