In its long and often tortured history, the faculty-job-protection status known as tenure has been defended as an essential safeguard for academic freedom. Professors, the argument goes, need to know that they won’t get fired for researching and teaching about controversial topics. In theory, tenure provides that necessary security. But critics of the system, who balk at the idea of a “job for life,” are unmoved by this defense. State lawmakers are busy chipping away at tenure’s protections or even seeking to do away with it altogether. But if the traditional argument for tenure’s existence is failing, what are its supporters to do? Is there a case for the system beyond academic freedom? Related Reading The War on Tenure (Deepa Das Acevedo / Cambridge University Press)  Tenure Will Be Eliminated at Most of Oklahoma's Public Colleges, Governor Says⁠ (The Chronicle)  The Strange, Secret History of Tenure (The Review)  A Professor Was Fired for Her Politics. Is That the Future of Academia? (The New York Times Magazine) Guest Deepa Das Acevedo, associate professor of law at Emory University For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Outcome-driven investigations. Threats of dizzying fines. Broad claims of rampant, unchecked antisemitism. The Trump administration’s playbook against higher education is familiar by now, and it always presents universities with the same stark choice: Pay up or face a potentially yearslong legal battle with an extremely powerful adversary. Washington insiders and judges say Trump’s tactics are legally dubious at best, breaking with procedural rules and even violating the U.S. Constitution. But will any of that matter in the end? Related Reading The Shakedown: How Trump’s Justice Department pressured lawyers to ‘find’ evidence that UCLA had tolerated antisemitism (The Chronicle/ProPublica)  The Improbable Warrior: Why the unlikely leader of Trump’s antisemitism task force may be the perfect man for the job. (The Chronicle/ProPublica)  Trump Wants $1 Billion From UCLA for Its ‘Hostile Environment.’ What Is That? (The Chronicle)  Guests Peter Elkind, national investigative reporter at ProPublica Katie Mangan, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, who was killed on Saturday during an encounter with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, has further escalated tensions in a metropolitan area dotted with college campuses. As the region reels with civil unrest, area universities are grappling with how to maintain safe operations. They’re also facing pressure to exert stronger moral leadership as their institutions’ values are tested in real time.Related Reading Navigating Campus Life Amid ICE Enforcement (The Chronicle) After Another ICE Killing, Minnesota’s Flagship Faces a Test (The Chronicle) Guests Scott Carlson⁠, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Fae Hodges, University of Minnesota Twin Cities student Alexander Boni-Saenz, a law professor at the University of Minnesota

Politics. Culture. Affordability. The biggest issues facing the country are playing out in higher education, and College Matters from The Chronicle is here to make sense of it all. Beginning January 28, tune in for all new weekly episodes of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s podcast. Catch up on previous episodes Interview: Chris Rufo Floats Calling in the ‘Troops’  Why Faculty Hate Teaching Evaluations  Has Harvard Gone Soft? For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

As 2025 comes to a close, higher education is at an inflection point. Political pressure, rising costs, and the dizzying pace of technological change are putting new stress on an already beleaguered system. It’s tempting at a time like this to obsess over the precarious present, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the past. With the benefit of hindsight, what trends and developments of the past 25 years have proved to be the most consequential for higher education? More simply put: How in the heck did we get here? Related Reading Explore the Quarter-Century Project (The Chronicle) A Year of Challenges and Uncertainty, as Told Through Data (The Chronicle)  Behold, the Decade of Monsters and Men (The Chronicle)  U. of Richmond Leader Pushes City to Face Its Slave History (The Chronicle) Guests Edward L. Ayers, professor of the humanities and president emeritus at the U. of Richmond  Sarah Brown, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Andy Thomason, assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education

It’s been a pivotal year for higher education, and that’s particularly true for college professors. The ubiquity of artificial intelligence, the enormity of political pressure, and the severity of financial constraints on many college campuses have conspired to create learning environments of profound unease and uncertainty. At the same time, many faculty members look at 2025 as a year when the promise of new technologies became more clear, and the strength of collegial communities became more crucial. Can a year like this be summed up in a single word? We’ll find out.   Related Reading:  Sign up to receive The Chronicle’s Teaching newsletter AI Has Joined the Faculty (The Chronicle)  How to Restore Joy in the Classroom (The Chronicle)   Grading is Broken (The Chronicle)  Guest:  Beth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education Beckie Supiano, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Nearly three years after ChatGPT first came on the scene, college students are using generative AI to help with myriad tasks. Outlining and brainstorming are a breeze. A tough concept, skimmed over by a professor during a lecture, can probably be explained succinctly by a chatbot. This kind of AI use is happening on college campuses across the country, and much of it wouldn’t be considered unethical. But the line between efficiency and academic dishonesty is blurry, and some experts are concerned that an AI-infused education could essentially rewire students’ brains. So, how do colleges weigh the promise of AI against its much-discussed perils?Related Reading: These Students Use AI a Lot — but Not to Cheat (The Chronicle)   The Cheating Vibe Shift (College Matters: Apple / Spotify)  Should College Graduates Be AI Literate? (The Chronicle)  Guest:Beth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher  Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

