Afternoon Update: ‘U.S. News’ took a hit on rankings. Its competitors say they’re doing just fine.

Senator presses colleges to comply with admission ruling; Florida faces faculty brain drain; another academic group pulls meeting from Fla.; and more. [Afternoon Update Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. OTHER PECKING ORDERS [‘U.S. News’ Took a Hit on Rankings. Its Competitors Say They’re Doing Just Fine.]( By Francie Diep [STORY IMAGE]( Five college rankers The Chronicle contacted say they have no plans to change in response to colleges’ boycotts of U.S. News & World Report. THREATS [Republican Senator Presses Colleges to Comply With Supreme Court’s Admissions Ruling]( J.D. Vance of Ohio, who has described professors as “[the enemy]( sent a letter to 10 selective colleges saying there could be dangerous consequences if they did not observe last week’s decision, which [struck down race-conscious admissions](. Vance also likened what he called the colleges’ “openly defiant and potentially unlawful reaction” to the white-supremacist policy of “massive resistance” to the Brown v. Board of Education decision. He told the colleges “to retain admissions documents in anticipation of future congressional investigations.” (NBC News, The Chronicle) HIRING TROUBLES [Are Florida Laws Chasing Away University Faculty Members? Some See a ‘Brain Drain.’]( Tracking the [reported exodus]( can be difficult, but [evidence]( is starting to surface that it’s real. Citing concerns about the [future of tenure]( about faculty pay, about [political attacks]( on academic freedom and fields of study, about [waning support]( for [diversity]( and [inclusion]( even about hurricanes, many would-be hires are spurning the state, and some campuses are scrambling to fill open positions after hundreds of resignations. (Tampa Bay Times/Open Campus, The Chronicle) THE SUNSHINE STATE [Academic Group Cites ‘Hostile Actions’ in Moving Convention From Florida to Illinois]( The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning will hold its annual meeting, with 1,200 attendees expected, this fall in Chicago, not Tampa, as a result of “[escalating waves]( of [hostile actions]( and [legislation]( coming out of [Florida]( The move follows a [similar step]( this week by the National Society of Black Engineers. (Florida Politics, The Chronicle, Spectrum News 13) ADMISSIONS [3 California Colleges Admitted Legacy Applicants Who Didn’t Meet Basic Requirements]( The private institutions — Pepperdine and Vanguard Universities and the University of Southern California — each accepted a handful of students over the past four years who had ties to alumni or donors but who did not meet minimum admissions standards, according to state records. The news comes as such legacy admissions have drawn [renewed criticism]( in the wake of last week’s [Supreme Court decision](. (San Francisco Chronicle, The Chronicle) FACULTY [U. of North Carolina System Wants to Encourage Some Faculty Members to Retire]( The system is asking the state legislature for $16.8 million to offer retirement incentives to tenured professors on five of its campuses: East Carolina, North Carolina Central, and Winston-Salem State Universities and the UNC campuses in Asheville and in Greensboro. (The News & Observer) FINANCES [Iowa Auditor Slams State for Delays Threatening Public Universities]( To make up for missed deadlines by the state, the office of the auditor, Rob Sand, for the first time has produced “single audit reports” for each of the three universities to spare them from threats of federal sanctions and to assure they comply with financial-reporting mandates. Sand, the only Democrat elected statewide, criticized Iowa’s Republican leaders for delays in preparing an annual comprehensive financial report. (The Gazette) 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 Bootcamp for Future Faculty Leaders] [Join us in September]( for a professional development program tailored to the needs of midcareer faculty. Experienced academic leaders and faculty members will provide insights on the diverse professional paths that might be taken by faculty members in this one-day virtual program. [Register today!]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Amazon Business [Every Dollar Counts: Maximizing Your Budget]( 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. 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