Afternoon Update: Americans have lost faith in university leaders, poll suggests

Florida law fosters confusion and freezes on foreign grad students; higher-ed inflation rose 4% in 2023; Musk plans college in Austin, Tex.; 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](. PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS [Americans Have Lost Faith in University Leaders, Poll Suggests]( Nearly 80 percent of respondents said colleges worry more about building endowments than educating leaders, and more than 60 percent said colleges make donors and reporters higher priorities than students. The online poll, which [reflects]( some [results]( of [a Chronicle survey]( was conducted [days after]( a [contentious]( [congressional]( [hearing]( on [campus antisemitism](. (U.S. News & World Report, The Chronicle) LATITUDES [‘It’s Just Chaos’: New Florida Law Leads to Confusion and Freezes on Foreign Grad Students]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( Faculty members at the University of Florida worry they could lose out on recruiting top graduate students from China and other “countries of concern.” THE EDGE [Can a College’s Worthiness Be Measured by What Its Students Earn?]( By Goldie Blumenstyk [STORY IMAGE]( An aspiring accreditor aims to try. Its approach could shake up the model — if it ever gets off the ground. FINANCE [Inflation for U.S. Higher-Ed Institutions Rose 4% in 2023, Down From Previous Year]( The inflation rate for colleges and universities in the 2023 fiscal year fell from 5.2 percent in 2022, according to the Commonfund’s annual Higher Education Price Index, released on Wednesday, but the rate is still high by historical standards. The index is compiled from the changing costs of salaries, benefits, and other goods and services, except research, that colleges pay for. (Commonfund) NEW CAMPUS [Elon Musk Plans to Start a University in Austin, Tex.]( The Tesla chief executive and owner of X will first open a STEM-focused elementary and secondary school, and then create a university, according to tax filings for one of the billionaire’s foundations, which he has given $100 million. The new campus could compete with the [University of Austin]( another [unorthodox startup](. (Bloomberg, The Chronicle) CIVIL RIGHTS ON CAMPUS [Education Dept. Opens Investigations of 6 More Colleges Over Alleged Discrimination]( The department said it would look into possible violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stemming from alleged antisemitism or Islamophobia at Whitman College, Rutgers and Stanford Universities, the University of Washington, and the University of California’s Los Angeles and San Diego campuses. Such [investigations are already underway]( at a dozen other colleges. (NBC News, department website) CAMPUS CUTS [Christian Brothers U. to Eliminate 28 Faculty Positions and a Dozen Programs]( The moves follow the Roman Catholic university’s declaration of financial exigency in September and its board’s subsequent call for $4 million in budget reductions. The faculty cuts include 17 layoffs that will affect both tenured and nontenured posts at the Tennessee institution. (Higher Ed Dive) CAMPUS SAFETY [Student at Evergreen State College Dies of Suspected Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning]( Three other people, including two students and a first responder, were injured in the incident, which happened in housing on the Olympia, Wash., campus. (CNN) THE WAR ON CAMPUS [41 Students at Brown U. Are Arrested After Sit-In Demanding Divestment and Ceasefire]( The students demanded that the university’s president support divestment from the “Israeli military occupation” and call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Brown said that it would “escalate the level of criminal charges” for future such protests. (The Brown Daily Herald) 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 LEADERSHIP STRATEGY [Modern Strategy for Presidents and Trustees]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: December 14, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET: To help navigate turbulence in higher ed, The Chronicle and AGB offer this webinar for board members to advance their strategic-thinking capabilities and ensure their institutions’ long-term success. [Register here.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | James Irvine Foundation [Workers Taking a Stand Against Wage Theft]( 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. [Order your copy]( to learn what’s at stake as union membership grows, and explore effective strategies for colleges to build relationships with new and existing unions. 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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