One university president has resigned. Another is on the ropes. A new governor is heading into office, flipping party control to the Democrats. It’s all happening in Virginia, which has become a key battleground in a larger political war over higher education. This past summer, Jim Ryan resigned as president of the University of Virginia, hoping to stave off federal investigations of the university's diversity efforts. Now, Gregory Washington, president of George Mason University, is under fire for similar issues and fighting to keep his job. In tumultuous fashion, the commonwealth of Virginia has become a tinderbox of state and federal political fury — and there’s no clear end in sight.Related ReadingHouse Republicans Say George Mason Leader Broke the Law. His Lawyer Sees ‘a Political Lynching.’ (The Chronicle) Virginia Democrats Block College Board Appointees, Leaving George Mason’s Without a Quorum. (The Chronicle) The U. of Virginia’s President Was Targeted Over DEI. Now He’s Resigning. (The Chronicle)GuestJasper Smith, staff reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

One of the nation’s most selective institutions is sounding the alarm about grade inflation. According to a new report, A’s account for about 60 percent of all grades awarded in 2025 at Harvard College, which houses the university’s undergraduate program. That’s a big jump from 2005, when less than a quarter of grades were A’s. The report has provoked a frenzied response, validating for critics the notion that “elite” colleges aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, and that Gen Z students are delicate snowflakes who can’t handle tough grading. The truth, of course, is more complicated. But the report provides a fascinating portrait of how Harvard views its own role as a sorter of talent, and it shines a light on universal debates over grading that extend far beyond Cambridge, Mass.Related Reading What’s Up With Grade Inflation? (College Matters podcast)   The Great Campus Charade: Students Are Learning and Studying Less — Yet Grades Go Up (The Review)  Why Does the Trump Compact Talk About Grading? (The Chronicle) GuestBeth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Lately, calls for “intellectual diversity” are all the rage. From President Trump, to right-wing think tanks, to college presidents, arguments abound for adding more conservative voices to the professoriate. But are these arguments being made in good faith? How liberal are faculty, really? And what does a push for a narrowed, classics-driven curriculum mean for the canon-expanding courses that some colleges now offer on subjects as diverse as the Grateful Dead and Taylor Swift?Related Reading:  Higher Education Needs to Embrace a Diversity of Beliefs (Fox News/ Gordon Gee) Viewpoint Diversity is a MAGA Plot (The Review / Lisa Siraganian)  How One State’s 'Intellectual Diversity' Law Has Changed Professors’ Teaching (The Chronicle)  GuestBrock Read, deputy managing editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

The pro-Palestinian protests that erupted on many college campuses in the spring of 2024 gave rise to a surge of complaints about antisemitism at colleges across the United States. Under pressure to respond, Columbia and Harvard Universities have both in the past year adopted into policy a common definition of antisemitism, using the text as a guide in discrimination investigations. But defining the line between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and antisemitism has long bedeviled scholars, and refereeing such cases invites concerns about free speech and academic freedom. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, upon which Columbia and Harvard now rely, wasn’t ever intended to be a speech code and shouldn’t be used as such, says Kenneth Stern, who helped to draft the text about two decades ago. But how, then, should colleges respond to concerns about hatred and prejudice aimed at Jewish people? Colleges Use His Antisemitism Definition to Censor. He Calls It a ‘Travesty.’ (The Chronicle) The Great Antisemitism Debate (The Chronicle)  Why Anti-Jewish Discrimination on Campuses Might Not Violate Title VI (The Chronicle)  UC Berkeley Hands Over 160 Names to the Federal Government for ‘Potential Connection’ to Antisemitism. (The Chronicle)   GuestKenneth S. Stern, director of the Center for the Study of Hate at Bard College. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Barack Obama wants university leaders to stick to their guns. Appearing on the final episode of Marc Maron’s long-running WTF podcast, the former U.S. president urged college presidents to guard their academic independence, even if it means losing some federal money. Obama’s message comes at a pivotal moment, as the Trump administration pressures colleges to get on board with its sweeping higher-education agenda. The administration's “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” proposed this month, would require colleges to accept restrictions on admissions, hiring, and speech in exchange for preferred access to federal money. But what would passing Obama’s leadership test mean in practice? And who might be willing to risk standing up to Trump?Related Reading Episode 1686: Barack Obama (WTF with Marc Maron) Trump’s ‘Compact’ is Freaking People Out (College Matters from The Chronicle) Obama’s Legacy: An Unlikely Hawk on Higher Ed (The Chronicle) GuestAndy Thomason, assistant managing editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

After months of skirmishes with colleges, the Trump administration has proposed a treaty of sorts with nine high-profile institutions. By signing the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” participating colleges would essentially co-sign the president’s sprawling higher-education agenda. Under a draft agreement, signatories would explicitly ban considerations of race in admissions or in the awarding of scholarships, abolish departments that “belittle” conservative views, and strictly limit the percentage of international students enrolled in undergraduate programs. Many higher-education associations and analysts rushed to blast the proposal, which has been described as “horrifying” and reminiscent of a Mafia-style ultimatum. But what does this compact say about the historic relationship between the federal government and higher education, and how might that relationship be changing no matter what?Related Reading Trump’s Proposed ‘Compact’ Asks Colleges to Show They’re ‘Pursuing Federal Priorities’ (The Chronicle) Trump Says Signing a New ‘Compact’ Will Benefit Colleges’ Finances. It Could Also Do the Opposite. (The Chronicle) Trump’s Imperfect Compact Is a Perfect Opportunity (The Chronicle Review) A Deal That Would End Universities’ Independence (The Atlantic) GuestSarah Brown, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education

