Afternoon Update: As a Conservative, I’m Dismayed by Right-Wing Campus Activists (Opinion)

How fossil-fuel money warps climate research; Princeton dissociates from 90 fossil-fuel companies; White House scales back debt-relief plan; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [I’m a Conservative. I’m Dismayed by Right-Wing Campus Activists.]( By Jonathan Marks [STORY IMAGE]( A populist conservatism that bears an uncomfortable resemblance to McCarthyism confronts colleges. ADVERTISEMENT THE REVIEW | OPINION [Fossil-Fuel Money Is Warping Climate Research]( By Craig Callender [STORY IMAGE]( Universities must require researchers to disclose their funders. CLIMATE ACTION [Princeton to Dissociate From 90 Fossil-Fuel Companies]( Dissociation is a broader action than divestiture of endowment holdings. It means “refraining, to the greatest extent possible, from soliciting or accepting gifts from a company, purchasing the company’s products, forming partnerships with the company, and facilitating the company’s campus engagement activities,” the university said. (The Daily Princetonian) TEACHING [Advice From Students Who’ve Taken Your Course Before]( By Beckie Supiano [STORY IMAGE]( As her class began a group project, a professor turned to former students for support. STUDENT-LOAN DEBT [Biden Administration Scales Back Student-Debt Relief for Millions Amid Legal Concerns]( In a reversal, the Education Department now says that some federal student loans owned by private lenders will not qualify for relief under a [loan-forgiveness plan]( rolled out last month. The move stemmed from concerns about legal risk from the student-loan industry. (Politico, The Chronicle) FACULTY [Johns Hopkins Instructor Is Indicted on Charges of Trying to Leak Medical Data to Russia]( The faculty member, an anesthesiologist, and her spouse, a U.S. Army doctor, were accused of attempting to provide the sensitive information about members of the military and their families. The two were caught after meeting an undercover FBI agent who they believed was from the Russian Embassy. (The Baltimore Banner) UGLY WORDS [Alabama Instructor Is Placed on Leave After Allegedly Calling for Anti-LGBT Rally]( The history instructor at Wallace State Community College was said to have made [homophobic and racist remarks on social media]( that were widely shared, including “say what you will about the Nazis, but at least they got some things right.” (Al.com, WIAT) ENROLLMENT [Why Aren’t Flagship Universities Enrolling More of Their Own States’ Black Students?]( The University of Georgia has one of the nation’s largest disparities between its small percentage of Black students and the proportion of Black high-school graduates in the state. Such disparities are concentrated in the South, but they pervade the country. (The Hechinger Report) ATHLETICS [College Sports Program Got Money From Charity for Children and Cancer Patients]( From 2018 to 2020 a foundation set up by the NFL legend Brett Favre, whose stated mission is to support disadvantaged children and cancer patients, donated more than $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation, at the same time Favre was trying to [finance a new volleyball center]( for the campus. (The Athletic, Mississippi Today) LEADERSHIP [Wrestling Coach and Former President Resigns From North Idaho College]( Mike Sebaaly was chosen as interim president of the [divided college]( in 2021 after the Board of Trustees [fired the then president](. Nick Swayne became the new permanent president, replacing Sebaaly, on August 1. (Coeur d’Alene Press, The Chronicle) 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. SPONSOR CONTENT | Santa Clara University [Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Children and Teens]( 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