Global: Federal Judge Acquits Former Professor in 'China Initiative' Case

Federal prosecutors had planned to retry Anming Hu on charges of wire fraud and making false statements. ADVERTISEMENT [Academe Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. First Thought Insights drawn weekly from Karin Fischer’s global-education newsletter, latitude(s). [Subscribe here](. A federal judge has acquitted a former University of Tennessee professor accused of hiding his ties to China after the espionage case against him crumbled. Federal prosecutors had planned to retry Anming Hu on charges of wire fraud and making false statements after his first trial ended in a deadlocked jury. But the [opinion]( by U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan said that the government had failed to make the case that Hu had deliberately obscured his affiliations with a Chinese university when applying for grants from NASA. (Federal law prohibits NASA funds from going to projects in collaboration with China.) [Read more from Karin Fischer in this week’s latitude(s).]( What’s the future of the previous administration’s “China Initiative”? Read the Chronicle story: “[Has the Hunt for Chinese Spies Become a Witch Hunt?]( ADVERTISEMENT The Reading List - A draft House budget bill includes language providing a [pathway to citizenship]( for young undocumented students brought to the U.S. as children. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats made the case to the parliamentarian that [immigration provisions]( should be allowed in the bill. - College students are back in the classroom in Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban takeover, but male and female students are [segregated](. A Taliban minister has [said women can attend university but not alongside men](. - Higher-education aid programs in Afghanistan are [at risk]( under the new government. Featured on Chronicle.com “People are fed up. The graciousness, the compassion, the ‘we do it for the students, we do it for the work’ — that’s gone.” —Winni Paul, a management consultant whose clients have included campuses and higher-education groups. The Chronicle interviewed nearly 60 current and former higher-education professionals this summer about how the pandemic and the approaching fall term have affected their attitudes about work. [Read the full story from Lindsay Ellis.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. MASKS AND VACCINATIONS OPTIONAL [‘Morale Is in the Ditch’: Distressed by Light Covid Precautions, Georgia Faculty Members Take Action]( By Emma Pettit [STORY IMAGE]( Professors in the University System of Georgia are protesting their colleges’ handling of Covid. Some have openly defied campus policies. SPONSOR CONTENT | HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAT ZU BERLIN [Learn how colleges are leveraging international collaboration to nurture global citizens.]( FACULTY [Does Tenure Impede Diversity?]( By Alexander C. Kafka [STORY IMAGE]( Yes, some scholars say, but they have ideas on how to fix that. ADVERTISEMENT SPONSOR CONTENT | AIG [Helping Employees Take Control of Student Loan Debt]( Learn how organizations are attracting and retaining a competitive workforce by helping employees improve their financial situation, offering student loan assistance to relive financial anxiety. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Apply for the top jobs in higher education and [search all our open positions](. NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK What did you think of today’s newsletter? [Strongly disliked]( | [It was ok]( | [Loved it]( 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. © 2021 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037