As president of Princeton University, Christopher Eisgruber is among the highest-profile college leaders to publicly criticize the Trump administration for its attacks on higher education. He is a defender of the sector, arguing that colleges are far better at upholding free speech and more welcoming of diverse viewpoints than critics would suggest. The recent killing of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, has energized a national debate about the state of free speech on college campuses — both for conservatives like Kirk, and for faculty who have been sanctioned for speaking ill of Kirk in the wake of his death. None of this, though, changes Eisgruber’s fundamental view that colleges, for the most part, are actually quite good at facilitating tough conversations at a particularly polarized moment. It’s an argument Eisgruber lays out methodically in a new book, Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right.Related Reading Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right, by Christopher Eisgruber (Basic Books) With Charlie Kirk’s Killing, a New Chapter of the Campus Speech Wars Has Begun (The Chronicle) The Elite-University Presidents Who Despise One Another (The Atlantic) At Yale, Painful Rifts Emerge Over Diversity and Free Speech (The Chronicle)

The Trump administration is hitting universities where it hurts, terminating thousands of research grants in areas it deems wasteful or ideologically driven. Many scientists who study vaccine hesitancy, gender identity, and climate change, have either lost grant money or been put on notice that their federal funding could soon disappear. What does this mean for the U.S. academic-research enterprise, which seeks to cure diseases, understand societal problems, and even save the planet? And how might a highly politicized approach to doling out federal research money change the nature of science itself? Related Reading: The Scientists Who Got Ghosted by the NIH (The Chronicle)  An NIH Grant Is Restored, With a Catch: Cut a Study on Trans Youth (The Chronicle)  The NIH is Requiring Grantees to Follow Trump’s Anti-Trans Executive Order (The Chronicle)  Their NIH Grants are Back. But Nothing is Back to Normal. (The Chronicle)  Guest Stephanie M. Lee, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education.  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Christopher F. Rufo, a conservative activist, is on what he might call a winning streak. Long before it was fashionable to do so, Rufo, a senior fellow at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, was leading the charge against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs on college campuses. Now, many universities — by law or by choice — are ditching DEI programs as fast as they can. Beyond that, Rufo has waged numerous online pressure campaigns against college leaders, leading to the resignations or scuttled appointments of those who’ve extolled the virtues of DEI. His airing of plagiarism allegations against Claudine Gay, the former president of Harvard University, contributed to her leadership downfall in 2024. But what is really behind Rufo’s philosophy? What would the “colorblind equality” he prescribes for colleges actually look like in practice? And how far does he think President Trump should go to upend higher education? 00:00 - 7:40: Rufo’s path to conservatism7:40 - 14:51: Politics of DEI14:51 - 19:48 : Race and admissions20:03 - 24:51: ‘Meritocracy’24:51 - 31:02: Do you think race matters?31:01 - 32:58: The Manhattan Institute32:58 - 35:25: Harvard’s Claudine Gay35:25 - 46:26: Sinking Santa Ono at U. of Florida46:26 - 50:32: Rufo’s influence / George Mason U.50:32 - 53:19: Calling in the troops Related Reading:   They Have a Common Criticism of Higher Ed. And They’re Arguing. (The Chronicle) How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory (The New Yorker)  An Inside Job at George Mason? (The Chronicle/ProPublica)   Santa Ono Wanted a College Presidency. He Became a Pariah. (The Chronicle)  Guest:Christopher F. Rufo, a senior fellow and director of the initiative on critical race theory at the Manhattan Institute For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication

The fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, whose political movement targeted liberal faculty and pushed the boundaries of free speech, immediately took on powerful symbolic resonance as a pivotal event in higher education’s long-running culture wars. Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, a provocative right-leaning group popular on college campuses, was killed on Wednesday during a campus speaking engagement at Utah Valley University. His death shocked the country, lending a dark gravity to already-contentious debates about political polarization, intolerance, and free expression on college campuses.Related Reading Making of a Martyr: Charlie Kirk’s Killing Silences a Conservative Voice. His Movement Could Grow Louder. (The Chronicle)  Inside a Stealth Plan for Political Influence (The Chronicle)  Was an Instructor's Firing a Violation Academic Freedom? Or an Example of 'Academic Responsibility' (The Chronicle) Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way (The New York Times)  GuestNell Gluckman, senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Higher education is at the center of the biggest stories in the country today, and College Matters is back to make sense of it all. Tune in for new weekly episodes starting on September 11. Catch up on previous popular episodes: Is Reading Over for Gen Z Students? Why Faculty Hate Teaching Evaluations Mr. Varsity Blues Claps Back For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

