News Related to Higher Education and LGBTQIA+ Stakeholders
Below are archived, still relevant, articles from January - June 2023.
Highlighted Articles Page
Some news has greater potential implications for NMU students and/or the NMU community. The highlighted stories at this link are included in the comprehensive list, but are pulled out on a page to help folks at NMU find the most important and useful news reports with local implications.
Recent Articles Page
Confronting Misconceptions About Nonbinary, Trans Faculty, Staff and Students: Araya Baker outlines five unconscious biases other people in academe need to acknowledge and grapple with intentionally.
June 30, 2023
"Despite gay men having the highest educational attainment and gay and lesbian faculty being overrepresented in academe, non-heterosexual college and university students are not faring well collectively—almost a third reported suicidality during the 2021–22 academic year. The odds are even worse for transgender college students, who, unlike cisgender LGBQ students, are often an afterthought among the broader LGBTQ+ community as much as they are within higher education in general."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/career-advice/2023/06/30/academe-should-address-biases-about-nonbinary-students-and-faculty
HRC declares unprecedented state of emergency for LGBTQ+ community: How serious is the problem, and what can you do to help?
June 28, 2023
"The Human Rights Campaign -- the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization -- declared a state of emergency for the LGBTQ+ population in the United States. It came 'following an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year,' reads the website."
More at Central Michigan Life at www.cm-life.com/article/2023/06/d_stateofemergencylgbtq_news_6272023
Police say the stabbings of three people during a gender class in Canada were motivated by hate
June 28, 2023
"Waterloo Police Chief Mark Crowell said the suspect, who had been interviewed by police, wanted to make a 'statement' about gender identity, and that he had asked the professor to verify that the class was about gender studies before attacking."
More at AP at https://apnews.com/article/university-stabbing-canada-waterloo-2b32c876596c576bb3093c147eb856a3
‘Preaching’ in Biology Class?: St. Philip’s College, despite the name, is a public college. A professor who is also a pastor says the college fired him after it allegedly received complaints of “preaching” in class.
June 28, 2023
"An adjunct professor who is also an associate pastor says a Texas community college fired him after it claimed to have received complaints of 'religious preaching, discriminatory comments about homosexuals and transgender individuals, anti-abortion rhetoric and misogynistic banter.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2023/06/28/professor-says-he-was-fired-allegedly-preaching
A Christian University Withdraws Promise Keepers Invitation
June 28, 2023
"Belmont said the blog post included 'comments that we believe unnecessarily fan the flames of culture wars and are harmful to members of our community.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/06/28/belmont-withdraws-invitation-promise-keepers
All the Lonely Students: In promoting social connection on campus, colleges should not ignore these six insights from research, Dave Smallen writes.
June 22, 2023
"An advisory released last month by U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy offers an overview of both the current epidemic of loneliness and the scientific consensus that feeling socially connected matters for mental and even physiological well-being. Issues around social connectedness are especially relevant for student health on college campuses, as year after year a major annual survey finds that a majority of college students experience loneliness, with transgender/gender-nonconforming students being especially impacted."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/06/22/research-insights-promoting-social-connections-opinion
University at Buffalo Service Clubs Caught in Free Speech Crossfire: The student assembly introduced a new rule banning recognition of clubs affiliated with outside groups. Some believe it’s intended to censor a conservative campus organization.
June 22, 2023
"Michael Knowles, pictured here, is a controversial conservative figure who has received criticism for his statements about women and the LGBTQ community."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/students/free-speech/2023/06/22/u-buffalo-student-clubs-lose-recognition-due-new-rule
Opinion: How ‘Bama Rush’ captures this strangely bittersweet Pride month
June 22, 2023
"Fleit’s documentary, about sorority culture at the University of Alabama, is streaming on Max (the service formerly known as HBO). She’s referring to her experience as a bald woman — a person with alopecia — but as I watched her film, I found it hard not to think of the LGBTQ+ community, especially during this strangely bittersweet Pride month."
More at The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/22/bama-rush-pride-trans-nonbinary-sororities/
Supreme Court won’t take up Christian college’s lawsuit against Biden’s anti-discrimination housing policy
June 21, 2023
"The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to consider an appeal from a Christian college in Missouri that sued the Biden administration over a federal directive protecting gay and transgender people from housing discrimination."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/supreme-court-wont-take-up-christian-colleges-lawsuit-against-bidens-ant/653596/
College Board pushes back on Florida demands for AP course changes: The state education department’s request that College Board audit and modify courses follows a dispute over an African American studies course.
June 21, 2023
"In its response last week, the College Board said it doesn’t plan to modify any of its 40 AP courses — including AP Psychology — in response to efforts spreading in various states to regulate LGBTQ+ and race-related content."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/florida-college-board-ap-courses/653367/
Arizona State Director Says She’s Fired for Kirk, Prager Event
June 21, 2023
"The executive director of Arizona State University’s T. W. Lewis Center for Personal Development said she’s being fired next week and her center is closing because she organized an event featuring Charlie Kirk, Robert Kiyosaki and Dennis Prager."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/06/21/arizona-state-director-says-shes-fired-kirk-prager-event
Race, Masculinity and Sexuality Through an Operatic Lens: Opera begins to reckon with its race and audience problems.
June 21, 2023
"Co-commissioned by the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Jazz Saint Louis, with a libretto by playwright Michael Cristofer and first performed in 2013, the Met version of Champion features soloists, a jazz quartet, a full orchestra and a gospel chorus, along with vivid video projections in a story of maternal abandonment, rage, guilt and an unattained quest for forgiveness. The opera paints vivid contrasts between an idyllic island culture and Griffith’s abusive upbringing and a welcoming, warm gay culture and homophobic violence."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/2023/06/21/race-masculinity-and-sexuality-through-operatic-lens
‘Generations’ and Tomorrow’s Gen Z Academic Workforce: How will colleges and universities attract and retain faculty and staff born between 1995 and 2012?
June 20, 2023
"To attract and retain the best and the brightest of Gen Z to work at our colleges and universities, our institutions must be welcoming places for transgender, nonbinary and LGBTQ academics."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/blogs/learning-innovation/2023/06/20/generations-and-tomorrows-gen-z-academic-workforce
Supreme Court won’t hear Christian college’s challenge to Biden ban on gender identity housing discrimination
June 20, 2023
"The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a private Christian college’s bid to revive its lawsuit challenging a federal directive prohibiting housing discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation."
More at The Hill at https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4058309-supreme-court-wont-hear-christian-colleges-challenge-to-biden-ban-on-gender-identity-housing-discrimination/
College Board and Florida Fight Over AP Psychology
June 16, 2023
"The College Board is defending its approach to Advanced Placement psychology, including teaching about gay issues, to Florida officials."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/06/16/college-board-and-florida-fight-over-ap-psychology
Texas enacts law restricting transgender athletes at public colleges
June 16, 2023
"Transgender athletes in Texas’ public colleges will no longer be able to participate in sports that correspond with their gender identities under legislation Gov. Greg Abbott signed Thursday."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/texas-passes-legislation-restricting-transgender-athletes-in-public-college/653272/
Seattle Pacific University announces 40% cut to programs, steep layoffs
June 16, 2023
"Steele attributed SPU’s enrollment woes not to the fierce controversy around its LGBTQ+ hiring policy but to national trends in higher education."
More at The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-pacific-university-announces-40-cut-to-programs-steep-layoffs/
College runner’s anti-gay bullying suit reinstated by federal court: In expansion of Title IX, court says sexual orientation can be used to judge cases of alleged harassment.
June 15, 2023
"A suit by a former University of Arizona runner who alleges he was subjected to anti-gay bullying by his teammates that was then ignored by his coaches was reinstated this week after a panel of federal judges ruled that 'Title IX bars sexual harassment on the basis of perceived sexual orientation.'"
More at OutSports at www.outsports.com/2023/6/15/23761622/college-runner-anti-gay-bullying-suit-title-ix-federal-court
Appeals court sends UA harassment claim back to trial court: The three-judge panel found that Title IX bars sexual harassment on the basis of perceived sexual orientation.
June 15, 2023
"According to the three-judge panel, Title IX bars sexual harassment on the basis of perceived sexual orientation– a portion of Grabowski’s argument. However, the panel did not find that the harassment claim deprived Grabowski of educational opportunities, a required element of his filing."
More at AZPM at https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2023/6/15/216382-appeals-court-sends-ua-harassment-claim-back-to-trial-court/
College Board defends AP course amid Florida restrictions on LGBTQ lessons: New Florida rules target teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools
June 15, 2023
"Months after attacking a new African American studies course for high school students, Florida state officials working under Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) are putting the Advanced Placement program through another round of unusual scrutiny. This time the target appears to be AP psychology lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation."
More at The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/06/15/florida-ap-psychology-college-board/
Houston Dean Accused of Racial, LGBTQ Harassment: Two preliminary investigation reports allege “microaggressions, slights, double entendre and boorish behavior.”
June 15, 2023
"Two University of Houston–Downtown preliminary investigation reports 'substantiated' that a now former dean 'said on multiple occasions that it would make him look good that he hired a Black, gay man,' according to documents provided anonymously to Inside Higher Ed."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/diversity-equity/2023/06/15/former-uh-downtown-dean-accused-racial-lgbtq
Mayo Threatens Firing Professor for Interviews—and Idioms: A longtime faculty member at the medical school is being threatened with termination after interviews he gave to CNN and The New York Times.
June 13, 2023
“'Your use of idiomatic language has been problematic and reflects poorly on Mayo Clinic’s brand and reputation,' Dr. Mantilla wrote to Dr. Joyner. 'Prior to the most recent incident this issue was discussed with you when your June 2022 comments in a NY Times article were problematic in the media and the LGBTQI+ community at Mayo Clinic … The fact that your selection of idiomatic expressions continues has caused the institution to question whether you are able to appropriately represent Mayo Clinic in media interactions.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2023/06/13/mayo-threatens-firing-professor-interviews-and
LGBTQ maths group objects to conference being held in Florida: Professors say state’s recent track record of passing laws targeting transgender people and DEI programmes means Tampa is not a ‘safe’ location for annual event
June 13, 2023
"The Mathematical Association of America is, despite continued public objections from LGBTQ+ mathematicians, holding its main annual conference, MathFest, this August in the sprawling Tampa Convention Center, near Hillsborough Bay."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/news/lgbtq-maths-group-objects-conference-being-held-florida
A Governor Tells Public Colleges: The Drag Show Must Not Go On
June 12, 2023
"At a time when LGBTQ rights are mired in political conflict, college leaders must proceed carefully."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/a-governor-tells-public-colleges-the-drag-show-must-not-go-on
Fear and Confusion in the Classroom: Vaguely worded legislation in Florida and Texas is already affecting how professors teach.
