Afternoon Update: Scared of AI? Don’t be, computer-science instructors say.

Texas A&M professor denies alleged remark on politician; Wisconsin-Oshkosh plans 200 layoffs; UCLA chancellor to step down after 17 years; 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](. CURRICULA [Scared of AI? Don’t Be, Computer-Science Instructors Say.]( By Maggie Hicks [STORY IMAGE]( The discipline offers a potential model for integrating ChatGPT and other artificial-intelligence tools into the curriculum. ADVERTISEMENT TEACHING [What Does It Take to Elevate Good Teaching? A Lot.]( By Beth McMurtrie [STORY IMAGE]( Readers share their opinions on whether colleges value teaching — and what needs to change. ACADEMIC FREEDOM [Texas A&M Professor Denies Saying Lieutenant Governor Believes People ‘Deserve to Die’]( In a controversy that raised [fresh questions about academic freedom]( on the flagship campus, Texas’ land commissioner alleged on Wednesday that an A&M professor, Joy Alonzo, had told students in a lecture that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a powerful Republican politician, thinks kids who die of overdoses deserve it. Alonzo, who was censured and briefly suspended for the alleged comment, denied she had said any such thing. The controversy, which [followed]( a [bungled faculty hiring]( amid [accusations of outside interference]( was inflamed by word that [Patrick had complained]( to John Sharp, the A&M chancellor, leading to Alonzo’s suspension. (The Texas Tribune, Houston Chronicle, The Chronicle) CAMPUS CUTS [U. of Wisconsin at Oshkosh Plans Layoffs and Furloughs to Close $18-Million Deficit]( Citing a drop in the number of high-school graduates who go to college and declining state support for the university system, the chancellor of the Oshkosh campus said it would eliminate some 200 nonfaculty staff and administrative positions this fall. Ten of the system’s 13 campuses expect to face a combined $60-million deficit by next summer. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) LEADERSHIP [Gene Block to Step Down Next Summer After 17 Years as UCLA’s Chancellor]( Block, who has [nearly tripled the average tenure]( for college leaders today, will return to the faculty on the University of California campus. Under him, UCLA increased enrollment, guaranteed undergrad housing, almost doubled research funding, and expanded across Los Angeles. (UCLA, The Chronicle) GOVERNANCE [Interim President of New College of Fla., a Former GOP Politician, Is Among Finalists]( [Richard Corcoran]( a onetime speaker of the state’s House of Representative, is [competing]( for the [permanent]( [post]( with Tyler Fisher, a University of Central Florida faculty member, and Robert Gervasi, a former president of other universities. Meantime, Mary Ruiz resigned as one of the [dwindling number]( of New College trustees who [predated]( Gov. Ron DeSantis’s [conservative takeover]( of the board. (College statement, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, The Chronicle) CREDENTIALS [U. of Texas System and Coursera Team Up on Large Microcredential Program]( The university and the company said they aimed to prepare all interested students, alumni, and faculty and staff members — more than 240,000 people across the system’s nine campuses — for the state’s work-force needs at no extra cost to them. The [microcredential]( initiative includes more than 35 entry-level certificates from leading corporations. (University statement, The Chronicle) TECHNOLOGY [Pierce College Is Open but Systems Are Down Amid Probe of ‘Service Disruption’]( The multicampus system around Tacoma, Wash., said the outage, identified more than a week ago, had interrupted some online services but classes were meeting as scheduled. It was not clear if the college had suffered a cyberattack, an [increasingly common occurrence](. (The News Tribune, 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!]( ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Future of Advising - Buy Now]( [The Future of Advising]( Good advising is widely seen as central to student success, but it is one of the most misunderstood and under-supported divisions on campus. [Order your copy]( to learn how university leaders can improve advising systems to help close equity gaps, and ensure students effectively navigate their path to a degree. 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](. 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