For decades, Bruce Springsteen’s songs about fast cars, working-class dreamers, and loves lost and found have helped to define a quintessentially American notion of freedom and rebellion. But do the music and lyrics of “The Boss” speak to the college students of Gen Z? Louis P. Masur, a distinguished professor of American studies and history at Rutgers University, thinks they do. After years of teaching a course titled “Springsteen’s American Vision,” Masur says he is as convinced as ever that the rock icon’s songs are as timeless as Huck Finn and as durable as a “big old Buick.” Guest: Louis P. Masur, distinguished professor of American studies and history at Rutgers UniversityRelated reading Runaway Dream: Born to Run and Bruce Springsteen’s American Vision (Louis P. Masur) The Boss in the Classroom (Chronicle) For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

After the loss of a pet, many people wonder whether they'll ever see their beloved companions again. In her course, "Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?", Chelsea Jordan King, an assistant professor of Catholic studies at Sacred Heart University, presses her students to answers that provocative question. To do so, King encourages students — believers and nonbelievers alike — to use critical thinking and research to articulate and defend their positions. Along the way, students learn about the Roman Catholic Church's position on evolution, what makes human beings special, and how to better appreciate their natural surroundings. GuestChelsea Jordan King, assistant professor of Catholic studies at Sacred Heart University For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Food shapes our daily lives in profound ways, yet it's often taken for granted or misunderstood. In the course "Sociology of Food" at Texas Christian University, students learn how food functions as sustenance, commodity, and a sociocultural force. The course covers food from its starting point to its end — tracing its path as an agricultural product and a commodity to be traded, marketed, shopped for, prepared, and finally consumed. Edgar Jesus Campos, an assistant professor of sociology at TCU, says some of his students enroll in the course to better understand their own bodies and consumption patterns. While they gain that knowledge, they also leave with a deeper understanding of how global economic and political forces play into their personal diets. GuestEdgar Jesus Campos, assistant professor of sociology at Texas Christian University For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Conspiracy theories have played a role in American culture and politics for decades. In the course "Conspiracy Rhetoric: Power, Politics, and Pop Culture" at Bates College, students closely examine what propels those theories. Stephanie Kelley-Romano, a professor of rhetoric, film, and screen studies, says many students begin her course with a basic understanding of conspiratorial thinking. Often, she said, those students seek to understand how some people — sometimes people they love — can fall under its thrall. While students learn what to say to a true-believing friend or relative, the course also teaches them how to recognize narrative framing, conduct their own research, and identify trends in language, media, and storytelling that fuel conspiracy theories. Guest Stephanie Kelley-Romano, professor of rhetoric, film and screen studies at Bates College For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

After 16 months in a federal prison camp, William (Rick) Singer has had time to reflect on his role as the architect of a college-admissions bribery scheme that became known as Varsity Blues. The college consultant has apologized for concocting a plot that helped wealthy families, including some Hollywood celebrities, secure admission for their children to prestigious universities. But he isn’t slinking into the shadows. Singer says he’s already back in the consulting business. And he has come out of prison swinging, blasting the FBI, the college-admissions system, and anyone who might question the credentials of the students he represented. Related Reading: ‘It’s an Aristocracy’: What the Admissions-Bribery Scandal Has Exposed About Class on Campus (The Chronicle) Higher Ed’s Bribery Scandal Is Decadent and Depraved. Here Are 8 Truly Tasteless Allegations (The Chronicle) We, the Privileged Parents That Matter, Applaud the Netflix College-Admissions Scandal Doc (The Chronicle) Admission Through the ‘Side Door’ (The Chronicle) Guest: William (Rick) Singer, college consultant  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

More than two years after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis installed a slate of conservative members to its governing board, New College of Florida has seen transformations large and small. In some of the first shots of what became a wider war on “woke” education, New College’s trustees ditched gender studies, endorsed a curriculum focused on the Western canon, and made the Sarasota, Fla. campus inhospitable to some faculty and students. New College is more appealing now to jocks, and it's flush with money appropriated by Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature. But what does all this mean for the quirky institution that had long been known as “Barefoot U.”? Related Reading The College That Conservatives Took Over (The Chronicle)  A Professor at New College Quits in Dramatic Fashion. Here’s Why He Felt He Had to Go. (The Chronicle)  Why I Am Joining the Reconquista: Taking back power from the academic left depends on storming the public institutions, not fleeing from them. (The American Conservative)  Will a Small, Quirky College Become ‘DeSantis U.’? (The Washington Post)  Guest:Emma Pettit, senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education

On paper, student teaching evaluations make a lot of sense. Who is better positioned to say whether a professor did a good job than the students who took the course? But dig a little deeper, and there’s good reason to question whether colleges should be relying on teaching evaluations to inform big decisions about an instructor’s promotion, pay, or even continued employment. So what’s wrong with this system? And why do colleges still cling to it, despite research that shows it’s flawed? Related Reading:  Sign up for The Chronicle’s Teaching Newsletter (The Chronicle)  Teaching Evaluations are Broken. Can They Be Fixed? (The Chronicle) A University Overhauled Its Course Evaluation to Get Better Feedback. Here’s What Changed. (The Chronicle)   Meta-analysis of faculty’s teaching effectiveness: Student evaluation of teaching ratings and student learning are not related. (ScienceDirect) Guest: Beckie Supiano, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