June 9, 2023
"The laws — or even the possibility of them — also pose a professional threat. Eddy, who is nonbinary and queer, is leaving FIU for a new job at the University of Minnesota, a plan they put in motion because of the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation, which DeSantis signed in March 2022. The law affects them both personally and in their research, which includes work on how sex and gender are taught in biology."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/fear-and-confusion-in-the-classroom
MathFest in Florida? Some LGBTQ+ Mathematicians Aren’t Going: The Mathematical Association of America is facing controversy for deciding to host its big annual conference in Tampa.
June 9, 2023
"The Mathematical Association of America is, despite continued public objections from LGBTQ+ mathematicians, holding its main annual conference, MathFest, this August in the sprawling Tampa Convention Center, near Hillsborough Bay."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/diversity-equity/2023/06/09/mathfest-florida-some-lgbtq-mathematicians-arent
BC’s Solution to LGBTQ+ Demands Gets Tepid Response: Boston College students have long pushed their Jesuit university to create an LGBTQ+ resource center. Instead, the college will house LGBTQ resources in an intercultural center.
June 1, 2023
"Two years after Boston College’s undergraduate student government submitted a proposal asking administrators to implement a resource center for LGBTQ+ students on campus, the college is instead moving ahead with an unpopular plan to house LGBTQ+ resources in its existing intercultural center. That center, the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center—AHANA stands for people of African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent—was initially created to support students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/students/diversity/2023/06/01/boston-college-lgbtq-students-fight-center-their-own
Alabama Passes Collegiate Trans Athlete Ban
June 1, 2023
"Alabama governor Kay Ivey has signed a bill barring transgender athletes from competing in collegiate sports that do not correspond to the gender they were assigned at birth, expanding legislation passed last year that introduced similar regulations for K-12 athletic participation."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/06/01/alabama-passes-collegiate-trans-athlete-ban
A State Changed Its Dual-Enrollment Rules. It Sparked a Fight Over Religious Freedom.
June 1, 2023
"In April, Arizona Christian University sued a Phoenix school district that had decided to no longer allow the religious college to participate in its student-teacher program. School-board members argued that the university’s evangelical-Christian mission statement ran counter to the district’s efforts to support LGBTQ students."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/a-state-changed-its-dual-enrollment-rules-it-sparked-a-fight-over-religious-freedom
South Dakota governor demands conservative makeover for public higher education: Kristi Noem, a Trump-aligned policymaker, is calling for changes like bans on campus drag shows and ending the use of preferred pronouns.
May 31, 2023
"She wants the public colleges, which collectively enroll more than 33,600 students, to enact rules fortifying free speech while also banning drag performances on their campuses and references to preferred pronouns. "
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/south-dakota-governor-conservative-higher-ed/651596/
Universities must be able to debate sex versus gender identity: Universities are places where ideas are proposed and improved. It shouldn’t be so hard to discuss an issue with far-reaching implications, say 20 academics
May 31, 2023
"Student-facing events that include multiple views on gender and sex would not only model constructive disagreement but also help to counter false claims that gender-critical feminist views are fuelled by transphobia."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/universities-must-be-able-debate-sex-versus-gender-identity
Alabama passes law restricting transgender athletes’ participation in college sports
May 31, 2023
"A new law in Alabama prohibits public colleges from allowing transgender students to join sports teams matching their gender identities."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/alabama-passes-law-restricting-transgender-college-athletes/651710/
S.D. Governor Wants Drag Shows Banned on Campus
May 30, 2023
"South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, has proposed that drag shows be banned on public college and university campuses."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/30/sd-governor-wants-drag-shows-banned-campus
Education Department delays final Title IX rules until October
May 30, 2023
"Women’s rights and LGBTQ+ advocates have pressed the Education Department to move forward quickly with the two Title IX rules with the hopes they could be in place for the coming academic year. "
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/education-department-delays-final-title-ix-rules-until-october/651595/
Steps to promote LGBTQ+ students’ well-being on campus: What can universities do to promote greater LGBTQ+ student well-being and positive academic outcomes? Kristen A. Renn provides some answers
May 30, 2023
"Not all students experience campus climates that foster well-being, evidence shows, with students minoritised by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and religion, among others, faring poorly in comparison with majoritised peers."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/steps-promote-lgbtq-students-wellbeing-campus
‘More Cowardly Than Cautious’: Faculty Decry College Leaders’ Silence on DEI Attacks
May 25, 2023
"One reason other college leaders may have kept quiet is that DEI elicits strong reactions among alumni, politicians, and their own students and faculty members during these highly polarized times. A Chronicle survey and interviews of college presidents found that many censor themselves even on topics they consider central to their mission and values, including DEI, racial justice, and gender and sexual identity."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/more-cowardly-than-cautious-faculty-decry-college-leaders-silence-on-dei-attacks
DEI: The Case for Common Ground: There's more room for agreement than might appear.
May 25, 2023
"I would define diversity broadly to include not just race, ethnicity, and gender but a wide range of other factors and characteristics, including geography, socioeconomic status, first-generation status, disability status, religion, age, sexual orientation, viewpoint, ideology, and special talents. College campuses are, and should continue to be, places where students are likely to encounter people who have different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints, and they should be places that search for and welcome talented students, faculty, and staff from all walks of life and every background."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/dei-the-case-for-common-ground
Texas Tenure, Anti-DEI Bills Near Passage—or Death: As Texas’ legislative session comes to a close this weekend, bills that would affect tenure and ban what lawmakers consider diversity, equity and inclusion programs are still pending.
May 25, 2023
"The House version of the bill still bans a wide variety of so-called DEI programming, including 'conducting trainings, programs or activities designed or implemented in reference to race, sex, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, other than trainings, programs or activities developed by an attorney and approved in writing by the institution’s general counsel and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the sole purpose of ensuring compliance with any applicable court order or state or federal law.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/diversity-equity/2023/05/25/texas-tenure-anti-dei-bills-near-passage-or-death
Noem to South Dakota universities: raise graduation rates, end drag shows, and more
May 25, 2023
"Gov. Kristi Noem sent a wide-ranging letter to the South Dakota Board of Regents office Thursday on everything from China, history requirements, free speech and college affordability to prohibiting drag shows on campus and removing all references to preferred pronouns."
More at Angus Leader at www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2023/05/25/south-dakota-kristi-noem-universities-board-of-regents-graduation-rates-drag-shows-preferred-pronoun/70257976007/
Professor Association Blasts Florida’s “Unparalleled” Assault on Higher Education: “This onslaught threatens the very survival of meaningful higher education in the state.”
May 24, 2023
"On Wednesday, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expected to announce he’s entering the 2024 presidential race in the evening, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) released a damning report on the state of higher education in the potential candidate’s home state."
More at Mother Jones at www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/05/professor-association-blasts-floridas-unparalleled-assault-on-higher-education/
For One Group of Teenagers, Social Media Seems a Clear Net Benefit: Despite the surgeon general’s warning about its risks for youth in general, researchers and teenagers say it can be a “lifeline” for L.G.B.T.Q. youth.
May 24, 2023
"Though data shows that the mental health of L.G.B.T.Q. teens is worse than that of straight teens, it can be improved by being online, said Shelley L. Craig, a Canada Research Chair in sexual and gender minority youth at the University of Toronto. Her research has found that L.G.B.T.Q. youth find two things online that are known to reduce depression and suicidal thoughts: hope, and a sense of control over their actions and environment."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/upshot/social-media-lgbtq-benefits.html
How can we make LGBTQ+ students feel welcome through our teaching?: Practise inclusivity, speak out against harmful behaviour in your classroom and, most importantly, continue to learn, says Chris Pearce
May 24, 2023
"This resource provides a few simple approaches for adapting your teaching practice to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community and create a safe learning environment for your students."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-can-we-make-lgbtq-students-feel-welcome-through-our-teaching
Breaking the homonegative life cycle for lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Jamaica: Lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Jamaica experience education punctuated by discriminatory treatment. Craig McNally looks at what university leaders must do to break this homonegative cycle and create inclusive campuses
May 24, 2023
"The lived experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) students should be at the heart of contemporary educators’ concerns in the anglophone Caribbean."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/breaking-homonegative-life-cycle-lesbian-gay-and-bisexual-students-jamaica
Not Just a War on ‘Woke’: Attacks on public higher education in Florida are part of the radical right’s broader antidemocratic agenda, Timothy V. Kaufman-Osborn writes.
May 22, 2023
"Florida is the leading edge of a broader national movement aimed at canceling the indispensable conditions of free inquiry, which is essential to the vitality of any democracy worthy of the name. Among others, the beneficiaries of education’s nullification will include those who profit from the comprehensive transformation of colleges and universities into workforce training centers as well as engines of capital accumulation, those who are threatened by as well as resentful of 'uppity' persons of color and those who hope to keep women shackled by the burdens of forced reproduction. What is happening in Florida is part and parcel of a much broader agenda that is anti-labor, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, but pro-white, pro-Christian and pro-patriarchy. This is a project whose motto is 'refuse to lose' and whose purpose is to weave together a devotion to capital accumulation, an insistence on ideological conformity and a concentration of state power."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/05/22/not-just-war-woke
Houghton Fires 2 Employees Who Included Pronouns in Emails
May 22, 2023
"Houghton College, in New York, fired two employees who included their pronouns in their emails, The New York Times reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/22/houghton-fires-2-employees-who-included-pronouns-emails
Professor on Leave for Distributing Anti-Trans Chocolate Bars
May 19, 2023
"A professor at Madera Community College in California was reportedly suspended for handing out chocolate bars with packaging that mocked trans people."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/19/professor-leave-distributing-anti-trans-chocolate-bars
A University Fired 2 Employees for Including Their Pronouns in Emails: The firings set off a debate at Houghton University, a small Christian institution in western New York, which said its decision was not based only on the pronoun listings.
May 19, 2023
"Houghton’s firing of the two staff members has dismayed some of its alumni, nearly 600 of whom signed a petition in protest. And it comes as gender and sexuality have become major fault lines in an increasingly divided nation, and after other faith-based organizations, including Yeshiva University in Manhattan, have argued that First Amendment protections of religious freedom allow them to treat gay and transgender people differently than others."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/nyregion/houghton-university-employees-pronouns.html
Houghton Fires Two Employees Who Included Pronouns in Emails
May 19, 2023
"Houghton College, in New York, fired two employees who included their pronouns in their emails, The New York Times reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/19/houghton-fires-two-employees-who-included-pronouns-emails
Public weighs in on Title IX athletics rule with more than 150K comments: The proposal has elicited concern from both ends of the political spectrum over both the inclusion and exclusion of transgender students.
