Afternoon Update: Where the public sees value in higher ed — a new Chronicle survey

Judges no longer defer to academe; narrow orthodoxy seizes anthro; audit clears Boston U. antiracist center; Bradley U. may cut 17 programs; 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](. AMERICA'S VIEWS ON COLLEGE [Where the Public Sees Value in Higher Ed]( By Jacquelyn Elias and Brian O’Leary [STORY IMAGE]( The Chronicle asked more than a thousand adults how well colleges serve students and society. Explore the data to find points of confidence and doubt, consensus and divergence. ADVERTISEMENT THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Judges Have Long Been Deferential to Academe. That’s Changing.]( By Steve Sanders [STORY IMAGE]( Will courts continue to trust professors? The jury is out. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Decolonizing Anthropology  — or Racializing It?]( By David Stoll [STORY IMAGE]( How narrow political orthodoxies took over the field. RACE ON CAMPUS [Where Republicans’ Fury Over DEI Prevented Everyone From Getting a Pay Raise]( By Daarel Burnette II [STORY IMAGE]( Wisconsin gives insight into how far the GOP is willing to go to prevent colleges from employing diversity officers. Can Democrats stop them? THE WAR ON CAMPUS [Education Dept. Reminds Colleges of Legal Duty to Address Bias, Including Harassment]( In a [Dear Colleague Letter]( the department said Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires colleges to provide all students, “including those who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian,” an environment free of discrimination. The letter is the latest [federal effort]( to [combat tensions]( on campus arising from the Israel-Hamas war. (Government statements, The Chronicle) ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT [Audit of Antiracist-Research Center Finds No Financial Mismanagement, Boston U. Says]( The internal inquiry followed the center’s announcement in September that it was laying off more than half of its staff and shifting to a fellowship model. The news drew national attention because the center is led by the prominent activist and scholar Ibram X. Kendi, who said he [welcomed the university’s investigation](. (The Boston Globe) CAMPUS CUTS [Bradley U. May Cut 17 Programs and Up to 68 Faculty Jobs]( Under a proposal described on Monday by the Illinois university’s president, five other academic programs could be converted into “service units” that would exist only so that students in other programs could fulfill degree requirements. The president said 75 percent of Bradley’s students are enrolled in just a quarter of its programs. (WMBD) FACULTY [Chicago-Based Adler U. to Grant Tenure to Faculty Members]( The graduate-level university, which also offers courses online and in Vancouver, British Columbia, is taking an [unusual step]( in an era when tenure has been in retreat. (Adler statement, The Chronicle) CAMPUS SPEECH [Brandeis Becomes First Private University to Ban Students for Justice in Palestine]( The group’s support for Hamas, the Palestinian force that attacked Israel, was key to the Massachusetts college’s decision. Brandeis’s president [said antisemitic student groups]( should “lose all privileges associated with affiliation at their schools.” Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has [banned the group]( from 12 public colleges, a move that may be illegal. (The Hill, The Boston Globe, The Chronicle) SPORTS HAZING [Lawsuit Says Guns Were Often Present Among New Mexico State Basketball Players]( In the suit, filed on Monday, two former men’s players and a manager said teammates had frequently brought guns into the locker room, where they sexually assaulted players to ensure everyone remained “humble.” Three former players were [found responsible]( for Title IX violations tied to the [assaults]( [part]( of a [broader crisis]( at [NMSU](. (Associated Press, KTSM, KRQE, The Chronicle) RESEARCH [Senate Confirms Monica Bertagnolli as New Director of National Institutes of Health]( The head of the National Cancer Institute will give the NIH, the nation’s biggest source of biomedical-research funding, its first permanent leader since 2021. Her nomination was delayed for six months by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who vowed to block such nominees until the White House issued a plan to lower prescription-drug prices. (The Washington Post) SEXUAL MISCONDUCT [Investigators Head to Antarctica Research Base After Claims of Sexual Violence]( The National Science Foundation’s Office of Inspector General is sending two agents to McMurdo Station, where the NSF sponsors research on a range of issues, after a 2022 report raised concerns about sexual assault and harassment there. (The New York Times) 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. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Virtual Events: Tune In Live INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT [International-Student Recruitment Trends]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: November 15, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET: As global student trends shift and recruiting in China falls, colleges must consider alternative targets. Join us to explore the latest data. With Support From World Education Services. [Register here.]( RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES [Recruiting for Cybersecurity Programs]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: November 16, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET: Job openings in the field have grown by 350 percent in the last decade. Join experts to discuss programs colleges can create on evolving threats and specialized areas. With Support From ACI Learning. [Register here.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | NYU Tandon [How Academia is Contributing to Curbing Gun Violence]( ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Unionized Campus - The Chronicle Store]( [The Unionized Campus]( The number of graduate-student unions has increased more than four-fold since 2019. 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