In this special episode, recorded live at the ASU+GSV Summit, Future U. hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn dive into the rapidly evolving higher ed landscape in President Trump’s second term. They discuss massive cuts at the U.S. Department of Education, mounting challenges around international student enrollment, and looming threats to federal research funding. They examine the broader, longer-term implications of these shifts for colleges and draw from their recent research to discuss how leaders can nurture positive campus culture during these challenging times. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Gates Foundation. Links We Mention Mark Schneider: Blowing Up Ed Research is Easy. Rebuilding it is ‘What Matters’ Chapters 0:00 - Intro 7:32 - Cuts to the Department of Education 20:40 - Targeting International Students 23:48 - Withholding of Federal Research Grants 39:25 - Our Favorite Higher Ed Commentary 46:31 - Changing Campus Culture Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo: Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Nothing animates conservative college students today quite like Turning Point USA. Founded by Charlie Kirk, the right-wing provocateur, the group thrives on an “owning the libs” mentality that is often trained on left-leaning professors. But this brand of conservatism, while big on bellicose taunts, is short on the foundational ideas that have made conservatism such a lasting intellectual tradition. At least that’s the view of Jon Shields, a right-leaning professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. For conservatism to thrive in the future, Shields argues, professors of all political stripes should help teach the MAGA crowd about Edmund Burke and the other big thinkers who have long provided the conservative movement with meaningful ballast. Related Reading:  These Professors Help Students See Why Others Think Differently (The Chronicle)   Liberal Professors Can Rescue the G.O.P. (The New York Times)  Inside a Stealth Plan for Political Influence (The Chronicle)  The Battle for the Bros (The New Yorker)  Guest: Jon Shields, professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, an agency that Republicans say is too wasteful and too woke. Through a series of layoffs and buyouts, the Trump administration has reduced the agency’s work force by roughly half. The broader goal, administration officials say, is to return more power to the states and to cut down on government waste. But the cuts have left many people concerned about the department’s capacity to carry out its vital functions, like enforcing civil-rights laws. The great purge at the agency has spread fear among employees, upended hundreds of lives, and left some to conclude that the whole point of this operation has been to intimidate and control government workers. Related Reading: ‘Breathtakingly Irresponsible’: Former Workers Decry Decimation of Education Dept.’s Data Warehouse  What the Education Dept.’s Job Cuts Could Mean for Financial Aid Protesters Rally Against Education Dept. Cuts Guests: Anthony Badial-Luna, management and program analyst at the Education Department  Kaitlyn Vitez, higher-education liaison at the Education Department  Christopher Madaio, former director of the Investigations Group in the Education Department’s enforcement unit; senior adviser at The Institute for College Access & Success Elizabeth Morrow, a deputy director at the Office of Public Engagement for Non-Discrimination in the Office for Civil Rights  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to deport student protesters. In recent weeks, the president has delivered on that pledge. The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of international students' visas across the country, spreading fear on college campuses and inviting constitutional challenges from lawyers and activists. Eric Lee, an immigration lawyer, says the administration’s actions are unconstitutional. One of his clients, Momodou Taal, a Cornell University graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist, recently decided to leave the United States rather than face detention and deportation. What’s happening, Lee says, is a threat to the free speech rights of citizens and noncitizens alike. Related Reading: Tracking Trump’s Actions on Student Visas  Pro-Palestinian Activists Shut Down a Job Fair. One Student’s Punishment Could Get Him Deported.  Trump has Revoked Student Visas at Dozens of Colleges. Here’s What That Means. Guest: Eric Lee, immigration lawyer For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Over the past decade, centers and institutes devoted to the study of Western civilization and American civics have popped up on numerous public university campuses. Typically backed by conservative lawmakers, versions of this concept have taken root at universities in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. In Texas, an entirely new private university, the University of Austin, now offers students a curriculum steeped in the study of Western thought. At a recent live taping at SXSW EDU, Jack Stripling, host of College Matters, talked with Jacob Howland, the University of Austin’s provost, and Pauline Strong, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, about what this growing trend says about the politics of higher education. Related Reading:  How a Center for Civic Education Became a Political Provocation (The Chronicle)  We Can’t Wait for Universities to Fix Themselves. So We’re Starting a New One. (Free Press)  Billionaires Back New ‘Anti-Woke’ University (The Wall Street Journal)  A New Birth of Freedom in Higher Education: Civics Institutes at Public Universities (AEI)   Guests: Jacob Howland, provost and dean of intellectual foundations at the University of Austin Pauline Strong, director of the Program in Native American and Indigenous Studies and a professor of anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. Strong is president of the American Association of University Professors' chapter at UT Austin. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Buckle up, and get ready to lay on your horn. We’re taking a drive through the enraging, labyrinthine, and often misunderstood world of college-campus parking. Along the way, we’ll meet a college instructor who complained about parking fees, only to pay more than he’d ever imagined; a parking administrator who promises she’s not evil; and a writer who may have unmasked the real villain in higher ed’s tortured parking story. Related Reading:  A History Instructor Complained About Parking Fees. It Cost Him His Job. He lost His Job After Complaining About Parking. Now He’s Been Reinstated. Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World    Guests: Nell Gluckman, senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Adrienne Tucker, director of parking and transportation at Kansas State University  Henry Grabar, staff writer at Slate and author For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