May 18, 2023
"The U.S. Department of Education’s controversial proposed Title IX athletics rule has garnered more than 154,000 comments — with over 18,000 comments received in just the past week before the one-month comment period ended on Monday."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/Title-IX-athletics-final-rule-comment-period-close/650459/
Texas bill restricting transgender college athletes nears the governor’s desk
May 18, 2023
"Texas is a chief battleground for these issues, as anti-trans proposals have the backing of prominent lawmakers. The bill restricting transgender college athletes was a priority this year for the state’s lieutenant governor, Republican Dan Patrick, who also presides over the Senate as its president."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/texas-bill-restricting-transgender-college-athletes-nears-the-governors-de/650682/
Cardona Clashes With Republicans: Secretary Cardona fielded questions about the Education Department’s student loan policies and proposals for transgender student athletes during the nearly five-hour hearing, which became contentious at times.
May 17, 2023
"House Republicans’ frustrations with the Biden administration’s education policies and embrace of the culture wars over education were on full display Tuesday when Education Secretary Miguel Cardona testified before the House Education and the Workforce Committee."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2023/05/17/cardona-clashes-republicans
The Scandal-Proof Star Coach: West Virginia’s Bob Huggins kept his job after making blatantly homophobic comments earlier this month, reflecting the staying power of controversial coaches who deliver athletic victories.
May 17, 2023
"For most university employees, such comments would be enough to justify an immediate firing. Not so for the Hall of Fame coach and prodigal son of Morgantown, who has led WVU since 2007 and is the winningest active coach in Division I men’s basketball."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2023/05/17/scandal-proof-star-coach
Work ‘with’ not ‘on’: making social research more inclusive for LGBT+ people: How to develop inclusive social research practices that involve carrying out work ‘with’ LGBT+ participants, rather than ‘on’ them, by Paul Willis
May 17, 2023
"Creating safe spaces for LGBT+ people is both a contemporary societal issue and key priority in social research."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/work-not-making-social-research-more-inclusive-lgbt-people
From encouraging the use of pronouns for all to utilising the power of narrative, Lucas Lixinski marks IDAHOBIT day by offering tips on LGBTIQ+ inclusion
May 17, 2023
"Let’s thus embrace LGBTIQ+ possibilities in the classroom, partly by inclusion and partly by adding a sprinkle of queer thinking in education."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/five-simple-ways-make-your-classroom-more-lgbtiq-friendly
Statehouses, Not Student Activists, Are the Real Threat to Free Speech: Fixating on drama at Stanford Law leads us astray.
May 17, 2023
"Those of us at private institutions should have no illusions that the backers of these efforts plan to stop with public universities. If they gain the power, proponents of these bans will use every legal tool at their disposal — including civil-rights statutes and access to state and federal funding — to suppress positions they disagree with on issues like diversity and inclusion, abortion, and gender identity, wherever that speech is occurring. Can we really blame our students for wondering whether 'free speech' is just a Trojan horse for conservative ideology? To remain credible in our defense of freedom of speech, we must acknowledge where the rhetoric of free speech is being selectively deployed for political ends."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/statehouses-not-student-activists-are-the-real-threat-to-free-speech
House Republicans grill Cardona over student loan repayment pause, other higher ed policies: Lawmakers questioned initiatives like mass student loan cancellation and reworking of colleges’ foreign gift reporting requirements.
May 16, 2023
"The Biden administration has drafted two Title IX regulations, one that would broaden the sexual violence investigations colleges must undertake, and another that would prevent blanket bans on transgender athletes participating in sports aligned with their gender identity. "
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/house-republicans-grill-cardona-over-student-loan-repayment-pause-other-hi/650400/
House waters down some of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priorities, adding to late-session uncertainty: Although the lower chamber backed the Senate’s action on gender-affirming care, it has been less accepting of school choice and attempts to rein in higher education.
May 16, 2023
"To be clear, the House has aligned with the Senate on some priorities this session. On Monday, the House approved a version of Senate legislation banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors that appears to be OK with the upper chamber and its allies."
More at Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org/2023/05/16/texas-house-senate-watering-down/
DeSantis Signs Bill to Defund DEI
May 16, 2023
"DeSantis signed three bills—including one that limits how race and gender can be taught—at the New College of Florida, surrounded by supporters including NCF trustee Chris Rufo, who has long campaigned against DEI programs."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/16/desantis-signs-bill-defund-dei
Biden Administration Hears From 132,000 and Counting on Title IX Rule: The rule would prevent blanket bans on transgender athletes participating in the sport that matches their gender identity, but some groups want the Education Department to do more to protect this group of students.
May 15, 2023
"The Biden administration’s proposed rule for transgender students goes both too far and not far enough, according to the more than 132,000 comments submitted ahead of today’s deadline."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/government/2023/05/15/biden-administration-hears-132000-and-counting-title-ix-rule
Indiana’s Funding Ban for Kinsey Sex-Research Institute Threatens Academic Freedom, IU President Says
May 12, 2023
"In the former, he argued that human sexuality existed on a continuum from heterosexual to homosexual, and that people didn’t neatly fit one or the other. Because Kinsey’s research included extensive interviews with at least one pedophile, his fiercest critics accused him of encouraging sexual deviancy. Others questioned his research methods and data."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/indianas-funding-ban-for-kinsey-sex-research-institute-threatens-academic-freedom-iu-president-says
WVU Coach Suspended Over Homophobic Slur
May 11, 2023
"West Virginia University announced a three-game suspension and $1 million pay cut for men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins yesterday, two days after he repeatedly called members of another team a homophobic slur on a live radio program."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/11/wvu-coach-suspended-over-homophobic-slur
West Virginia Coach Uses Antigay Slur in Radio Interview
May 10, 2023
"The head coach of the West Virginia University men’s basketball team used an antigay slur, twice, during a radio interview."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/10/west-virginia-coach-uses-antigay-slur-radio-interview
Bob Huggins suspended, sees salary reduced following comments made on Cincinnati radio show
May 10, 2023
"Former University of Cincinnati head basketball coach and current West Virginia University coach Bob Huggins has been suspended for the first three games of the upcoming season and will have his salary reduced by $1 million after using a homophobic slur during an interview on a Cincinnati talk show earlier this week."
More at WLWT5 at www.wlwt.com/article/bob-huggins-homophobic-slur-suspended-contract-amended-wvu/43850589
UC Santa Cruz Condemns Hitler Birthday Party
May 8, 2023
"UC Santa Cruz noted a second incident reported in downtown Santa Cruz on April 28, in which a student 'found an antisemitic and anti-LGBTQIA+ flyer on their car’s windshield. The flyer included despicable and degrading claims about Jewish people and LGBTQIA+ people.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/08/uc-santa-cruz-condemns-hitler-birthday-party
It’s Hard to See How Coach Bob Huggins Should Keep His Job at West Virginia: Kowtowing to the basketball coach would send a signal that West Virginia cares more about him than those he marginalized by speaking his unconscionable comments.
May 8, 2023
"Bob Huggins and Bill Cunningham, two Cincinnati characters, were yucking it up Monday like old times. And by old times, I mean the 1970s or earlier, when part of manly banter meant slinging around anti-LGBTQ slurs like it’s the funniest thing in the world."
More at Sports Illustrated at www.si.com/college/2023/05/09/bob-huggins-west-virginia-coach-anti-lgbtq-comments-fireable-offense
Jewish Student Enrollment Is Down at Many Ivies: Jewish students are enrolling less at many of the Ivies and going to a broader range of institutions than before.
May 8, 2023
"Greenberg said having a diverse Jewish community, including members of the LGBTQ community, Jews of color and from different geographic backgrounds and denominations, or who are nondenominational, is critical."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/2023/05/08/jewish-student-enrollment-down-many-ivies
Christian university settles with Valley school district over discrimination lawsuit: Arizona Christian University sued Washington Elementary School District after a student-teaching contract was not renewed earlier this year.
May 4, 2023
"The board worried about the university's anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs potentially causing harm to the district's students."
More at KPNX 12 News at www.12news.com/article/news/education/christian-university-settles-school-district-discrimination-lawsuit-washington-elementary/75-682a7e72-4550-4193-bee3-2f3b7e703ac8
Conservatives Rail Against ‘Segregated Graduations’: The latest target of the conservative attack on DEI is identity-based graduation ceremonies. Universities argue they give students an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments with their communities.
May 2, 2023
"Some institutions have also increased the number of affinity graduations they offer, in many cases adding special ceremonies for LGBTQ+ students (often referred to as a lavender graduation), Latino students, Asian students, Middle Eastern students, undocumented students, first-generation students and other populations."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/students/diversity/2023/05/02/conservatives-rail-against-segregated-graduations
‘Stigma is still killing students’: Inside a student-driven program to prevent HIV at HBCUs: The Human Rights Campaign is wrapping up the first year of its HIV and PrEP education program designed specifically for Black students.
May 2, 2023
"In 2004, two violent anti-LGBTQ attacks at historically Black colleges and universities prompted one of the largest gay and trans lobbying groups, the Human Rights Campaign, to start an outreach program for HBCUs."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/hrc-prep-education-ambassadors-hbcus/648546/
Office for Civil Rights fielded more Title IX complaints than any other kind in fiscal 2022
May 1, 2023
"This historic high in complaints comes as the office is experiencing a reduction in staffing compared to previous years, and amid the spread of laws that regulate access to LGBTQ and race-related curriculum, school facilities and more. "
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/OCR-title-ix-complaints-top-others-2022/649116/
No Confidence Voted in President Who Barred Drag Show
April 27, 2023
"The faculty at West Texas A&M University has voted no confidence in President Walter Wendler, The Texas Tribune reported. The vote was 179 to 82."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/27/no-confidence-voted-president-who-barred-drag-show
They Put Their Pronouns in Their Email Signatures. Then the University Dismissed Them.
April 26, 2023
"Two residence-life staff members at a small religious institution have been terminated after they refused to remove their pronouns from their email signatures, which violated the private university’s policy."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/they-put-their-pronouns-in-their-email-signatures-then-the-university-dismissed-them
Academic Success Tip: Promote LGBTQ+ Safety and Inclusion in the Field: A paper led by an Earlham College professor of biology and environmental sustainability offers best practices in LGBTQ+ inclusion in field science work.
