Afternoon Update: Penn State plans nearly $100 million in cuts in 2026 budget

U. of Arizona's Global Campus has cost it $265 million; getting students to engage with one another; Catholic U. to auction Dorothy's dress; 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](. CAMPUS CUTS [Penn State Plans Nearly $100 Million in Cuts in 2026 Budget]( Officials said the plan would reorient the university system’s finances amid enrollment declines and budget challenges. The plan calls for a 3.8-percent cut in administrative and student-support units, a total of $29 million, and a 14.1-percent cut on 20 branch campuses, a total of $54 million. The flagship campus, in University Park, will see a 1.4-percent cut, or $11 million. (Higher Ed Dive) ADVERTISEMENT ACQUISITIONS AND AUSTERITY [U. of Arizona Acquired Online College Despite Red Flags. So Far It’s Cost $265 Million.]( Four years ago, when the public flagship [took over]( Ashford University, a for-profit college with a history of fraudulent marketing that saddled students with debt and dubious degrees, [UA said the deal]( would increase student diversity and guarantee revenue. Now, as Arizona [faces a vast budget gap]( the [acquisition]( is seen as a [major factor]( in its fiscal instability. (The Arizona Republic, The Chronicle) TEACHING [How to Get Your Students to Engage With One Another]( By Beth McMurtrie [STORY IMAGE]( Two professors share their strategies for fostering conversation in class. IN THE COURTS [Judge Approves $6.5-Million Settlement of Lawsuit Over Remote Classes in Pandemic]( The class action against the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute dated from the spring of 2020, when the New York university, like campuses across the country, shifted to online instruction in the face of Covid-19. Some $2.5 million of the funds will pay legal fees; the rest will go to RPI’s 2020 students, who claimed they had been promised an in-person experience. (Times Union) TECHNOLOGY [Clackamas Community College Returns After Cybersecurity Incident Cancels Classes]( The Oregon college, which missed three days of classes this week, said it was working with law-enforcement officials to investigate the cause of the incident. (Sandy Post) THE YELLOW-BRICK ROAD [Catholic U. Says ‘Wizard of Oz’ Dress Will Be Auctioned as Injunction Is Lifted]( The blue-and-white gingham dress, worn by Judy Garland in the classic 1939 movie, has been at the center of a [long court battle over its ownership](. The university said it had been given the dress, but a niece of the founder of its drama program said he was the intended recipient. The dress could fetch more than $1 million. (WTOP, The Chronicle) EXTRACURRICULARS [Chemistry Student Is Busted for Operating Meth Lab at Southern Illinois U. Campus]( The suspect, 45, had been a graduate research assistant at the university’s Edwardsville location. He was charged with four felony counts, including aggravated participation in meth making and possession with the intent to deliver. (KTVI) 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. SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for less than $20 and get unlimited access to essential reporting, data, and analysis. And as a special bonus, you'll get the 2024 Trends Report, our annual issue on the major trends shaping higher education — coming in March. 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