Afternoon Update: Confidentiality and presidential searches. Open, closed, or hybrid? (opinion)

Higher ed two years after Ukraine war started; FAFSA’s Social Security problem to be fixed in March; $1.2 billion more in loan forgiveness; 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](. ADVICE [Open, Closed, or Hybrid? Confidentiality and the Presidential Search]( By Ryan Crawford [STORY IMAGE]( Three factors to consider as you weigh what degree of openness is right for your institution’s hiring process. ADVERTISEMENT LATITUDES [Two Years After the War in Ukraine Began, What’s the Latest for Higher Education?]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( A start-up university weathers the fighting, and displaced scholars find a new academic home. STUDENT AID [Education Dept. Says It Will Fix FAFSA’s Social Security Problem in March]( The problem, [one of many]( that [have plagued]( the [rollout]( of the [revamped]( Free Application for Federal Student Aid, [has prevented]( submission of the form when a parent lacks a Social Security number. The department offered on Tuesday a temporary work-around and said a permanent fix would be available next month. (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, The Chronicle) STUDENT-LOAN DEBT [Biden Administration Cancels $1.2 Billion in Student Loans With New Repayment Plan]( Some 153,000 borrowers of federal student loans who are enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan and who had low original balances will have their debts forgiven. (The Washington Post) VALUE OF A DEGREE [Employers Don’t Practice What They Preach on Skills-Based Hiring, Report Says]( Many businesses say they [will base hiring decisions]( on applicants’ skills, not degrees, but most haven’t stopped requiring degrees or increased their share of workers without degrees, according to a [report]( by the Burning Glass Institute and the Harvard Business School. (Higher Ed Dive, The Chronicle) LEADERSHIP [Wheeling U. President Is Suspended With Pay and Relieved of Duties]( The West Virginia university’s board did not say why Ginny Favede was being displaced after four years in office, although Wheeling has had accrediting and other problems. The board said Dianna Vargo, director of graduate education and accelerated certification for teaching programs, would be interim chief operations officer. (The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register) FACULTY RIGHTS [Law Professor at U. of Pennsylvania Appeals Sanctions Over Comments Deemed Racist]( Amy Wax, who has questioned Black students’ academic ability and said we’d be better off with fewer Asians, should face penalties such as a one-year suspension, a public reprimand, and the loss of her chair, a Penn hearing board recommended in June, but it did not call for her to be fired or stripped of tenure, according to anonymous sources. She has since appealed. (The Philadelphia Inquirer) 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. Virtual Events: Tune In Live CAREER SERVICES [Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 6, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. At a time of rising tuition and fast-changing, uncertain career paths, does college still play a role? Join us to discuss how to prepare students for the work force. With Support From Florida Atlantic University. [Register here.]( STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP [Why Strategy Efforts Fail in Higher Education — and How to Make Them Succeed]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 7, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. How do you avoid common pitfalls of strategic planning? Join us for research-backed strategies for success. With Support From Watermark. [Register here.]( STUDENT SUCCESS [Sharpening the Social-Mobility Mission]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 12, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. College is often seen as a chance at economic opportunity. 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