April 25, 2023
"A diverse group of scholars—including those who are nonbinary, trans, lesbian, gay and bisexual—who have experienced life as queer people in rural areas conducting remote fieldwork co-authored a paper on inclusion practices in their work."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/academic-life/2023/04/25/academic-success-tip-promote-lgbtq-safety-and
Professor Let Go After Officiating LGBTQ+ Wedding Sues
April 24, 2023
"A professor who says Calvin University denied him tenure for his LGBTQ+ rights advocacy and then didn’t reappoint him for officiating a marriage between two queer community members is suing."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/24/professor-let-go-after-officiating-lgbtq-wedding-sues
The Gravest Threats to Campus Speech Come From States, Not Students
April 21, 2023
"Dozens of other bills are pending in state legislatures around the country with the promise of affecting what tens of millions of students will or won’t be allowed to learn, and exerting a chilling effect on educators who fear for their jobs. The recent actions take aim at teaching about so-called 'divisive concepts,' including the history of slavery in America and its legacy in modern times, structural racism, evolving concepts of gender identity, sexuality and L.G.B.T.Q. issues, and anything to do with diversity, however defined. They are just as dangerous and misguided as attempts to outlaw the teaching of evolution, or Joseph McCarthy’s persecution of people for their political beliefs."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/04/21/opinion/free-speech-campus-states-not-students.html
House Republicans Move to Bar Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports
April 21, 2023
"House Republicans narrowly advanced a bill Thursday that would define sex in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth—prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in athletic programs for women or girls."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/21/house-republicans-move-bar-transgender-athletes-womens-sports
House passes bill banning transgender students from women’s teams: A Senate companion bill awaits debate, but President Joe Biden has already said he would veto the measure.
April 20, 2023
"Republican-sponsored legislation that would only allow students in K-12 and higher education to play on sports teams that match their biological genders cleared its first hurdle, passing by a 219-203 vote along party lines in the U.S. House Thursday morning."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/House-vote-on-transgender-sport-participation/648214/
Trinity International President Makes Anti-Trans Donor Pitch
April 20, 2023
"A fundraising letter from the president of Trinity International University connecting a recent mass shooting in Nashville, Tenn., to the social acceptance of transgender people has prompted sharp criticism from some alumni, Baptist News Global reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/20/trinity-international-president-makes-anti-trans-donor-pitch
Cardona Grilled at House Budget Hearing
April 19, 2023
"Many of the House Republicans on the House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education wanted to talk about—and criticize—the department’s proposal to prohibit blanket bans on transgender students participating in the sport consistent with their gender identity under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/19/cardona-grilled-house-budget-hearing
Texas Senate approves bill that would ban diversity programs in public universities: The legislation heads to the Texas House, where members have been more muted about the proposal to disband offices, programs and training that foster diversity.
April 19, 2023
"Under SB 17, university employees in charge of hiring new faculty or staff would not be able to ask job candidates about their understanding of the value of diversity or how they would work to create a campus where everyone feels welcomed. Training that discusses race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation could not be required."
More at Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org/2023/04/19/texas-senate-dei-universities/
‘LGBT Inclusion in American Life’: Scott McLemee reviews LGBT Inclusion in American Life by Susan Burgess.
April 14, 2023
"How did public attitudes and government policies regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people move so sharply towards inclusiveness over a few decades?"
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/intellectual-affairs/2023/04/14/lgbt-inclusion-american-life
Conservative Attacks on Higher Ed Are Attacks on Democracy: DeSantis and Co.'s claims to be serving the people's will are fake.
April 13, 2023
"The Florida legislature is currently considering House Bill 999, which would cut professors out of the faculty-hiring process, eliminate funding for all campus diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and effectively ban any coursework in 'critical theory,' including 'critical race theory,' 'queer theory,' and 'intersectionality'.”
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/conservative-attacks-on-higher-ed-are-attacks-on-democracy
Shouting Down Speakers Who Offend: Over the course of a month, students on four different college campuses shut down speakers they disagreed with. Why is it so hard to forge a consensus on what protecting free speech really means?
April 13, 2023
"According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s Campus Disinvitation Database, four events this year have ended in what the organization classifies as a “substantial event disruption,” characterized by protesters interrupting an event to the point that it can’t go on as planned."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/students/free-speech/2023/04/13/shouting-down-speakers-who-offend
Trans, nonbinary state lawmakers criticize Education Department’s Title IX athletic proposal
April 13, 2023
"A coalition of 14 transgender and nonbinary state lawmakers from across the U.S. is urging the Biden administration to revise its recently announced regulatory plan that could, in some cases, cause trans athletes to be excluded from the sports teams of their choosing."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/trans-nonbinary-state-lawmakers-criticize-education-departments-title-ix/647640/
Title IX athletic rule could be finalized in May: The proposal would prohibit blanket bans of transgender students from playing on teams aligned with their gender identities.
April 12, 2023
"It would require that if schools adopt sex-based criteria for athletics teams limiting or denying transgender students’ participation, the criteria must 'be substantially related to the achievement of an important educational objective' and 'minimize harms to students whose opportunity to participate on a male or female team consistent with their gender identity would be limited or denied.'"
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/Title-IX-athletic-rule-could-be-finalized-May/647351/
UM-Flint adds gender-neutral bathrooms to campus
April 11, 2023
"The school now has 14 gender-inclusive bathrooms across its downtown Flint campus. The restrooms were added after advocacy groups consisting of students, faculty, and staff requested them."
More at WNEM5 at www.wnem.com/2023/04/11/um-flint-adds-gender-neutral-bathrooms-campus/
After targeting CRT, some SC lawmakers want to take aim at college diversity initiatives
April 10, 2023
"The commission asked each of the state’s 33 universities and colleges about the cost of the salaries, trainings and operations associated with DEI, including policies, procedures or activities that referenced race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation."
More at The State at www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article273215625.html
Speaker Says She Was Assaulted at San Francisco State
April 10, 2023
"Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer, says she was assaulted during an appearance at San Francisco State University, where she spoke against allowing transgender women to compete on women's teams, CNN reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/04/10/speaker-says-she-was-assaulted-san-francisco-state
Former college swimmer says she was assaulted at an event opposing the inclusion of trans women in women’s sports
April 8, 2023
"Gaines was at the school to speak about her views opposing the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports, according to the event announcement."
More at CNN at www.cnn.com/2023/04/07/us/former-ncaa-swimmer-riley-gaines-assault-san-francisco-state-university/index.html
Ripe for poaching: Will DeSantis’ higher ed policies drive out Florida faculty?: One university provost has already publicly promised to recruit Florida students and professors amid the state’s political strife.
April 7, 2023
"LGBTQ students reported turning down colleges at higher rates than their straight peers because of a state’s political climate, according to the report. Similar shares of conservative and liberal students, 28% and 31% respectively, rejected colleges for those reasons."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/ripe-for-poaching-will-desantis-higher-ed-policies-drive-out-florida-facu/647055/
Link opens with the following warning: "Editor’s note: This story includes homophobic language that could be disturbing to readers."
Biden Administration Would Prohibit Blanket Bans on Transgender Athletes: Proposed Title IX rule would require colleges to set sport-specific criteria if they seek to limit or deny a transgender student from playing a sport consistent with their gender identity.
April 7, 2023
"The Biden administration would prohibit blanket bans that 'categorically' bar transgender students from participating in the sport consistent with their gender identity under a proposed amendment to federal civil rights law."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/04/07/biden-admin-block-blanket-bans-trans-student-athletes
Judge denies most claims against Seattle Pacific University board: Twelve students and faculty sued four members of the university’s board of trustees for refusing to scrap an employment policy that bars the hiring of people in same-sex relationships.
April 7, 2023
"A Washington State Superior Court judge has rejected all but one claim brought against members of Seattle Pacific University’s board of trustees for refusing to scrap an employment policy barring people in same-sex relationships from full-time jobs."
More at Religion News at https://religionnews.com/2023/04/07/judge-denies-most-claims-against-seattle-pacific-university-board/
Education Department proposes regulation that would block explicit bans on transgender athletes: In certain circumstances, however, federally funded schools would be able exclude transgender students from sports matching their gender identity.
April 6, 2023
"The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday released long-awaited proposed Title IX protections for transgender student athletes. The regulatory plan would prohibit districts and states from categorically banning transgender students’ participation on athletic teams aligning with their gender identities. Doing so would be considered sex discrimination."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/Title-IX-transgender-athletics-proposal-regulation/647074/
Colleges Could Keep Transgender Students Off Some Athletic Teams Under Title IX Proposal
April 6, 2023
"Colleges would not be allowed to categorically ban transgender students from competing on certain athletic teams because of their gender identity, under a proposal released Thursday by the U.S. Education Department."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/colleges-could-keep-transgender-students-off-some-athletic-teams-under-title-ix-proposal
A Matter of (Teaching) Style: Active Learning and Student Identities: Students in our Student Voice survey cite teaching style as a major barrier to academic success. Research suggests active learning as a solution, but experts on pedagogy and identity offer caveats for instructors looking to mix up their approaches.
April 5, 2023
"Different demographic, similar story: Relatively more LGBTQIA+ students (n=899) cite teaching style as a barrier to academic success than do their straight peers, at 60 percent versus 53 percent, respectively. And LGBTQIA+ students are likelier to say they want professors to be more flexible with participation and attendance, at five in 10 versus four in 10."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/04/05/what-know-about-active-learning-and-college-student-identities
Advocates Urge White House to Stick to Title IX Timeline: Groups representing sexual assault survivors fear Biden administration will miss next month's deadline for overhauling Title IX, leaving Trump-era rules in place as another academic year begins.
April 5, 2023
"The Biden administration proposed changes that would once again change how colleges investigate reports of sexual assault, make it easier for victims to report sexual harassment, end the requirement for live hearings and expand protections for LGBTQ+ students, among other changes."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/04/05/advocates-call-white-house-finish-new-title-ix-regs-may
Stanford Law Students' Infantile Protests: Their hypersensitive activism will not make them good lawyers.
April 3, 2023
"The students who disrupt right-wing speakers — the protest against Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, who tried to speak at Stanford Law School, is a prominent recent case — have been appropriately criticized for their obliviousness to the value of free speech. I want to flag another issue: their piffling political ambitions. Today’s left aims to protect minorities from offense. It ought to aim to change the world."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/stanford-law-students-infantile-protests
Bard College at Simon’s Rock starts degree program for ‘queer leadership’
April 2, 2023
"Bard College at Simon’s Rock, the country’s only accredited four-year early college which serves approximately 450 students, announced that the new Bachelor of Arts degree is 'revolutionary […] designed for, and by, LGBTQIA+ college students to elevate LGBTQIA+ students and college graduates into leadership roles in school and across the workforce.'”
