Afternoon Update: Can one university change its teaching culture?

FAFSA frustrations in mixed-status families; FAFSA filings are down 38%; DEI hearing in Congress; updated tracker of DEI legislation; 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](. CULTURE CHANGE [Can This University Change Its Teaching Culture?]( By Beckie Supiano [STORY IMAGE]( The University of Georgia is making a big push for professors to adopt active learning. It could serve as a model. ADVERTISEMENT FEDERAL STUDENT AID [Mixed-Status Families Still Can’t Complete the FAFSA. The Wait Is ‘Draining and Exhausting.’]( By Eric Hoover [STORY IMAGE]( Students with undocumented parents continue to wait for the Education Department to fix a technical problem that prevents them from applying for federal aid. DIVERSITY AND POLITICS [Here Are 3 Ways That Republicans See Campus DEI Efforts as Harmful]( By Alecia Taylor [STORY IMAGE]( At a congressional hearing on Thursday, conservative critics made their case against campus diversity programs. Democrats and a DEI supporter pushed back. JUST UPDATED [DEI Legislation Tracker]( By Chronicle Staff [STORY IMAGE]( We’ve updated the tracker with a bill in Iowa that seeks to dismantle colleges’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. STUDENT AID [FAFSA Submissions From High-School Seniors Are Down 38%]( The decline, which was worse for students at low-income public high schools, [follows]( the [U.S. Education Department]( [rocky rollout]( of the [revamped]( Free Application for Federal Student Aid. But the drop, according to the [National College Attainment Network]( is not as bad as it was earlier in this admissions cycle. (Higher Ed Dive, The Chronicle) IN THE COURTS [Michigan State U. and Former Coach to Face $75-Million Sexual-Harassment Lawsuit]( Brenda Tracy, an activist and rape survivor who speaks on sexual-violence prevention, says she was [harassed]( by Mel Tucker, who [was fired]( last fall as football coach. The incipient suit also cites his threats and MSU’s failure to prevent his misconduct and investigate her claims confidentially. Tucker has denied the claims, which [come]( amid [governance turmoil]( at the [university](. (USA Today, The Chronicle) FALLOUT OF A RULING [At Least 7 Universities in Ohio Are Reviewing Race-Based Scholarship Programs]( The move, which follows the Supreme Court [ruling against race-conscious admissions policies]( and comments by Ohio’s attorney general, is taking place at the Universities of Akron and of Toledo as well as Cleveland State, Kent State, Ohio, Ohio State, and Youngstown State Universities. The question of [whether the ruling applies to scholarships]( remains unclear. (Ohio Capital Journal, The Chronicle) CAMPUS CUTS [Budget Shortfall Forces Big Changes at U. of North Carolina at Asheville]( A $6-million deficit, fueled by an enrollment decline that’s the steepest in the UNC system, means layoffs of adjuncts, early-retirement incentives for senior professors, and cuts in academic programs. Perhaps to appease Republican lawmakers, the chancellor has also dropped the word “liberal” from the campus’s tagline, which now says it’s a “public arts and sciences university.” (Asheville Watchdog) 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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