Afternoon Update: A law-school rankings formula after Ron DeSantis’s own heart (opinion)

Online college for working adults in California gains momentum; West Virginia coach is suspended and has salary cut over antigay slurs; 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 [Apple News]( [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. THE REVIEW | OPINION [A Law-School Rankings Formula After Ron DeSantis’s Own Heart]( By Brian Soucek [STORY IMAGE]( U.S. News is devaluing faculty expertise at the worst possible time. ADVERTISEMENT THE EDGE [Online College for Working Adults Gains Momentum]( By Goldie Blumenstyk [STORY IMAGE]( After a slow start, California’s Calbright College recalibrates on preparing students for today’s labor market. LATITUDES [For International-Education Leaders, Drawing on Experience Helps With Planning for the Future]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( Three veteran educators reflect on a changing field, plus the latest on foreign-funds rules. ADVICE [Ask the Chair: ‘How Do You Get Professors to Respond in the Summer?’]( By Kevin Dettmar [STORY IMAGE]( A timely question this month as department heads eagerly anticipate the “summer break.” UGLY WORDS [Coach Is Suspended and Has Salary Reduced Over Antigay Slurs on Radio Show]( West Virginia University suspended Bob Huggins, its head coach of men’s basketball, for the first three games of next season, cut his pay by $1 million, and shifted his contract from multiyear to year-by-year. The university, which said he would be fired if it happened again, will use the money to support its LGBTQ+ Center and other state and national groups for marginalized communities. (WLWT) PUBLIC-COLLEGE OVERHAUL [Ohio Higher-Ed Bill Is Amended on DEI Rules, but Would Still Ban Faculty Strikes]( The [Republican-backed legislation]( would now allow [mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training]( at public universities when related to accreditation, licensing, or grants. A ban on financial ties to China would not include tuition from Chinese students. And no topics would be barred from the classroom, but instructors would have to foster intellectual diversity and universities would be forbidden to take sides on controversial topics. (Statehouse News Bureau, The Chronicle) GOVERNANCE [Alaska Legislature Narrowly Rejects Governor’s Nominee as University Regent]( In a 31-29 vote, state lawmakers turned down the nomination of Bethany Marcum to the University of Alaska’s governing board, citing her advocacy of sweeping cuts in state services, including a 40-percent reduction for the university system. She was the only one of nearly 80 gubernatorial nominees to be rejected. (Anchorage Daily News) CAMPUS CUTS [West Virginia U. Proposes Timeline for Faculty Cuts and Severance Packages]( The university says enrollment declines and other trends out of its control will produce a [$45-million budget deficit]( in the 2023-24 fiscal year that could expand to a $75-million gap over the next five years. In response, it plans an extensive review, with a consultant’s help, of academic programs to streamline offerings and focus on those with “the greatest impact.” (The Daily Athenaeum) FEDERAL POLICY [Education Dept. Calls on Colleges and Schools to Work Together on K-12 Learning]( In a [Dear Colleague letter]( released today, the department urged an increase in the number of college students who as tutors, mentors, and coaches help support young people in elementary and secondary schools and out-of-school programs. (News release) ATHLETICS [U. of Georgia’s Championship Football Team Declines White House Invitation]( The Bulldogs, who in January won their second straight national title, were invited last week to visit the White House on June 12. In a statement, the university’s Athletic Association said that, “unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams.” (CNN) FINANCE [Former Miami U. Employee Is Sentenced Over $90,000 in Credit-Card Thefts]( The longtime worker at the Ohio university, who was an assistant to a dean at the time of her resignation, apologized and admitted to the thefts, which financed vacations, personal items, and a party. She was sentenced to community control as long as she made restitution, which her lawyer said she would. 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