Afternoon Update: Professor Suspended for Calling Students 'Vectors of Disease' Is Now Suing

A quagmire of digital recommendations; priorities for campus space; reading as life or death; suit dismissed against vaccination mandate; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. FACULTY [This Professor Was Suspended for Calling His Students ‘Vectors of Disease.’ Now He’s Suing.]( By Abbi Ross [STORY IMAGE]( Ferris State University placed Barry Mehler on administrative leave this month after the videotaped incident, which the institution’s president said had left him “shocked and appalled.” ADVERTISEMENT ADVICE [Trapped in the Quagmire of Digital Recommendation Letters]( By Jane S. Halonen and Dana S. Dunn [STORY IMAGE]( Technology was supposed to make it easier to recommend a student for graduate admission. So why is it more time consuming than ever? THE EDGE [This Year’s Priorities for Campus Space]( By Goldie Blumenstyk Tackling deferred maintenance, reframing sustainability as resilience planning, redesigning the learning environment, and other goals from guests on our latest podcast series. THE REVIEW | CONVERSATION [When Reading Is a Matter of Life and Death]( By Len Gutkin [STORY IMAGE]( The historian Chris Celenza discusses paranoia, philology, and the future of the university. LEGAL [Students’ Lawsuit Against Indiana U.’s Vaccination Mandate Is Dismissed]( The [eight plaintiffs]( lacked standing to sue, according to a [ruling]( by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit that upheld a [lower-court decision](. Seven had received religious exemptions, and one said she no longer planned to enroll at the university. (WIBC, The Chronicle) STUDENTS [College Apologizes for Mistakenly Telling Applicants They Won Full Scholarships]( Central Michigan University blamed the error last weekend on a test of its messaging technology. (WZZM) NEW FEATURE [Here’s a List of Colleges That Require Students or Employees to Be Vaccinated Against Covid-19]( By Andy Thomason and Brian O’Leary [STORY IMAGE]( Our comprehensive tracker now includes campuses that are requiring booster shots. EVENTS [Browse Upcoming and On-Demand Virtual Events]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join a discussion with national experts and leading practitioners on how to navigate an uncertain future and what new ideas your institution can pursue. SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access and save 50% for the first year with this limited-time offer. SPONSOR CONTENT | university of virginia [A Deep Dive into Neuroscience Discoveries at UVA.]( ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Future of Gen Z]( [The Future of Gen Z]( The pandemic has had a deep psychological effect among Gen-Zers on the path to college. Learn how Covid-19 is likely to shape the preferences of college students in the decade ahead and how institutions will need to respond to the expectations of this generation. [Order your copy today.]( 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. © 2022 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037