Afternoon Update: The Charade of Political Neutrality (Opinion)

Former U. of Southern California dean admits to arranging bribe; court allows Strauss survivors’ lawsuit against Ohio State to proceed; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. THE REVIEW | OPINION [The Charade of Political Neutrality]( By Holden Thorp [STORY IMAGE]( Colleges are in the middle of the culture wars whether they like it or not. ADVERTISEMENT PAYOFFS [Former U. of Southern California Dean Admits to Arranging Bribe for County Official]( Marilyn Flynn, who was dean of the School of Social Work from 1997 to 2018, struck a plea agreement on Thursday with prosecutors in which she said she had arranged an illicit $100,000 payment to a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in return for a USC contract with the county. Prosecutors agreed to recommend that Flynn, 83, be confined to her home, not jailed, and fined no more than $150,000. (Los Angeles Times) SEXUAL ABUSE [Appeals Court Allows Strauss Survivors’ Lawsuit Against Ohio State to Proceed]( A three-judge panel of a federal appeals court ruled that the former students could sue the university over their sexual abuse by Richard Strauss, a sports physician who for 20 years [assaulted hundreds of athletes]( under the [guise of medical treatment](. Ohio State [has settled]( with several hundred victims for some $60 million. The ruling reversed the case’s dismissal by a district-court judge who critics say should have recused himself because of his financial ties to the university. (WCMH, The Chronicle) PRIORITIES [Inside the Texas Spending Blitz That Hooked Arch Manning and a No. 2 Recruiting Class]( To help encourage the top football players to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin, it put on a weekend-long extravaganza in June that cost nearly $280,000, including airfare, accommodations at a five-star hotel, a steak and lobster dinner, booze, an ice sculpture, and more. (The Athletic) PAST AND PRESENT [Indigenous Tribe Continues to Push U. of Texas at Austin to Return Human Remains]( Six years after their original request, members of the Native American group are renewing calls for the return of the remains of three ancestors, as required by federal law, for burial. University archaeologists have said there is no way to connect the remains to the tribe. (Austin American-Statesman) 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. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Reimagining the Student Experience - The Chronicle Store]( [Reimagining the Student Experience]( Many colleges are intentionally rethinking and reshaping what has broadly become known as the student experience. [Order your copy today]( to explore the many forces affecting the student experience with the goal of making students’ time on campus more engaging. NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. 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