We’re hearing a lot lately about a war on higher education, as the Trump administration targets colleges on multiple fronts. On a lot of campuses, though, the biggest battle is an endless feud between faculty and administrators. Professors and presidents seem to be at loggerheads over everything, including curriculum debates, online education, and academic freedom. How did we get here? And is it really as bad as it looks? Related Reading: The Campus Cold War: Faculty vs. Administrators What’s Behind the Surge in No-Confidence Votes? Bluefield State President Bashes Faculty on His Blog    How the U. of Arizona Found Itself in a ‘Financial Crisis’ of Its Own Making Guest: Lee Gardner, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education   For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

If you follow higher education like we do, you know that the sector is ripe for controversy. From misused money, to smoking-gun emails, to the occasional sex scandal, colleges and universities routinely make news for all the wrong reasons. But what makes for a delicious higher-ed controversy? And what can be learned from the embarrassing failures of otherwise respectable institutions? To dig into those questions, Chronicle staffers gathered recently for a first-of-its-kind higher-education controversy draft. Who built the best roster? That’s for you to decide. Related Reading:  Uproar at Mount St. Mary’s (Chronicle)  Is That Our Chancellor in the Porno (College Matters podcast)  Discredited: The UNC Scandal and College Athletics’ Amatuer Ideal (Andy Thomason)  Auburn President’s Permanent No Comment (Inside Higher Ed)  Guests: Sarah Brown, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Andy Thomason, assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Public colleges and universities across Florida have scrambled to comply with a new law that supporters see as a bulwark against the liberal indoctrination of students. The law prohibits core general-education courses that teach “identity politics” or those “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States.” The law has forced colleges to scrutinize hundreds of courses in their catalogues, pressure testing whether anything they teach runs afoul of this sweeping new regulation of college curricula. Proponents of the law say it’s an overdue corrective to general-education offerings, which have ballooned on campuses across the country. But critics worry that the legislation signals a perilous encroachment on faculty control over curricula, creating political litmus tests for what students are allowed to learn in core courses. Related Reading: The Curricular Cull: Inside a Sweeping Attempt to Regulate Gen Ed in Florida  (The Chronicle) Professors Ruined Gen Ed. Florida Is Fixing It. (The Review) Florida’s Nakedly Ideological Attack on Gen Ed (The Review)  What Is Happening in Florida? (The Chronicle)  Guest: Emma Pettit, senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

When it comes to college enrollment, admissions officers and civil-rights advocates often talk about historically underrepresented groups, including Black and Latino students. But white-student enrollment has dropped 19 percent since 2018 — more than any other racial group. People in higher education often seem reluctant to talk about it. Related Reading:  Where are the White Students? (The Chronicle)  Affluent White Students are Skipping College, and No One Knows Why (The Chronicle) Guests: Daarel Burnette II, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education Katherine Mangan, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

March Madness season will soon be upon us, bringing with it another grand American tradition: an annual college-sports-betting bonanza. A 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling struck down what had been a near-national ban on sports betting, ushering in a wave of legalized gambling legislation across the country. For colleges and universities, the changing sports-betting landscape brings new risks and potentially lucrative financial returns. Related Reading: What Colleges Need to Know About Sports Betting (Chronicle) How Colleges and Sports-Betting ‘Ceasarized’ Camps Life (New York Times)  North Carolina is About to Rake in Millions in Sports Betting Revenue. 13 Colleges Will Get a Slice. (Chronicle) Guest: John Holden, an associate professor of business law and ethics at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Chances are, you’ve met a straight-A college student. There are plenty of them around. And some people aren’t too happy about that. A new wave of “meritocracy” obsessives seem convinced that there are just too many good grades being given out. But what drives our nation’s periodic panic about grade inflation? And what does it tell us about what we want grades to mean? Related Reading:  What Does an A Really Mean?  A Real Problem with Grade Inflation Who Needs an A? A Lot of Folks on Campus Do  Guest: Beckie Supiano, Senior Writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

