Afternoon Update: Keep the doors open to students of color, feds advise college officials

How to survive tenure denial; Justice Dept. investigates colleges’ student-aid practices; college to pay $2.7 million over misuse of loans; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. GUIDANCE TO COME [Keep the Doors Open to Students of Color, Feds Advise College Officials]( By Eric Hoover [STORY IMAGE]( A national gathering of college presidents and policy experts offered clues about the federal government’s guidance for colleges after the Supreme Court rejected race-conscious admissions. ADVERTISEMENT ADVICE [How I Survived Tenure Denial]( By Michael W. Kraus [STORY IMAGE]( After your colleagues turn down your bid, staying open and focused on what comes next is key. ADMISSIONS [Justice Dept. Investigation of Colleges’ Financial-Aid Practices Is Revealed by Judge]( At a hearing on Monday in a private lawsuit [accusing 17 top colleges of colluding]( to restrict student aid, the judge said the department had questioned an official at one of the 17 institutions as part of a federal investigation into “the very same issues.” No details of the inquiry were disclosed, but the department has filed a “statement of interest” in the case. The suit seeks class-action status for hundreds of thousands of students alleging billions of dollars in overpayment for tuition. (Reuters, The Chronicle) STUDENT AID [Thomas Jefferson U. to Pay $2.7 Million Over Improper Use of Federal Student Loans]( The settlement resolves allegations that the Pennsylvania university misused and improperly retained federal funds intended for use as student loans. The money, from a federal program designed to expand the number of primary-care physicians, was instead invested with the university’s endowment, with the proceeds kept by the institution. (Justice Department statement) DATA [American Council of Education Teams Up With UCLA to Run Freshman Survey]( The higher-ed organization said the partnership with the university’s Higher Education Research Institute [would be part]( of the group’s “expansive research portfolio.” ACE noted that it established the national longitudinal study, which also produces other reports on students, in 1966. The study has been run by the UCLA institute since 1973. (ACE statement, The Chronicle) HONORS [Ruth J. Simmons Is Named the 2023 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities]( The [professor]( and [president emerita]( of [Prairie View A&M University]( Brown University, and Smith College will receive the federal government’s highest honor for intellectual achievement in the humanities. Her free lecture, “Facing History to Find a Better Future,” will be open to the public and live-streamed on September 26. (National Endowment for the Humanities statement, 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. 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 | American University [The Key to Success after Graduation: Experiential Learning]( 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. 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