Afternoon Update: College Readiness Shouldn’t Be a Top Priority for K-12 Anymore, Survey Shows

Stanford, Columbia, and Penn medical schools join exodus from "U.S. News" rankings; genetics society apologizes for eugenics role; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. You can now read The Chronicle on [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. PRIORITIES [College Readiness Shouldn’t Be a Top Priority for K-12 Anymore, Survey Shows]( Americans think elementary and secondary schools should put a higher priority on preparing students for careers and basic life skills rather than college, according to a nationally representative survey that found major shifts since the pandemic. College readiness plunged from the 10th-highest priority in 2019 to 47th in 2022. (Education Week) ADVERTISEMENT RACE ON CAMPUS [Want Marginalized Students to Feel as if They Belong? Read This.]( By Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez [STORY IMAGE]( A researcher recommends avoiding one-size-fits-all models for improving student belonging. ADVICE [What to Expect When You Become a Scholarly Editor]( By Stephen B. Dobranski [STORY IMAGE]( A primer on the career challenges and benefits of doing academic editing. THE PECKING ORDER [Stanford, Columbia, and Penn Medical Schools Expand Exodus From ‘U.S. News’ Rankings]( The moves came less than a week after Harvard Medical School said it would [stop cooperating with the rankings](. A wave of [top law schools took the same step]( last year, citing issues of equity and what they called the perverse incentives imposed by rankings. (The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle) ACADEMIC PUBLISHING [Multimillion-Dollar Trade in Paper Authorships Alarms Journal Publishers]( After research-integrity sleuths uncovered hundreds of online advertisements for the chance to buy authorship on research papers to be published in reputable journals, publishers retracted dozens of articles. Critics warn that the problem is growing. (Nature) THE PAST'S SHADOW [World’s Largest Body of Human Geneticists Apologizes for Eugenics Role]( The 8,000-member American Society for Human Genetics apologized for the role some of its early leaders played in the American eugenics movement, as well as the harmful ways the field has been [used to fuel racism and discrimination](. (The Washington Post, The Chronicle) LEADERSHIP [Under Fire, U. of Minnesota President Resigns From Securian Financial’s Board]( Joan T.A. Gabel accepted the position last month after the Board of Regents approved a conflict-of-interest management plan, but the move drew bipartisan criticism, including from the governor. The St. Paul company holds $1.3 billion in retirement-plan assets for university employees. (Pioneer Press) RESEARCH [In an HBCU First, Howard U. Is Awarded $90-Million Military-Research Contract]( Howard will become the [first historically Black institution]( to lead one of the Pentagon’s 15 university-affiliated research centers. (The Washington Post, 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 | New Jersey Institute of Technology [Can a generational infrastructure investment take us from a C- to an A?]( 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. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037