With GPS tracking, “concierge moms,” and high-priced dormitory-design consultants, it’s easier than ever for college students’ parents to go overboard. But is extreme helicopter parenting as pervasive as it seems? And how much are changing cultural norms affecting the relationships parents have with their young-adult children? We asked Lisa Heffernan, co-founder of Grown and Flown, a wildly popular online resource for parents, to break down what’s really happening between parents and young college students. Related Reading: Parents, Young Adult Children and the Transition to Adulthood (Pew Research Center)  Tuition: $9,400. Dorm Room Interior Designer: $10,000? (The New York Times) Varsity Blues (Chronicle coverage)  Surveillance Parents Face the Ultimate Firewall: Freshman Year (The Wall Street Journal)  Guest: Lisa Heffernan, co-founder of Grown and Flown For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Political opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs has been building for years, but something happened last October that felt like a turning point. In a deeply reported article for The New York Times Magazine, Nicholas Confessore cast doubt on the effectiveness of one of the nation’s best-funded DEI programs. Titled “The University of Michigan Doubled Down on DEI. What Went Wrong?,” Confessore’s article added fuel to a debate over whether DEI programs are meeting their stated goals or actually making campus climates worse. In an interview with College Matters, Confessore talks about his investigation, and what it meant for The Gray Lady to take a critical view of DEI. Related Reading:  The University of Michigan Doubled Down on DEI. What Went Wrong? (The New York Times Magazine)  Where DEI Efforts Are Ambitious, Well Funded, and Taking Fire From All Sides (The Chronicle)  The Dismantling of DEI (The Chronicle)  Statement from Tabbye Chavous, vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at the University of Michigan Guest: Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter at The New York Times and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

During his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has waged war on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. But the effort to stamp out DEI on college campuses has been years in the making across state legislatures. How did DEI take hold in higher education? And what does it really mean to “ban” this kind of work?  Related Reading: DEI Legislation Tracker Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI   A Slap in the Face: How UT-Austin Axed a DEI Division  Behind the Lines of Texas A&M’s Diversity War (Washington Post) Guest: Daarel Burnette II, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to do away with the U.S. Department of Education, leaning on a Republican mantra that the federal government meddles too much in decisions that are better left to state officials. But a very different philosophy prevailed in Washington during the presidency of Joe Biden, who embraced student-debt relief as a key priority and leaned on the education department to execute a bold — if not always successful — agenda. In an exit interview with The Chronicle, the Biden administration’s under secretary of education, James Kvaal, reflects on the department’s work, its failures, and the future of Democratic higher-ed policy. Closing the Department of Education? (4:16 - 7:25)  Biden and student-debt relief (7:25 - 11:14) Is debt relief dead? (11:17 - 14:20)  FAFSA failure (14:55 - 22:45) Public confidence in higher ed (22:46 - 23:56) Abandoning college for all? (23:56 - 26:07) Culture wars, discrimination, critiques of higher ed (26:08 - 31:32)   Related Reading: Biden’s Debt-Cancellation Plan Draws Praise and Skepticism $189 Billion in Student-Loan Forgiveness (The Washington Post) What the FAFSA Just Happened? (College Matters from The Chronicle)  Guest: James Kvaal, former under secretary of education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

With the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools, cheating in college has become so easy and commonplace that some students don’t see much wrong with a little academic dishonesty. Meanwhile, professors are screaming into the void, trying to convince students that relying on AI to do their work will hurt them in the long run. But is the battle for academic integrity already lost? Related Reading: Cheating Has Become Normal I’m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We’re Using ChatGPT.  ChatGPT Is a Plagiarism Machine Is Reading Over for Gen Z Students? (podcast)  Guest: Beth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Higher education is undergoing a period of intense political, cultural, and technological transformation. We'll dive into all of it on Season 2 of our show, starting January 21st.

In 1994, a movie called PCU opened in theaters to little fanfare. But three decades on, the cult classic feels like an on-the-nose satire of the kinds of identity politics, liberal extremism, and right-wing intolerance that fuel many of today’s hottest disputes in higher education. In a conversation with The Chronicle’s Jack Stripling, Zak Penn, a co-writer of PCU, talks about how the film looks in 2024. Later, Chronicle staff share their impressions of the movie. Related Reading: A Decade of Ideological Transformation Comes Undone: What the congressional antisemitism hearing really means.  What Does ‘Woke’ Mean Anyway? The Oral History of PCU, the Culture Wars Cult Classic  Guest: Zak Penn, a co-writer of PCU For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Months after he’d announced his coming retirement as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, Joe Gow made a fateful decision: He posted on the internet pornographic videos of himself and his wife. Wisconsin’s Board of Regents promptly fired him as chancellor and, more recently, terminated him as a tenured professor. His case presents some thorny First Amendment questions that are expected to play out in court. Meantime, Gow spoke with The Chronicle’s Jack Stripling about how he balanced his X-rated private hobby with his important public job — and what motivated him to release those videos. Related Reading: A Chancellor is Fired for Porn Videos I Made Porn. That Shouldn’t Cost Me Tenure.  U. of Wisconsin System President Reprimands La Crosse Chancellor for Bringing Porn Star to Campus Guest: Joe Gow, former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

Office hours with an android? We’re not quite there yet, but the science-fiction future of higher education is closer than you might think. Thanks to a slew of new products known as courseware, college professors can practically run a class on autopilot. Related Reading: The Substitute Teacher: Millions of students have to use courseware. Often, the product replaces the professor. The Homework Tax: For students already struggling to afford college, courseware can add to the burden. The ‘Textbook’ That Reads You: When students use courseware, how much personal data is it collecting? Guest: Taylor Swaak, tech and innovation reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Cap down. Earbuds in. Eyes on phones. Despite what you may see in college viewbooks, many students say they feel lonely on campus — isolated in dorm rooms or walled off in tech bubbles. But talking about student loneliness is a tricky issue for colleges. Related Reading:  Overcoming Student Loneliness: Strategies for Connection (Full Report)  Fighting the Mental-Health Crisis Narrative: Do young people misunderstand everyday stress? Guest: Alexander C. Kafka, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

