Afternoon Update: Are diversity statements illegal?

Covid-relief money as a college lifeline; faculty race and gender at 3,300 colleges; flat funds for education and research in federal deal; 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](. HIRING & DEI [Are Diversity Statements Illegal?]( By Adrienne Lu [STORY IMAGE]( Legal experts are divided. A new lawsuit may provide clarity. ADVERTISEMENT DATA [For These Colleges, Covid-Relief Money Was a Lifeline]( By Jacquelyn Elias [STORY IMAGE]( More than $76 billion in federal aid during the Covid-19 pandemic helped keep many colleges afloat. But which institutions relied on these funds the most? NEWLY UPDATED [Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Full-Time Faculty Members at More Than 3,300 Institutions]( [STORY IMAGE]( This sortable table shows the percentages of full-time faculty members who were members of specific racial and ethnic groups at degree-granting colleges and universities. LATITUDES [NAFSA’s New Leader Is Excited by the Challenge of Navigating Through Change]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( For Fanta Aw, it’s a “prime opportunity” to make the case for international education. FINANCES [Education and Research Would Face Level Funding Under Debt-Ceiling Deal]( Federal nondefense spending [would be flat]( in the 2024 fiscal year, which starts on October 1, and would get a 1-percent increase in 2025. The measure, which would also [require a resumption of student-loan repayments]( halted during the pandemic, would need to be enacted within the next few days to avoid a default on federal obligations. (Higher Ed Dive, Science, NBC News) STUDENT DEBT [Conn. Legislature Votes to Block Colleges From Withholding Transcripts Over Debt]( Opponents of the bill, which now goes to the governor, said it would give students no incentive to pay their campus debts. The measure would allow transcripts to be withheld in some circumstances. If enacted, the bill would make Connecticut the ninth state with such a policy. (The Connecticut Mirror) SPORTS [Alabama Expands Ban on Trans Athletes to Include College Teams]( Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, on Tuesday signed legislation to bar transgender women from playing on female sports teams in college. The measure expands the state’s 2021 ban on transgender athletes on sports teams at elementary and secondary schools. (Associated Press) VALUE OF A DEGREE [Virginia Governor Scraps Degree Requirement for Most State Jobs]( Starting on July 1, state agencies will no longer require degrees or give preference to job candidates who have them for 90 percent of state jobs, Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, said on Tuesday. Since Maryland made a similar announcement last year, six other states have followed suit. (The Washington Post) GOVERNANCE [New Board of City College of San Francisco Rescinds Last Year’s Faculty Layoffs]( Three new board members, who had run for their seats as critics of the layoffs, were part of a unanimous vote to reverse them. At the time of the [original vote]( the board thought the community-college district needed to make cuts to deal with major financial problems. As it turned out, the district ended the fiscal year with a big surplus. (48hills, San Francisco Chronicle) AVE ATQUE VALE [Graduates Get $250 Refund After University’s ‘Chaotic’ Commencement]( The Stevens Institute of Technology, in New Jersey, will give the money to each new graduate after the ceremony dissolved into a “chaotic experience” because of ticketing problems, delays, and other signs of poor planning, the university’s president said. (NJ.com) COMMENCEMENT APOLOGIES [Boston U. President Blasts ‘Abusive’ Students Who Tried to ‘Cancel’ Speaker]( Robert E. Brown, who is stepping down after 18 years in office, said he had apologized to David Zaslav, a BU alumnus and the chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, who had drawn criticism over the month-old writers’ strike in Hollywood. At last week’s commencement, students booed and heckled Zaslav, and chanted, among other things, “Pay your writers!” (WBZ) 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. UPCOMING PROGRAM [The Chronicle's Strategic-Leadership Program for Department Chairs] [Join us in June]( for a virtual professional development program which will provide the space, time, and tools to help department chairs take on the challenges and opportunities of the role. Through workshops, high-level seminars, and individual development plans, chairs will think strategically about their departmental and institutional impact. [Register today!]( ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Restructuring a University - The Chronicle Store]( [Restructuring a University]( In 2022, Henderson State University declared financial exigency after realizing it could no longer avoid hard choices. This case study of the university’s path to near-ruin highlights lessons for any college leader contemplating a restructuring to keep an institution viable. [Order your copy]( to learn about key factors to consider in a restructuring process. 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