More at The College Fix at www.thecollegefix.com/bard-college-at-simons-rock-starts-degree-program-for-queer-leadership/
Creating a More Gender-Inclusive Campus: Reflecting on the existential challenge of being transgender, Jamie MaKinster offers suggestions for inclusive campus policies and practices around gendered language.
March 31, 2023
"Being transgender, especially at this time in our history, is challenging on both a personal and a social level."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/views/2023/03/31/practices-create-more-gender-inclusive-campus-opinion
Student Drag Show Moved to Larger Venue in Tennessee
March 31, 2023
"East Tennessee State University students who organized a drag show set for today are being asked by university officials to make sure all in attendance are 18 and over, TV news station WJHL reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/31/student-drag-show-moved-larger-venue-tennessee
Colleges Could Be Flooded With Citizen Lawsuits Under Proposed DEI Legislation
March 30, 2023
"Critics of the proposed bills worry that making it easier to sue colleges will open higher education to a raft of lawsuits and have a chilling effect on administrators’ efforts to address rampant mistreatment of minorities, women, and LGBTQ students and faculty on campuses."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/colleges-could-be-flooded-with-citizen-lawsuits-under-proposed-dei-legislation
This Ohio Bill Wouldn’t Just Ban Diversity Training. It Would Reshape Higher Ed.
March 30, 2023
Diversity scholarships may also be in jeopardy: The bill would prevent state institutions from having any policies or programs 'designed explicitly to segregate faculty, staff, or students by group identities such as race, sex, gender identity, or gender expression'.”
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/this-ohio-bill-wouldnt-just-ban-diversity-training-it-would-reshape-higher-ed
Commenters Decry Move to Roll Back Free Inquiry Rule: Higher education associations want the Education Department to repeal the entire free inquiry rule put in place by the Trump administration.
March 29, 2023
"The Trump administration had said the rule would ensure that religious organizations as well as their student members fully retain their right to free exercise of religion, though critics argued the regulations allowed religious student groups to discriminate against vulnerable and marginalized individuals, such as LGBTQ students."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/29/some-students-republicans-decry-change-religious-freedom-rule
Democratic leader wants California to repeal ban on government travel to anti-LGBTQ states
March 29, 2023
"Senate leader Toni Atkins — a San Diego Democrat who has blazed trails as a lesbian lawmaker and the first woman to lead both houses of the Legislature — said she wants California to repeal its ban on government-funded travel to states with anti-LGBTQ laws."
More at Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-29/democratic-leader-wants-california-to-repeal-ban-on-government-travel-to-anti-lgbtq-states
Stuck in the Closet: LGBTQ students at religious colleges are ramping up their fight for recognition.
March 28, 2023
"OUTLaw’s fight is part of an increasingly contentious movement by LGBTQ groups to gain official status on religious campuses across the country. While it’s difficult to say exactly how many LGBTQ clubs, official or unofficial, exist at religious colleges in the United States, calls for their recognition and acceptance are becoming a nearly universal dilemma for such institutions. Colleges across denominations that have long espoused religious beliefs they argue prevent them from recognizing LGBTQ groups — but not from enrolling LGBTQ students — are being challenged by a student population that is increasingly demanding equal resources and recognition. Many colleges have not acquiesced, leaving these groups to operate underground."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/stuck-in-the-closet
Missouri AG weighs in on College of the Ozarks 'gender identity' dorm lawsuit: An amicus brief has been filed by 19 states including Missouri in favor of the college's federal lawsuit.
March 28, 2023
"Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is joining College of the Ozark's fight against President Joe Biden over a ban on housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity."
More at Springfield News-Leader at www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2023/03/28/mo-ag-weighs-in-on-college-of-the-ozarks-gender-identity-lawsuit/70057697007/
The Role of Politics in Where Students Want to Go to College: Study finds that nearly one in four high school seniors said they passed up, out of political concerns, a college they would have initially considered because of its state. The trend is evident among conservatives and liberals.
March 27, 2023
"Other groups that were more likely to eliminate a college because of its location: LGBTQ students (32 percent versus 21 percent for straight students) and non-first-generation students (26 percent versus 19 percent for first-generation students)."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2023/03/27/role-politics-where-students-want-go-college
1 in 4 Prospective Students Ruled Out Colleges Due to Their States’ Political Climates
March 27, 2023
"One in four students said they had ruled out institutions due to the politics, policies, or legal situation in the state where the college was located. Students who identified as LGBTQ+ reported rejecting institutions for these reasons at a higher rate than did students who identified as straight."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/1-in-4-prospective-students-ruled-out-colleges-due-to-their-states-political-climates
President Sued for Canceling Drag Show
March 27, 2023
"Walter Wendler, the president of West Texas A&M University, was sued Friday for canceling a drag show on campus."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/27/president-sued-canceling-drag-show
Texas’ anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is pushing students away from attending colleges here: College recruiters warn that the brain drain could harm the competitiveness of Texas colleges and the overall economy.
March 27, 2023
"As Texas Republican lawmakers flood another legislative session with anti-LGBTQ+ bills, college-recruitment experts warn that one likely outcome is a brain drain on the state's college campuses."
More at San Antonio Current at www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-anti-lgbtq-legislation-is-pushing-students-away-from-attending-colleges-here-31328737
Wayne State suspends professor over social media post allegedly advocating violence
March 27, 2023
"Wayne State University has suspended a professor who allegedly posted on social media that people would be justified in killing those with whom they have disagreements, according to a note to the university from President Roy Wilson."
More at Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/03/27/wayne-state-professor-suspended-social-media-violence/70052965007/
Professor Who Says He’s No Longer Gay Sues Over Contract Nonrenewal
March 24, 2023
"A Roman Catholic professor who publicly renounced identifying as gay says Western Michigan University chose to not renew his contract after a quarter century there due to his religious views on homosexuality."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/24/professor-who-says-he%E2%80%99s-no-longer-gay-sues-over-contract-nonrenewal
Protests of President Who Canceled Drag Show
March 24, 2023
"Students at West Texas A&M University held a protest Wednesday of President Walter Wendler, who wrote in an opinion piece that 'drag shows are derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent.' He also wrote that 'drag shows stereotype women in cartoonlike extremes for the amusement of others.' And he canceled a drag show at West Texas A&M."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/24/protests-president-who-canceled-drag-show
Why Stanford Law Students Were Right to Protest: The risk of appearing partisan when fighting for nonpartisan principles is not one we can run from.
March 23, 2023
"Call the Stanford Law students 'privileged boors' or 'snowflakes' or a 'mob' — any of the derogatory and often contradictory names deployed by the right-wing press — but they grasp the moment we’re in better than those of us wringing our hands about the nationwide assault on higher ed but standing helplessly by as it gains momentum. They understand something existential is at stake. For some — people in the LGBTQ community who wish to marry whom they love and who seek judges with the minimum of respect for their personhood — the threat of a judge like Duncan is, very obviously, existential. But the likes of Rufo (whose blog posts Duncan cites in his legal dissents as if they were credible academic sources) threaten colleges as well."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/why-stanford-law-students-were-right-to-protest
WMU professor’s contract not renewed due to views on ‘homosexual behavior,’ lawsuit says
March 23, 2023
"Mattson is free to express his beliefs, but the school cannot ignore the harm it causes to the LGBTQ community and students, the email said."
More at MLive at www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2023/03/wmu-professors-contract-not-renewed-due-to-views-on-homosexual-behavior-lawsuit-says.html
Stanford Law DEI Dean on Leave After Disrupted Event
March 23, 2023
"A Stanford University law school dean at the center of a free speech controversy has been placed on leave amid continuing criticism of the March 9 event, at which students shouted down federal judge Kyle Duncan, an anti-LGBTQ+ conservative, who had been invited to speak on campus."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/23/stanford-law-dei-dean-leave-after-disrupted-event
The Real Source of Self-Censorship: Free-speech issues on campus might be a matter of peer pressure, according to several high-profile surveys.
March 22, 2023
"Still, the topline data are head-turning: 58.5 percent of students surveyed by Heterodox reported being reluctant to discuss at least one of five controversial topics they were asked about — gender, politics, race, religion, and sexual orientation."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/the-real-source-of-self-censorship
Stanford Law’s Diversity Dean Is ‘on Leave’ as Controversy Boils Over a Disrupted Speech
March 22, 2023
"Tirien A. Steinbach, the diversity official at Stanford’s law school who has drawn fire from right-wing pundits and free-speech activists over her actions during a federal judge’s recent disrupted speech, is now on leave. It’s not clear whether the school placed Steinbach on leave or she stepped aside voluntarily."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/stanford-laws-diversity-dean-is-on-leave-as-controversy-boils-over-a-disrupted-speech
West Texas A&M President Cancels Planned Campus Drag Show
March 22, 2023
"West Texas A&M University’s president canceled a drag show that was scheduled to take place on the campus and criticized the event as being demeaning to women, according to ABC 7 News."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/22/west-texas-am-president-cancels-planned-campus-drag-show
Public-University President Faces Backlash for Canceling Student Group’s Drag Show
March 21, 2023
"A public-university president in Texas has drawn fierce criticism and accusations of censorship for canceling a student organization’s planned drag show because he found it offensive."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/public-university-president-faces-backlash-for-canceling-student-groups-drag-show
West Texas A&M University president cancels student drag show, saying it degrades women: Students and First Amendment lawyers say President Walter Wendler’s portrayal of drag shows is off base and the cancellation violates free-speech rights.
March 21, 2023
"West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler is drawing ire for canceling a student drag show, arguing that such performances degrade women and are 'derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny'.”
More at The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org/2023/03/21/west-texas-am-drag-show/
WT graduate removes university from will after on-campus drag show canceled by president
A Journal Article on Gay People, to Be Viewed With Caution: A peer-reviewed journal placed a warning to readers last month on a flawed article from 2001. But the journal hasn’t retracted it, as a professor who discovered errors has called for.
March 20, 2023
"Last month, more than 20 years after the Archives of Sexual Behavior published research surveying gay people about whether they were molested as children—and whether they identified as gay before or after—a note appeared online."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/20/journal-places-warning-flawed-abuse-homosexuality-study
Hampshire Admits All Students at New College of Florida
March 20, 2023
"'What is happening at New College of Florida is merely the most radical example of increasingly aggressive efforts to suppress meaningful examination of the realities of our society and curb the advancement of democratic ideals, aspirations that should be the mission of higher education. Increasingly, public institutions are a target for those trying to censor discussions of racism, white supremacy, gender identity, structural barriers to equity, and the reproduction of oppressive hierarchies.'"
