Afternoon Update: The new campus fanaticism (opinion)

AI flunks critical-thinking test; the humanities' future; how editors assess books’ "fit"; FAFSA data start to emerge; Biden's 2025 budget; 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 | OPINION [The New Campus Fanaticism]( By Robert S. Huddleston [STORY IMAGE]( Exclusion, scapegoating, and extremism are taking over. ADVERTISEMENT THE REVIEW | ESSAY [When It Comes to Critical Thinking, AI Flunks the Test]( By Gary Smith and Jeffrey Funk [STORY IMAGE]( Large language models fail to live up to the hype. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [The End of Disenchantment and the Future of the Humanities]( By Nicholas Dirks [STORY IMAGE]( On my father’s journey from farm to church to university. ADVICE [How Do Editors Assess Your Book’s ‘Fit’?]( By Rebecca Colesworthy [STORY IMAGE]( An acquisitions editor sheds light on how publishers decide if your book is a good match for their lists. ENROLLMENT [Education Dept. Starts Sending Student-Aid Data to Colleges After Months of Delays]( The department said it sent an unspecified number of student records to “a few dozen schools” on Sunday and is making final updates before sending such data to more colleges. The news follows the [bungled rollout]( of a [revamped]( Free Application for Federal Student Aid, [which]( has [frustrated colleges]( and [students alike](. (Associated Press, The Chronicle) FEDERAL SPENDING [Biden Proposes Free Community College and Pell Grant Increases in 2025 Budget]( The president’s plan for the 2025 fiscal year, which starts on October 1, is unlikely to pass a divided Congress, which has yet to enact a full 2024 budget. Also under the plan, the Education Department’s student-aid office, which has struggled with the new FAFSA, would get $625 million more. Federal agencies that fund academic research [would get small increases](. (Higher Ed Dive, Science) SPORTS FALLOUT [NAACP Calls On Black Athletes to Boycott Florida’s Universities Over DEI Policy]( The civil-rights group [said]( the [state’s ban]( on [campus diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts]( was among anti-Black [policies]( pursued by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican. The group urged the athletes to respond by using their clout in choosing a college. Several of the public universities have lucrative teams on which [Black athletes are overrepresented](. (The Hill, The Chronicle, The Washington Post) THE NEW LANGUAGE [First University in Utah Renames Its DEI Office After New Law Bans Words]( Under [the measure]( which Gov. Spencer J. Cox, a Republican, [signed]( in January, the state’s public colleges [are forbidden]( to have an office whose name includes “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The law takes effect on July 1, but Utah Valley University said this month it had already rolled out a new name: Office of Institutional Engagement and Effectiveness. (The Salt Lake Tribune, The Chronicle) 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. Virtual Events: Tune In Live STUDENT SUCCESS [Building Successful Graduate Programs]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 13, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. Join experts to explore updated strategies that universities can use in their graduate programs. 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