During his September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump amplified a debunked rumor that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pet cats and dogs. Soon, Wittenberg University, a private institution in Springfield, began receiving violent threats. Michael Frandsen, the university’s president, feared the worst — and got an education in the viral power of misinformation. Related Reading:  At 2 Colleges, the Fall Semester Has Been Disrupted by Trump’s Lies About Eating Pets If Trump Wins … His allies are preparing to overhaul higher education. The sector is woefully ill-prepared to defend itself. 4 years of Fighting: Trump vs. Higher Ed Guest: Michael Frandsen, president of Wittenberg University For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

You may not have heard much about higher education in the presidential campaign, but it’s definitely on the ballot. Related Reading:  Rhetoric and Records Shape the Presidential Race College for All? Not Anymore. Obama’s Legacy: An Unlikely Hawk on Higher Education Guest: Rick Seltzer, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make  transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

Outside consultants are helping cash-strapped colleges cut majors, like foreign languages, that once seemed essential — and are taking the heat for those unpopular decisions. Related Reading:  When Cost-Cutting Universities Hire Consultants, Who’s Really Making the Decisions?  Is Higher Ed Growing or Shrinking? Gordon Gee’s Last Stand Guest: David Jesse, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

As president of the U. of Florida, Ben Sasse, a former U.S. senator, steered millions of dollars toward consultants and hired his Republican allies to serve in lucrative jobs. And he threw some expensive parties. Related Reading: Sasse’s spending spree: Former UF president channeled millions to GOP allies, secretive contracts (The Independent Florida Alligator)  Lavish Catering Under Ex-UF President (Fresh Take Florida)  Ben Sasse Spent Far More Than His Predecessor. Including on These Reports.  Ben Sasse is U. of Florida’s Next President. His Critics are Seeing Red.  Guest: Garrett Shanley, reporter for The Independent Florida Alligator / intern at The Chronicle of Higher Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

Would big-name universities pay a magazine to write puff pieces about them? You bet. Guest: Francie Diep, senior reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education  Related Reading: The Colleges That Pay for Positive Coverage Even for ‘Mad Men’ Obsessives, Higher Ed Marketing Inspires Unease  Welcome to the Sponsored Campus: More parts of the college experience are up for sale than ever before, experts say. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

A feud among three professors inspired a debate over woke politics in academe. Guest: Emma Pettit, senior reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education Related Reading:  When a Department Self-Destructs: Battles over money. Allegations of racism. A chair ousted.  Weird at My School - Aaron Kunin’s newsletter  For more on today's episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

The lure of decent-paying jobs available without college degrees has some people rethinking whether college is necessary. The trend has big implications for the workforce, society, and the communities where people live and work. Guest: Eric Kelderman, senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education Related Reading: The Lure of Work: In Iowa, enrollments are falling as businesses recruit high-school grads. Can colleges come up with a better pitch? College for All? Not Anymore. Democrats have drastically changed their tune on the necessity of a bachelor’s degree. The Public Perception Puzzle: A series by The Chronicle to examine higher ed's public perception problem — and the solutions to it. For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

When protests against the Israel-Hamas war swept across college campuses this past spring, student activists were joined in some cases by their professors. That’s what happened at Indiana University, where state police led a particularly aggressive crackdown on demonstrators. The professors’ reasons for participating were varied and complex, but their decisions point toward a thorny and persistent question: Do faculty members have any business joining student protests? Guest: Kate Hidalgo Bellows, staff reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education Related Reading:  Mideast War, Midwest Crisis: Indiana U. made a series of unpopular decisions. Then it called the police on protesters.  ‘These Terms are Just Absurd’: How One University Disciplined Professors Accused of Assisting an Encampment As an 8-Day Protest Shut Down a University, Administrators and Faculty Sparred Over What to Do Cooley law firm’s review Indiana University’s handling of protests.  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

Where is my financial aid? What is college really going to cost me? These are the kinds of questions lots of students are asking this academic year, and it’s all because of a government screw-up. The disastrous rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, has created uncertainty about students’ financial-aid packages — and many of the most vulnerable are having the hardest time. Guest: Eric Hoover, senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education Related Reading: The FAFSA Isn’t Fixed for Everyone Stuck in Limbo: How the FAFSA crisis has stranded higher ed’s most vulnerable applicant For more, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

Students are arriving at college woefully unprepared, professors say. Many lack the necessary endurance to read long passages, and some question the point of reading at all. We explore why this is happening, and what can be done about it. Guest: Beth McMurtrie, senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education Related Reading:  Is This the End of Reading? Students are coming to college less able and less willing to read. Professors are stymied.  Are You Assigning Too Much Reading? Or Just Too Much Boring Reading?  The Loss of Things I Took for Granted: Ten years into my college teaching career, students stopped being able to read effectively. (Slate) For more, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

Everything happening in the world converges in one place: higher education.  College Matters from The Chronicle, coming September 10.