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/20/hampshire-admits-all-students-new-college-florida
DEI Legislation Tracker: Explore where college diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are under attack.
Updated March 17, 2023
"The Chronicle is tracking legislation that would prohibit colleges from having diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or staff; ban mandatory diversity training; prohibit institutions from using diversity statements in hiring and promotion; or prohibit colleges from using race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions or employment. All four proscriptions were identified in model state legislation proposed this year by the Goldwater and Manhattan Institutes."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/here-are-the-states-where-lawmakers-are-seeking-to-ban-colleges-dei-efforts
Full Recording of Judge’s Disrupted Stanford Talk
March 17, 2023
"The audio recording was reproduced by David Lat for the legal blog Original Jurisdiction. On the recording, the students interrupt and clap (for fellow students) throughout the talk. Duncan was a target because he has a history of anti-LGBT activism."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/17/full-recording-judge%E2%80%99s-disrupted-stanford-talk
‘Black and Queer on Campus’: Author discusses his new book about students who face multiple forms of discrimination.
March 16, 2023
"Everyone knows Black students encounter bias in college. So do queer students. But a new book, Black and Queer on Campus (New York University Press), examines the experiences of those who are both."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/16/author-discusses-his-new-book-black-lgbtq-students
Hampshire College welcomes students from New College of Florida after conservative takeover
March 15, 2023
"New College is a state school of fewer than 1,000 students nestled along Sarasota Bay that has been known as a haven for marginalized students, especially from the LGBTQ community. DeSantis recently loaded the board of trustees with his choices as part of an effort to shift Florida's state-funded institutions of higher learning in a more conservative direction."
More at CBS News Boston at www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/hampshire-college-new-college-of-florida-transfer-students-ron-desantis/
Wellesley Students Demand Trans Inclusivity: Most women’s colleges don’t allow transgender men to enroll. But students at Wellesley are pushing for that to change—and for administrators to recognize those who already attend.
March 15, 2023
"Wellesley College students have made their position clear: the majority of them want the women’s college to open admissions to all transgender people, including those who identify as trans men."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/15/wellesley-students-want-trans-men-be-allowed-enroll
Yeshiva Requests Personal Info of Plaintiffs Suing University
March 15, 2023
"Yeshiva University has asked for personal information, such as tax returns and mental health records, from plaintiffs who are suing the university for refusing to recognize an LGBTQ student club, NY1 reported."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/15/yeshiva-requests-personal-info-plaintiffs-suing-university
Send us your woke, your trans — Florida’s youth yearning to breathe free | Opinion
March 14, 2023
"Similarly, we see extraordinary opportunities for recruiting faculty who feel threatened by Florida state policies and the climate of campus suspicion and intolerance that Gov. DeSantis is promoting."
More at Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article273130180.html
‘A Huge Red Flag’: How Florida Colleges’ Controversial Statement on Diversity Came Together
March 14, 2023
"The statement appeared to undermine some of the colleges’ own work related to diversity, equity, and inclusion — a broad phrase that encompasses work to increase the numbers of racial, sexual, and other kinds of minorities who enroll and graduate, among other goals."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/a-huge-red-flag-how-florida-colleges-controversial-statement-on-diversity-came-together
Wellesley College students vote to admit trans men and nonbinary applicants
March 14, 2023
"Students at Wellesley College voted in a nonbinding election on Tuesday to approve expanding eligibility for admission to all nonbinary and transgender applicants."
More at The Hill at https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3900652-wellesley-college-students-vote-to-admit-trans-men-and-nonbinary-applicants/
US states restricting LGBTQ rights face exodus of students: As states weigh hundreds of calls to cut gender-related rights, institutions are predicted to face relocations even more extensive than those tied to abortion
March 13, 2023
"With annual state legislative sessions getting under way across the US, lawmakers have proposed more than 400 bills threatening LGBTQ rights, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ activist group. Of these, at least 175 are specifically aimed at transgender people."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/news/us-states-restricting-lgbtq-rights-face-exodus-students
Stanford Apologizes After Students Heckle Judge: The university says, “Staff members who should have enforced university policies failed to do so.”
March 13, 2023
"Duncan was a target because he has a history of anti-LGBT activism. He argued before the U.S. Supreme Court against the constitutionality of same-sex marriage and led efforts to defend state bans on same-sex marriage."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/13/stanford-apologizes-after-students-heckle-judge
President, law school dean apologize to Judge Kyle Duncan for ‘disruption’ to his speech
March 12, 2023
"Throughout Duncan’s speech, student protesters booed and made various loud comments, frequently drowning out his voice. In fliers put up in advance of the event, protesters called Duncan a right-wing advocate for laws that would harm women, immigrants and LGBTQ+ people. SLS Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Tirien Steinbach stepped in less than 30 minutes into his speech after Duncan repeatedly asked for an administrator to help control the audience."
More at The Stanford Daily at https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/12/president-law-school-dean-apologize-to-judge-kyle-duncan-for-disruption-to-his-speech/
Arizona Christian University sues school district for religious discrimination: At issue, the school board claims, is the university's 'strong' anti-LGBTQ stance.
March 10, 2023
“'While we recognize the right of individuals to practice their faith, public schools are secular institutions. To that end, the board unanimously voted to discontinue its partnership with Arizona Christian University (ACU) whose policies do not align with our commitment to create a safe place for our LGBTQ+ students, staff, and community,' the statement said."
More at Religion News Service at https://religionnews.com/2023/03/10/arizona-christian-university-sues-school-district-for-religious-discrimination/
House committee advances bills on parents’ rights, women’s sports: In a marathon session, lawmakers debated parents’ roles in educational decision-making and transgender students’ participation in school athletics.
March 9, 2023
"In the session that began Wednesday morning and stretched into the early hours Thursday, the conversation covered everything from school choice, teacher preparation, student data privacy, lessons about the Holocaust, LGBTQ rights, fees to review curriculum, COVID-19 vaccinations, communications about school budgets, and more. "
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/congress-advances-parents-rights-transgender-sports-bill/644580/
Tarrant County College settles discrimination lawsuit that expanded LGBTQ workplace protections
March 9, 2023
"Tarrant County College has agreed to pay $45,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit against a former employee, in a case that strengthened workplace protections for LGBTQ+ Texans."
More at KERA News at www.keranews.org/news/2023-03-09/tarrant-county-college-settles-discrimination-lawsuit-that-expanded-lgbtq-workplace-protections
‘Slavery was wrong’ and 5 other things some educators won’t teach anymore: To mollify parents and obey new state laws, teachers are cutting all sorts of lessons
March 6, 2023
"Excerpts from Mary Wollstonecraft’s 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.' Passages from Christopher Columbus’s journal describing his brutal treatment of Indigenous peoples. A data set on New York police’s use of force, analyzed by race.
"These are among the items teachers have nixed from their lesson plans this school year and last, facing pressure from parents worried about political indoctrination, administrators wary of controversy, and a spate of new state laws restricting education on race, gender and LGBTQ issues."
More at The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/06/slavery-was-wrong-5-other-things-educators-wont-teach-anymore/
16 AGs Call Out DeSantis for Seeking Trans Students’ Data
March 6, 2023
"A group of 16 attorneys general sent a letter to Florida governor Ron DeSantis Friday, raising concerns about a state plan to collect data on transgender and gender-nonconforming students, specifically seeking details on how those students have interacted with campus health centers."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/06/16-ags-call-out-desantis-seeking-trans-students%E2%80%99-data
Students switch up college plans as states pass anti-LGBTQ laws: Students, parents and college counselors say some LGBTQ youth are choosing not to attend colleges in states that have passed legislation targeting their rights.
March 4, 2023
"Interviews with students, parents and college counselors suggest LGBTQ young people are striking colleges in states where such legislation is being pushed. Some students worry about having access to hormone therapy while away at school, some want to attend schools with all-gender housing options, and others fear hostile rhetoric puts them at a heightened risk of physical violence."
More at NBC News at www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/students-switch-college-plans-states-pass-anti-lgbtq-laws-rcna67875
NYC Comptroller Urges Yeshiva U to Recognize LGBTQ Group
March 1, 2023
"New York City comptroller Brad Lander sent a letter to Yeshiva University president Ari Berman on Monday urging him to recognize the YU Pride Alliance, an LGBTQ student group that sued the university in 2021 for failing to do so. The group has since been locked in a legal battle with the institution."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/03/01/nyc-comptroller-urges-yeshiva-u-recognize-lgbtq-group
Biden Administration to Rescind Part of Religious Freedom Rule: But the administration says it is standing firm on religious freedom in higher education.
February 23, 2023
"Critics have said that the regulations could be interpreted as requiring higher education institutions to allow religious student groups to discriminate against vulnerable and marginalized students, such as LGBTQ students, while proponents said the rule provides needed protections. The Trump administration, which issued the final rule in September 2020, said the rule would ensure that religious organizations as well as their student members fully retain their right to free exercise of religion."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/02/23/biden-administration-rescind-part-trumps-free-inquiry-rule
A Professor Is Suspended for Suggesting It’s Better to ‘Kill’ Racist or Homophobic Speakers Than Shout Them Down
March 28, 2023
Steven Shaviro, a professor of English at Wayne State University, in Detroit, was suspended this week for a Facebook post saying that it is 'more admirable to kill a racist, homophobic, or transphobic speaker than it is to shout them down'.”
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/a-professor-is-suspended-for-suggesting-its-better-to-kill-racist-or-homophobic-speakers-than-shout-them-down
Student Paper Calls on ASU to Unsubscribe From N.Y. ‘Times’
February 23, 2023
Arizona State University’s student newspaper, State Press Magazine, called on the university to end its institutional subscription to The New York Times in solidarity with members of the LGBTQ+ community who have criticized the paper for publishing homophobic and transphobic content.
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/02/23/student-paper-calls-asu-unsubscribe-ny-%E2%80%98times%E2%80%99
Education Department moves to rescind Trump-era regulation on religious student groups
February 23, 2023
"The U.S. Department of Education has proposed rescinding part of a Trump-era rule requiring public colleges to ensure they are not denying benefits to religious student organizations because of the groups’ beliefs or policies."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/education-department-rescind-trump-regulation-religious-student-groups/643295/
More scrutiny focused on College Board’s AP African American Studies course: Other red states are joining Florida after the state’s controversial rejection of the course renewed national attention on curriculum censorship laws.
February 22, 2023
"Reviews of the course in states that limit race-related instruction come as the College Board is piloting the course this school year at 60 schools nationwide. On Feb. 1, at the start of Black History Month, the organization released a final revised framework that differed significantly from the original. The final version made many topics and authors 'optional,' including reparations and intersectionality, or stripped them entirely, as in the case of Black Queer studies."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/states-review-AP-African-American-Studies-College-Board/643327/
Many conservatives have defined colleges as ‘woke.’ What do they mean?
