Afternoon Update: You could not pay me enough to be a college president (opinion)

Federal action urged to quell campus tensions; Wisconsin regents approve funding deal after standoff; Pa. lawmakers reject funding for Penn; 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](. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [You Could Not Pay Me Enough to Be a College President]( By Daniel W. Drezner [STORY IMAGE]( Soon enough, the capable few won’t want the job either. TEACHING [ChatGPT, and Other Topics That Caught Your Attention]( By Beckie Supiano [STORY IMAGE]( Our annual look back on the issues that resonated with readers. THE WAR ON CAMPUS [Academic Officials Urge Federal Action to Quell ‘Heightened Tension’ on Campuses]( The officials want the Biden administration to overhaul its [response to campus antisemitism]( and Islamophobia, and the White House appears to be listening. Advisers to the homeland-security secretary this week issued recommendations for an expansive federal response to campus threats, free-speech debates, and hateful acts [stemming from]( the [Israel-Hamas war](. (Politico, The Chronicle) IN THE STATES [U. of Wisconsin Regents Approve Deal on Diversity and Pay Raises After 6-Month Standoff]( Reversing a vote last week, the board bowed to pressure and endorsed the deal between the UW president and the Republican Assembly speaker. The move frees $800 million for long-promised raises and key building projects, in return for [cuts in diversity efforts]( which critics said would only invite [further GOP demands]( and would sell out students of color. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Chronicle) POLITICAL BLOWBACK [Pa. Lawmakers Defeat Funding for Penn Amid Criticism of Its Stance on Antisemitism]( The state’s House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected more than $33 million in funds for the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary school, just days after [its president resigned]( amid an uproar over how it has [responded]( to [antisemitism](. Most Republicans opposed the funding, while every Democrat supported it. (Associated Press, The Chronicle) ATTACK ON DEI [Oklahoma Governor Signs Order Prohibiting Many DEI Efforts at Public Colleges]( Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, on Wednesday signed an executive order that, with a number of key exceptions, bans the use of state resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by public colleges and universities, among other state agencies. The order, which drew protests from colleges, follows an [anti-DEI campaign]( this year by state officials. (Oklahoma Voice, The Chronicle) CAMPUS HEALTH [An Explosion in Sports Betting Is Driving Gambling Addiction Among College Students]( One out of 10 students, mostly men, is a pathological gambler, according to one academic study, a figure far higher than for the overall population. Because such wagering is legal, spreading, easily conducted on cellphones, and aggressively promoted by corporations, and because of its capacity for destruction, critics liken gambling addiction to opioid addiction. (Time) THE PIPERS WHO PAY [A New Playbook for College Donors: Power Politics]( Donations to American higher education reached [$59.5 billion last year]( and they come increasingly from a smaller group of wealthy donors. Many expect their money to buy a voice in campus affairs. The [turmoil]( at the [University of Pennsylvania]( and [Harvard]( illustrates the new playbook for how the rich are exerting influence in higher ed. (The New York Times, The Chronicle) CAMPUS CUTS [North Carolina’s Methodist U. Ends 4 Majors as Part of $1.75 Million in Cuts]( The university described the downsizing effort as part of a realignment that will also lead to the termination of 30 positions. (Greater Fayetteville Business Journal) 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. SPONSOR CONTENT | Texas Christian University [Building a Better Campus: A Five-Part Blueprint]( 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](. [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