Weekly Briefing: What happens when 40 percent of a college's staff take buyouts?

Plus, the complexity of post-affirmative action college admissions. ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. At this small campus, 40 percent of staff took a buyout - Across Pennsylvania State University’s regional campuses, about one in five eligible employees took voluntary buyouts. At one campus, 40 percent of staff raised their hands. At Penn State at New Kensington, an institution 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh, 40 percent of staff and 10 percent of faculty took buyouts. Some professors and staff fear that students may not get the help and resources they need with fewer people around. [Our Adrienne Lu reports](. - One year after the U.S. Supreme Court effectively banned considering college applicants’ races, the admissions picture is complicated. Highly selective colleges are beginning to report their fall enrollment data. And results are mixed. The proportion of first-year students from underrepresented minority groups [fell]( at many colleges that considered race in admissions. But at other institutions, like Duke University, the proportion of Black and Latino freshmen held steady. It’s tempting to try to make sense of the emerging mixed-bag of data, but a note of caution: The data will likely change again. [Our Eric Hoover explains](. - This week on College Matters from The Chronicle: Professors at the Protest. When demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war emerged on campuses across the nation last spring, some professors decided to join their students. Their reasons for participating were varied and complex, as were the consequences they’ve faced. [Our Jack Stripling interviews Kate Hidalgo Bellows](. - Still curious? [Read Kate’s story]( on Indiana University, where a series of controversial administrative decisions during the spring’s protests prompted some professors to participate. - Last week’s most loved (or feared) link: [Scott Carlson’s story]( about AI assistants’ potential changes to college admissions and advising, for better or worse. Limited-Time Offer for New Subscribers Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( and save 50% on a year of unlimited access. As a bonus, you'll receive a digital copy of our new article collection, Decision 2024: The Presidential Election and Higher Ed. ADVERTISEMENT Lagniappe - Read. [This story]( about two children who didn’t know that their parents were Russian spies seems like it was ripped straight from a TV script. (The Wall Street Journal) - Read, some more. Yellowstone National Park warns tourists: Don’t pet the bison, don’t stand within 100 yards of a wolf or bear, and don’t cook food in geysers. So why are people still tempted to break these seemingly basic safety rules? [The writer in this story]( tries to answer that question by “behaving like an idiot.” (Outside Magazine) —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 FINANCIAL WORRIES [This Is Why Some Regional Public Colleges Are In So Much Trouble]( By Lee Gardner [STORY IMAGE]( Deep cuts at public comprehensive colleges have often made news, but this year they seem deeper and more brutal than ever. CAMPUS SAFETY [At 2 Colleges, the Fall Semester Has Been Disrupted by Trump’s Lies About Eating Pets]( By Jasper Smith [STORY IMAGE]( Wittenberg University and Clark State College have canceled in-person classes all week after receiving bomb and shooting threats. TEACHING [Connecting With Gen Z Through Course Design]( By Beth McMurtrie [STORY IMAGE]( One strategy for supporting students — without creating lots of extra work. 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. 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