Afternoon Update: Shooting Death of U. of Arizona Professor Was Institutional Failure, Report Says

Former UCLA lecturer accused of violent threats is ruled unfit for trial; College Board strips down AP course in African American studies; 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](. ASSESSING THREATS [A Professor Was Killed While Walking to His Office. Faculty Say It Was an Institutional Failure.]( By Kate Hidalgo Bellows [STORY IMAGE]( A faculty committee at the University of Arizona criticized its “glaring” shortfalls in response to warning signs before a professor was shot and killed on campus last fall. ADVERTISEMENT CAMPUS SAFETY [Former UCLA Lecturer Accused of Making Violent Threats Is Ruled Mentally Unfit for Trial]( Matthew Harris, who was arrested a year ago after [allegedly threatening to kill a professor]( and posting an 803-page manifesto and video citing a mass shooting, was found incompetent to stand trial by a federal judge. (Los Angeles Times, The Chronicle) CURRICULUM [College Board Strips Down Its AP Curriculum for African American Studies]( After [criticism]( from [Gov. Ron DeSantis]( of Florida, the official course [looks different]( No more critical race theory, and the study of contemporary topics — like Black Lives Matter — is optional. (The New York Times, The Chronicle) 'AN UNTAPPED TALENT POOL' [Learning the ‘Unspoken Rules’]( By Kelly Field [STORY IMAGE]( Colleges are enrolling more students on the autism spectrum, but a third of graduates with autism don’t find jobs. Here’s how one university is aiming to change that. LATITUDES [Colleges Embrace a Different International Role, as Places of Refuge]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( A scholarship program in Kentucky provides a new start for displaced students, and other ways higher ed is supporting refugees. THE EDGE [Do Completion Grants Really ‘Move the Needle’?]( By Goldie Blumenstyk [STORY IMAGE]( A study found that the grants did nothing to improve graduation rates at 11 institutions, but advocates of the tactic say the analysis is in no way conclusive. ADVICE [On the Teaching Tenure Track]( By Ashley Juavinett [STORY IMAGE]( What to know about becoming a “teaching professor,” an increasingly common faculty position at large universities. FEDERAL POLICY [Education Dept. Data Show Pandemic-Relief Funds Kept Millions Enrolled at College]( The data indicate that since 2021 more than 18 million students have received direct financial aid from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The money has also helped keep faculty and staff members employed. (Department statement) FACULTY [Tenure Task Force in Louisiana Will Not Meet, but Its Sponsor Plans Legislation]( State Sen. Stewart Cathey, a Republican and opponent of tenure, said he would not convene the policy-review committee he created. Instead he said he would introduce unspecified legislation. (Louisiana Illuminator) 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. NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. 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 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