Afternoon Update: Education Dept. imposes $14-million fine against Liberty U. for Clery Act violations

Texas Tech suspends prof over war posts; Dartmouth players vote to unionize; after DEI ban, Texas officials got "creative," then in trouble; 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 SAFETY [Education Dept. Imposes $14-Million Fine Against Liberty U. for Clery Act Violations]( The department announced the [record]( fine along with an [agreement]( in which the Virginia university listed a long series of steps it would take to [comply with the law]( on campus-crime reporting. The action [stems from a report]( last year that said Liberty for years [did not keep its campus safe]( underreported [incidents of crime]( and [discouraged reports]( of crime. (Department statements, The Chronicle) ADVERTISEMENT CAMPUS SPEECH [Texas Tech Suspends Professor Over Comments on Israel-Hamas War]( The public university said it was investigating whether the assistant professor’s comments, which it described as “hateful, antisemitic, and unacceptable,” had found their way into the classroom or workplace. The [episode is the latest]( to pit [academic-freedom]( and [free-speech rights]( against [concerns]( about [campus safety]( [civility]( and [belonging](. (The Texas Tribune, The Chronicle) ATHLETICS [Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Players Vote to Unionize in New Challenge to NCAA]( The 13-to-2 vote sets up a lengthy fight over the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism model and [whether college athletes]( are [employees or students](. (The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle) TRYING TO COMPLY [After Texas’ DEI Bans, Administrators Got ‘Creative.’ Then They Got in Trouble.]( By Katherine Mangan [STORY IMAGE]( A right-wing organization’s undercover video highlights the confusion and hysteria around SB 17. ADVICE [A Guide to Crisis Leadership]( By David M. Post [STORY IMAGE]( Four lessons for deans, provosts, and presidents on how to manage a crisis, whether its origins are internal or external. RACE ON CAMPUS [Can AI Close Racial Disparities?]( By Daarel Burnette II [STORY IMAGE]( The technology could narrow or widen opportunity gaps within higher education, depending on how leaders react. FREE SPEECH [Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ Commits a ‘First Amendment Sin,’ Appeals Court Says]( The [decision]( by a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, upheld a lower court’s injunction against part of the law, declaring that it infringes on the free-speech rights of employers. Another part of the measure, concerning classroom instruction, has also been [struck down]( by the courts. (CNN, The Chronicle) IN THE COURTS [U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Rule on Bias-Reporting Program at Virginia Tech]( The program, which let students anonymously report alleged bias, was dissolved last year by the university, which said no one had ever been disciplined after a report. As a result the Supreme Court declared the case moot. But [lower courts have issued]( contrary rulings on [such programs]( so activists had hoped the justices would rule on the case. (The Washington Post, The Chronicle) ACQUISITIONS [Idaho Supreme Court to Hear Case Involving U. of Phoenix Purchase]( The case is an appeal of a lawsuit that challenges the University of Idaho’s [pending purchase]( of the [for-profit university](. The lawsuit argues that the Idaho Board of Education violated the state’s Open Meetings Law when it met in secret to discuss the $685-million deal. Meantime, state lawmakers are considering their own [legal challenge]( of the purchase. (The Spokesman-Review, The Chronicle) PUBLISHING [Millions of Research Papers Are at Risk of Disappearing From the Internet]( More than one-quarter of scholarly articles are not being properly archived and preserved, a study of more than seven million digital publications suggests. The findings, published in the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, indicate that systems to preserve papers online have failed to keep pace with research output. (Nature) 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. 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