February 21, 2023
"During the civil-rights movement, in the ’60s and ’70s, activist groups developed new language to legally describe and define their rights, Parham said. Opponents of establishing rights for communities of color, women, and LGBT people later used the new terms to push back against activists. For example, in the early women’s-rights movements, activists who wanted women to be able to vote called themselves “women’s suffragists,” and those opposed to the cause called themselves anti-suffragists."
More at Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/newsletter/race-on-campus/2023-02-21
Lake Superior State University's first LGBTQ+ scholarship unveiled: This scholarship, worth $1,200 annually, will be awarded this spring for 2023-24 academic year
February 20, 2023
"Lake Superior State University president Rodney S. Hanley and his wife, Sara Gunhus-Hanley, have created a scholarship to provide financial assistance to students who excel in their contributions to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied community (LGBTQ+) at the Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., school."
More at The Sault Star at www.saultstar.com/news/lake-superior-state-universitys-first-lgbtq-scholarship-unveiled
First LGBTQ scholarship established at Lake Superior State University
February 20, 2023
"For the first time at Lake Superior State University, LGBTQ students will have a scholarship available to them."
More at Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/20/lgbtq-scholarship-lake-superior-state-university/69923473007/
Lake Superior State University president, wife establish school’s first LGBTQ+ scholarship
February 20, 2023
"Lake Superior State University will offer a new $1,200 scholarship to benefit the LGBTQ+ community, school president Dr. Rodney S. Hanley announced Monday."
More at M Live at www.mlive.com/news/2023/02/lake-superior-state-university-president-wife-establish-schools-first-lgbtq-scholarship.html
Did Politics Scrub ‘Systemic’ from AP African American Studies Plan?: Writing and editing the Advanced Placement course framework was a tense exercise in a polarized America
February 19, 2023
"Among 40 sample topics in the official plan are Black Lives Matter; intersectionality; reparations debates; gay life and expression in Black communities; and Black conservatism."
More at The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2023/ap-african-american-studies-controversy/
Ron DeSantis requested the information of trans students who sought care at Florida's public universities. Now students are planning a statewide walkout.
February 16, 2023
"Students across Florida are planning a statewide walkout after Gov. Ron DeSantis requested all public universities comply in delivering data from student health services on transgender students who sought gender-affirming care at the institutions."
More at Insider at www.insider.com/ron-desantis-trans-college-students-medical-records-florida-medical-care-2023-2
Christian College Cancels Concert Over Gay Singer
February 16, 2023
"Pensacola Christian College called off a concert by a renowned British a cappella group, hours before it was to take place, because one member of the group is gay."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/02/16/christian-college-cancels-concert-over-gay-singer
Florida college cancels singing group’s concert due to ‘lifestyle that contradicts scripture’
February 16, 2023
"Debates are churning after a Florida college abruptly canceled an appearance by a prominent singing group due to at least one member’s sexuality."
More at CNN at www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/us/kings-singers-pensacola-christian-college-cec/index.html
GOP targets drag shows with new bills in at least 14 states
February 14, 2023
"The bills are so broadly written, opponents say, they would effectively shut down drag shows and limit the gay community’s ability to perform in drag at gay pride parades and other long-running public events. Many of the proposed laws would also require venues to register as 'adult-oriented businesses,' meaning they would have to be located in the same areas zoned for strip clubs or adult sex toy shops. This could shut down drag shows at venues like college campuses, restaurants and community theaters."
More at Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/14/drag-shows-republican-bills-bans/
DeSantis threatens to rid Florida of Advanced Placement classes: Florida’s Republican leader has been critical of a new AP course in African American studies
February 14, 2023
"The state education department, based on its view of preliminary documents, declared in January that the African American studies course 'lacks educational value.' DeSantis (R) — citing proposed lessons on 'queer theory,' 'intersectionality' and other topics — criticized the plan for what he called 'indoctrination' and 'a political agenda.' When the College Board, which oversees AP, debuted the official course plan on Feb. 1, it provoked a debate over whether it had watered down the content to mollify DeSantis and his conservative allies. The College Board fiercely denied that claim and said on Saturday that DeSantis had slandered its course."
More at Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/14/desantis-florida-ap-classes-college-board/
Florida College Cancels Concert Over Gay Singer, Drawing Backlash: Pensacola Christian College called off an appearance by the King’s Singers, citing the “lifestyle” of a member.
February 14, 2023
"Instead, the college informed the ensemble two hours before the concert was to begin on Saturday that it was being canceled because of concerns about what it called the lifestyle of a singer, who is gay. Students, parents and staff members had complained to the administration, saying that hosting the group would run counter to the college’s Baptist values."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/arts/music/pensacola-college-kings-singers.html
Everyone Is Talking About 'Belonging': What does it really mean?
February 13, 2023
"While the need to belong transcends categories such as race, sexual orientation, social class, and ability status, students in underrepresented or marginalized identity groups are more likely to arrive on campus already wondering if they belong there."
More at Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/everyone-is-talking-about-belonging
Higher Ed’s Political Naïveté: As the College Board’s Florida fiasco shows, it’s time to stop appeasing malign actors.
February 13, 2023
"Last fall the College Board launched a pilot course for Advanced Placement African American studies in high schools across the country. The course included topics, like Black queer theory, intersectionality, and critical race theory, that were then omitted or played down when a revised framework was released this month. That coincided with statements by Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, that described the pilot course as indoctrination in wokeism, criticizing the inclusion of intersectionality and queer theory. The timing seemed suspicious, and many concluded the curriculum had been altered to please the likely future presidential candidate."
More at Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/higher-eds-political-naivete
South Carolina Requests Colleges’ DEI Spending, Following Florida and Oklahoma
February 8, 2023
"South Carolina legislators have requested information from the state’s 33 public colleges and universities regarding all spending on programs, trainings, and activities targeted toward people based on their race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation."
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/south-carolina-requests-colleges-dei-spending-following-florida-and-oklahoma
How LGBTQ leaders navigate a predominantly non-LGBTQ world: Looking at LGBTQ leadership style as a reaction to the power structures that dominate our culture is essential to finding a common thread through a diverse community, writes Karen Whitney
February 8, 2023
"The question to consider is to what extent, if any, are there leadership characteristics specifically and uniquely attributable to LGBTQ leaders?"
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-lgbtq-leaders-navigate-predominantly-nonlgbtq-world
Tolerance Over Inclusiveness?: Tolerance is a better approach than inclusiveness when it comes to fostering free inquiry and open classroom discussions, Joel Kaminsky writes.
February 8, 2023
"A couple of years ago, I attended a departmental chairs’ discussion about the inhibition of many students to express their thoughts in class for fear that they will be branded as unredeemable—a racist, a transphobe, classist, ableist, etc."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/views/2023/02/08/tolerance-over-inclusiveness-classroom-aim-opinion
Creating an Outlet for Conservative Student Voices: More than a dozen conservative student papers have launched in the past few years. How do these Gen Z–run publications differ from conservative student newspapers of the past?
February 8, 2023
"Alex DiBranco, a Yale Ph.D. candidate whose work studying the American right wing includes research on the history of conservative student newspapers, said that these sentiments mirror those that drove the original rise of conservative student newspapers in the 1960s, in response to the antiwar movement that pervaded college campuses at the time. Such papers saw a resurgence in the 1980s, beginning with arguably the most famous conservative student paper, The Dartmouth Review, whose coverage, which was widely seen as racist and anti-LGBTQ+, inspired a number of copycats."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/02/08/new-generation-conservative-student-newspapers
Should Conferences Stay Put or Relocate? It’s Complicated: With meeting event sites often selected years in advance, higher education groups weigh the pros and cons of locations where state lawmakers have enacted anti-transgender legislation and severe abortion restrictions.
February 7, 2023
"There have always been laws that concern many higher education employees, but as abortion bans and anti-transgender laws take effect in more states, the challenge intensifies for groups seeking to reach members in wide swaths of the country."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/02/07/should-conferences-stay-put-or-relocate-its-complicated
African American History (Revised): College Board releases its new course. Many of the modern topics have been revised or are omitted.
February 2, 2023
"Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America, issued a statement that said, 'Coming in the current political climate, the proposed changes appear to be an effort to dilute the curriculum, a capitulation to education censors for political expediency. It is particularly concerning that the cuts to the required curriculum target viewpoints from Black women and LGBTQ+ scholars, an extension of efforts to restrict the teaching of race, gender and sexuality that have swept across the country in the past two years. This decision risks empowering such attempts to exert ideological control over the freedom to learn, running counter to the ideals of viewpoint diversity that are necessary to preserve a culture of free expression and open inquiry in our schools'.”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2023/02/02/college-board-releases-revised-ap-course-african-american-studies
The College Board Strips Down Its A.P. Curriculum for African American Studies: After criticism from Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, the official course looks different: No more critical race theory, and the study of contemporary topics — like Black Lives Matter — is optional.
February 1, 2023
"The College Board purged the names of many Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory, the queer experience and Black feminism. It ushered out some politically fraught topics, like Black Lives Matter, from the formal curriculum."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/us/college-board-advanced-placement-african-american-studies.html
Florida Atlantic Provost Jokes About Bestiality: A faculty member raised a concern about targeting of LGBTQ faculty. The interim provost replied with a bestiality joke. The faculty member calls it a “teachable moment.”
February 1, 2023
"Florida Atlantic University’s interim provost replied to concerns about the university collecting and providing to the state information that might be used to target Black and LGBTQ faculty members by saying, 'We did not know what color—if they were purple, if they had sex with animals.'”
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/02/01/provost-makes-bestiality-joke-reacting-concern-lgbtq-faculty
The DeSantis Takeover Begins: Florida governor Ron DeSantis vowed to defund DEI initiatives on the same day his hand-picked trustees convened at New College of Florida and fired the president.
February 1, 2023
"At a rally before the meeting, several student speakers raised concerns about a hostile takeover of NCF, expressing fears that trustees will impose a new direction on the college—which has a reputation for being a free-spirited and welcoming place, especially for LGBTQ+ students—against the will of the community."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/02/01/desantis-puts-action-his-plan-end-woke-activism
Hunter College and Former Professor Settle Fraud Lawsuit
February 1, 2023
"The lawsuit centered on Jeffrey Parsons-Hietikko, a former psychology professor who also led Hunter’s Center for HIV Educational Studies (CHEST), which he founded in 1996."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/02/01/hunter-college-and-former-professor-settle-fraud-lawsuit
A Standoff Over Transgender Rights: As conflict escalates between Biden and red-state conservatives, colleges and students are caught in the middle.
January 31. 2023
"Lawmakers across the country returned to state capitols in January with legislative agendas in hand and change on their minds. For many Republicans, a common issue sits near the top of their lists: regulating the rights of young transgender people."
More at Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/a-standoff-over-transgender-rights
Fear of a Black-Studies Planet: There’s a reason Ron DeSantis feels threatened by AP African American studies.
January 30, 2023
"To those of us who have studied Black social struggles, there are obvious reasons why the governor of Florida would target an African American studies course. With large and notable contributions from Black LGBTQ+ people, Black-freedom movements and the writings of progressive Black intellectuals have been major inspirations for many liberation struggles and cultural shifts. Consider the influence Black artists, activists, and intellectuals had on the women’s, queer, transgender, Asian American, Latinx, and indigenous movements of the late-'60s and early-'70s. It follows that, fearful of the power of Black studies to call for an end to inequality and to change popular opinion about what is acceptable or just, the State of Florida has singled out one course to try and prevent other courses, critiques, and forms of knowledge from following. Maybe if we can prevent this course, we can keep new types of people from emerging because of it, the officials seem to say."
More at Chronicle of Higher Education at www.chronicle.com/article/fear-of-a-black-studies-planet
He said scuba diving in Fiji was ‘research.’ Now he owes the feds $375K.: Renowned AIDS researcher Jeffrey Parsons-Hietikko, who resigned from Hunter College amid allegations of sexual harassment, used grant money to fund his lavish lifestyle, court documents state
January 28, 2023
"Jeffrey T. Parsons-Hietikko, a prominent HIV/AIDS researcher who resigned a distinguished professorship in 2019 after a debaucherous work-related party, improperly used federal research funds to enrich himself and take lavish scuba-diving trips in the Cayman Islands, Fiji and Belize, among other locations, according to newly unsealed court documents."
More at The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/01/28/jeffrey-parsons-hietikko-hunter-college-settlement/
Seattle Pacific Removes Pride Flags from Campus
January 30, 2023
"Students at Seattle Pacific University have accused administrators of removing pride flags from campus, Inside Higher Ed has learned. It’s the latest skirmish over LGBTQ+ rights at the private Free Methodist–affiliated university that has pitted the Board of Trustees against students and much of the community."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/01/30/seattle-pacific-removes-pride-flags-campus
Republicans wants Iowa universities to explain ‘compulsory heterosexuality’ and other concepts being taught: ‘It's not a witch hunt. It's just simply, we want some answers’
Updated January 26, 2023
"Republican lawmakers wants Iowa’s public universities to explain themselves and their teacher training curriculum by defining a long list of terms plucked from course descriptions — like 'compulsory heterosexuality,' 'critical media literacy' and 'equitable science teaching.'"
More at The Gazette at www.thegazette.com/higher-education/republicans-wants-iowa-universities-to-explain-compulsory-heterosexuality-and-other-concepts-being/
What Makes a Student Withdraw?: A new study from Penn State sheds light on what compels a college student receiving mental health care to stop out. How can counselors use this information to promote student success?
January 25, 2023
"Populations more likely than the average student receiving on-campus counseling to drop out included gender-diverse students (3.9 percent), disabled students (3.7 percent) and first-year students (3.6 percent). Racially diverse students and first-generation students were slightly less likely than the average student in counseling to withdraw, at 2.5 percent and 2.7 percent respectively."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/25/study-analyzes-why-college-students-counseling-withdraw
Read the full report at https://ccmh.psu.edu/annual-reports
The Integrity of History Education: Legislation targeting K-12 classrooms also threatens the integrity of history education in colleges and universities, James Grossman and Jeremy C. Young write.
January 24, 2023
"We have news for these legislators. Everything has a history, including racism, gender and sexuality. If our students do not understand these histories, they will not understand the complex world in which they live. Educators prohibited from teaching history with professional integrity cannot provide students the resources they need to become responsible citizens in a democratic society."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/views/2023/01/24/bills-censoring-k-12-teaching-affect-higher-ed-too-opinion
MSU campus survey finds LGBTQ community experiences more sexual harassment than peers
January 20, 2023
"According to the report, 72.8% of transgender and, or, nonbinary undergraduates had experienced sexual harassment during the 2021-2022 academic year. That’s compared to 61% for cisgender women and 35.7% for cisgender men. Sexual harassment was the most common form of relationship violence and sexual misconduct [RVSM] for all undergraduate groups."
More at WKAR at www.wkar.org/wkar-news/2023-01-20/msu-campus-survey-finds-lgbtq-community-experiences-more-sexual-harassment-than-peers
MSU extends LGBTQIA+ ally support services for students, employees
January 20, 2023
"Michigan State University officials say they are extending LGBTQIA+ support services after a campus survey found an alarming rate in which members of the community are victimized."
More at The Detroit News at www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/01/20/msu-extends-lgbtqia-ally-support-services-for-students-employees/69827344007/
Professor targeted by trans activists condemns ‘shameful episode’: Gay rights champion Robert Wintemute says McGill University’s response to the forced cancellation of his seminar is disappointing
January 18, 2023
"A King’s College London professor who was covered in flour by trans activists who stormed his lecture and caused its cancellation has criticised his alma mater for failing to defend free speech."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/news/professor-targeted-trans-activists-condemns-shameful-episode
Federal judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to end Title IX exemptions for religious colleges
January 18, 2023
"In 2021, roughly three dozen LGBTQ prospective, current and former students sued the Education Department, saying they had been discriminated against by religious colleges over their sexual orientations or gender identities. Title IX protects against sex discrimination at federally funded colleges, but allows exemptions for religious institutions with belief systems that conflict with the statute."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/lgbtq-religious-colleges-title-ix-exemptions-lawsuit-dismissed/640565/
Court Rejects Suit Challenging Title IX Exemptions
January 17, 2023
"A federal district court last week rejected a suit [by LGBTQ students and former students at religious colleges] challenging the right of the Education Department to grant exemptions, as required by federal law, to some religious colleges from certain provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/01/17/court-rejects-suit-challenging-title-ix-exemptions
Legislators Question Yeshiva U on $230M in Public Funds
January 13, 2023
"Yeshiva is currently fighting in court to refuse to recognize an LGBTQ organization. The university maintains that, as a religious institution, that is its right."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/01/13/legislators-question-yeshiva-u-230m-public-funds
Was Yeshiva University Entitled to $230 Million in Public Funds?: The Modern Jewish Orthodox school refuses to recognize an L.G.B.T.Q. student club, arguing in court that it is a religious institution.
January 11, 2023
"The legal dispute between Yeshiva and its L.G.B.T.Q. students is one front in a yearslong battle over whether religiously affiliated companies and organizations — or even pious individuals — must provide employment or other public accommodations to people with differing views or whose lifestyles they disapprove of."
More at The New York Times at www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/nyregion/yeshiva-university-lgbtq-club.html
After drag show uproar, South Dakota regents will create policy to ‘enhance the protection of minors’ on campuses
January 10, 2023
"South Dakota’s regent board will devise a policy to “enhance the protection of minors” during campus events, following strong conservative backlash against a drag show at one of its universities."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/after-drag-show-uproar-south-dakota-regents-will-create-policy-to-enhance/639856/
U.S. Judge Upholds W.V. Law on Trans Participation in Sports
January 9, 2023
"A federal judge last week upheld the constitutionality of a West Virginia law that bars transgender athletes at public colleges and high schools from participating on teams that match their gender identity. The ruling by Judge Joseph R. Goodwin, which upended his previous ruling that stayed the 2021 law from taking effect, will allow it to proceed."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2023/01/09/us-judge-upholds-wv-law-trans-participation-sports
An ‘Ambitious’ Regulatory Agenda: The Education Department’s docket for this year includes amending regulations on accreditation, state authorization, distance education, cash management and third-party servicers. Plus, the agency plans new Title IX and gainful-employment regulations this spring.
January 6, 2023
"Plus, the department is still planning to issue a separate notice of proposed rules governing transgender students’ involvement in sports."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/06/education-department-outlines-ambitious-regulatory-agenda
Presidents Must Speak Out Against White Nationalism: The movement must not be written off as just politics or culture wars when in fact it’s a direct threat to everything higher education stands for, writes Michael Gavin.
January 6, 2023
"This new white nationalism is a movement with a single goal in relation to higher education: to reduce the number and narrow the demographic of people included in the construction of 'Americanness.' There are two major tactics of this movement in relation to higher education. The first is to threaten physical violence on college campuses that seek to expand access to those racialized as nonwhite or LGBTQ+."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/advice/2023/01/06/college-presidents-must-denounce-white-nationalist-attacks-opinion
Here’s the Education Department’s next regulatory agenda: A final Title IX rule, as well as negotiated rulemaking on topics like accreditation and distance education, are on the horizon.
January 5, 2023
"Here’s the Education Department’s next regulatory agenda
A final Title IX rule, as well as negotiated rulemaking on topics like accreditation and distance education, are on the horizon."
More at Higher Ed Dive at www.highereddive.com/news/heres-the-education-departments-next-regulatory-agenda/639781/
More Than Just a Safe Space: Colleges and universities are creating more housing aimed at transgender and nonbinary students, not only to ensure their comfort and safety but also to build community.
January 4, 2023
"Several other colleges also recently launched new floors or houses aimed at transgender and other LGBTQ+ students."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/04/trans-student-housing-gains-popularity-and-demand
Film-makers in trans rights row say debate is being shut down: Screenings in Nottingham and Edinburgh cancelled but academics claim accusations of transphobia are ‘absurd’
January 4, 2023
"Two academics whose film was blocked from being shown at the University of Edinburgh because it was accused of being 'transphobic' have vowed to continue trying to screen it because the 'implications of shutting down debate are enormous'."
More at Times Higher Education at www.timeshighereducation.com/news/film-makers-trans-rights-row-say-debate-being-shut-down
Actions and Hopes of the Sustainability-Focused Student: Students demonstrate interest in taking initiative on environmental issues and expect their colleges will do the same—but could use more knowledge on what matters most.
January 3, 2023
"LGBTQIA+ students surveyed are more likely than their straight peers to say they engage in each of the 10 practices listed. While research on the connections between sexual identities and activism is still emerging, a 2018 analysis of existing studies highlights how sexual minorities are significantly more likely to engage in four types of social movements than heterosexuals: LGBT rights, peace, environmentalism and economic inequality."
More at Inside Higher Ed at www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/03/sustainability-actions-students-take-and-want-their-colleges-take
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