Latest news with #highereducation
Fox News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Southern states join forces to break free from 'woke accreditation cartels'
Southern states banded together Thursday to establish their own accrediting body in higher education in order to "upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels," according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee formed the Commission for Public Higher Education, a consortium of six public universities offering a new accreditation model. The Commission will create a "first-of-its-kind accreditation model for public higher education institutions that will offer high-quality, efficient services prioritizing academic excellence, student outcomes and achievement." DeSantis said at a press conference at Florida Atlantic University that there was a need for "alternative accreditation." DeSantis said that the commission will "upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels, and it will provide institutions with an alternative that focuses on student achievement, rather than the ideological fads that have so permeated those accrediting bodies over the years." He explained further that the accreditation process affects undergraduate schools as well as law and medical schools. He said that accrediting bodies were trying to deny credentials to Florida institutions that prohibited diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming on their campuses. "The accreditors are telling them they have to do these things. So, when we said, 'No DEI,' the accreditors are telling these universities, 'No, no, no, you're not going to get accredited unless you do DEI.' Who the heck are they to say what our universities have to do? They're telling them they can't follow state law? Are you kidding me? Nobody elected them to make that judgment at all. "What we've seen develop is an accreditation cartel and the accreditors by-and-large are all singing from the same sheet of music and it's not what the state of Florida wants to see reflected in its universities in many different respects." He added that the process "requires approval" from the current Trump administration's U.S. Department of Education and that the accreditation overhaul agenda would not have passed under the Biden administration. "They believe in overhauling this accreditation process. They want to have new blood in the system. They want to have competing accreditors," DeSantis said about the Trump administration. When reached for comment, a Department of Education spokesperson pointed Fox News Digital to President Donald Trump's executive order issued in April that called for accountability and reform to the accreditation process in higher education after past accrediting bodies "abused their enormous authority." The Executive Order cited accredited institutions offering "undergraduate and graduate programs with a negative return on investment" and compelling the "adoption of discriminatory ideology, rather than on student outcomes" in order to access federal aid. DeSantis said the members of the new accrediting body have been working with the Department of Education to expedite the process of acquiring approval from the federal government. "We need these things approved and implemented during President Trump's term of office, because the reality is, if it doesn't get approved and stick during that time, you can have a president come in next and potentially revoke it, and they could probably do that very quickly," DeSantis said. DeSantis predicted that more conservative states in the South will seek to gain accreditation from the new body. A Florida education official sent Fox News Digital the following statement: "I am proud to be joined by leaders of five other public university systems to establish an accreditor that will focus on ensuring institutions provide high-quality, high-value programs, use student data to drive decisions, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process," Chancellor Ray Rodrigues of the State University System of Florida said.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
UVA President Jim Ryan resigns amid federal ultimatum
Jim Ryan is the ninth president of the University of Virginia. He joined the institution in 2018. (Courtesy of the University of Virginia) In a stunning development that's igniting fierce political backlash, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan resigned Friday under pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which alleged the school had failed to fully dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs — a demand tied to a sweeping federal crackdown on higher education. The New York Times first reported Ryan's resignation, citing DOJ claims that the institution had merely rebranded its DEI efforts instead of eliminating them. The university's Board of Visitors accepted his resignation, with Ryan expected to officially step down by Aug. 15. Ryan said in a letter to the UVA community published late Friday that while he is motivated to fight for his beliefs and the university, he cannot oppose the federal government due to the potential impact on the institution. 'To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld,' Ryan said in the letter, released Friday afternoon. In a statement following Ryan's departure, a White House spokesperson didn't mention Ryan by name but said President Donald Trump's administration is working hard to eliminate DEI from society and put college leaders who oppose that mission on warning. 'That sham virtue signaling of DEI has no place in our country, and the Trump administration is working tirelessly to erase this divisive, backward, and unjust practice from our society,' said Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for the White House. 'Any university president willingly breaking federal civil rights laws will be met with the full force of the federal government, and it would behoove every school in America to prioritize the civil rights of every student and end DEI once and for all.' Ryan's departure has sparked outrage on campus and across Virginia. A protest led by Wahoos4UVA, a group dedicated to defending the university from political influence, is scheduled at the Rotunda on Friday. 'This unprecedented political interference threatens the independence of our University and its fundamental values,' a letter from the chairs of Wahoos4UVA Advisory Council states. 'Whatever reason the Department of Justice gives for taking this action is only a pretext thinly masking a partisan agenda. What's happening is clear: the Trump administration has made UVA the next target in its escalating attack on higher education in America.' UVA became the first public university in Virginia to dissolve its DEI office on March 8 after Trump's executive order warned of federal funding cuts for noncompliance. Opponents of DEI argue hiring and promotions should be merit-based rather than consider race or gender. Supporters say DEI efforts are vital to addressing systematic inequities that have long blocked opportunities for women and people of color and women. The school has also been under scrutiny for its handling of antisemitism complaints. UVA was among 60 colleges flagged in a federal inquiry over whether it adequately protected Jewish students, prompting additional concerns over potential funding losses. Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, said during a call with reporters that he is disappointed with the decision. Deeds added that Ryan will not have a problem finding a job elsewhere, after creating a model for diversifying the student body at the university and for financial aid. 'You know, it does not surprise me that the Trump administration is so petty that they would go after a state that has rejected President Trump three times at the ballot box,' Deeds said. 'But it also does not surprise me that they'd go after a national leader at the University of Virginia, which is a national national leader as a school, but with Jim Ryan, who's also a national leader of higher education.' Deeds along with his colleagues from Charlottesville, which is home to the university, said they are concerned this move by the Trump administration will set a precedent. 'I am afraid of what this means to all of our schools,' said Del. Amy Laufer, D-Albemarle. Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Albemarle, added that while the news is currently focused on Ryan's departure, she expects the pressure to expand to the governing boards of Virginia's institutions, who are engaging in 'ideological battles' impacting colleges. 'If anyone needs to be submitting a resignation, I would urge them to look at themselves,' Callsen said. 'I would urge them to look at themselves and their role and what they are doing to our university and ask themselves that question.' Virginia Senate Democrats condemned what they called federal overreach, urging university boards to 'resist any efforts by the Trump Admin to dictate how Virginia runs its own taxpayer-funded schools.' Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that 'UVA is the envy of American public universities,' and called Ryan an 'incredible leader.' He added: 'Trump's interference in the operation of Virginia's universities and any cooperation by those sworn to protect them will not be tolerated by the Virginia Senate.' U.S. Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine also blasted the DOJ's involvement, underscoring that Virginia's economy and prosperity depend on the strength and integrity of the state's higher education system. 'It is outrageous that officials in the Trump Department of Justice demanded the commonwealth's globally recognized university remove President Ryan — a strong leader who has served UVA honorably and moved the university forward — over ridiculous 'culture war' traps,' the senators stated. 'Decisions about UVA's leadership belong solely to its Board of Visitors, in keeping with Virginia's well-established and respected system of higher education governance. This is a mistake that hurts Virginia's future.' The Virginia State Conference NAACP, one of the largest civil rights organizations in the state, weighed in on Ryan's resignation — and its impetus — Friday afternoon, saying it raises 'serious concerns about political interference in our educational institutions and the very principles of justice that they are meant to uphold.' 'President Ryan, known for his commitment to enhancing diversity on campus and fostering community engagement, should not face political coercion for championing inclusive policies,' the group said in a statement. The UVA Board of Visitors last met June 4-6. Its next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 11-12. Ryan confirmed in his letter on Friday to the UVA community that he had already planned to leave the school next year, after the institution concluded its capital campaign and implemented nearly all of its major initiatives in UVA's strategic plan. Still, he expressed regret after his abrupt departure. 'This was an excruciatingly difficult decision, and I am heartbroken to be leaving this way,' Ryan wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Newcastle University staff strike ends in settlement
Strike action lasting almost four months by Newcastle University academics has and College Union (UCU) members began strike action in March after management announced it was to make a £20m reduction in the wage bill, equivalent to about 300 UCU said it had received assurances from university bosses no further job losses will be made next year, with more than 200 academics having taken voluntary severance University said it welcomed the settlement which meant striking staff would return to work on Monday. Prof Matt Perry, UCU Newcastle branch chair, said: "They had talked about 150 staff losing their jobs so that's a big win for us after taking serious industrial action. "But we believe that our dispute shows that industrial action can prevent job cuts in higher education." The strike has seen a number of city centre protests, including a National Demonstration earlier this month which saw UCU chapters from across the country gather in Newcastle in solidarity with striking academics. The union has also been critical about how higher education is funded, calling for universities to be funded through taxation as opposed to tuition finances have been in the spotlight since the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed the institution was facing a £35m blackhole due to a decline in international students.A university spokesperson said it had reached its £20m target of salary savings in full and without the need for compulsory redundancies through a combination of voluntary severance, redeployments and other mitigating measures. "We welcome the decision from UCU to end their industrial action and we are pleased that the dispute has now ended by mutual agreement."This is an immensely challenging time for universities across the UK and we recognise that this has been a difficult period for both staff and students." Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Claire Callender obituary
As an expert on student funding and graduate experiences of indebtedness, my sister, Claire Callender, who has died of cancer aged 71, made significant contributions to the debate about student funding at a local and international level, and played a central role in government policy and public discussion for three decades. At the time of her death Claire held joint professorships at UCL Institute of Education and Birkbeck, University of London. She was appointed OBE for services to higher education in 2017. She was born in London, a twin of Ne'eman, and the daughter of Lydia (nee Berkman) and Martin Callender, who had been a Lt Col in the British army in India during the second world war and went on to become an economist and management consultant. The war and the Holocaust cast a giant shadow over the family, and had a profound influence on Claire, shaping her sense of Jewish identity and her lifelong dedication to social justice. Claire attended Notting Hill and Ealing high school and completed a degree in social administration and sociology at Bristol in 1979. After a period as a community worker in the Beit She'an Community Centre in Israel, she received her PhD in gender and social policy at the University of Wales in 1988. When tuition fees were introduced in 1998 into what had been a free higher education system, Claire became a staunch advocate of maintenance grants and dedicated herself to drawing attention, in public and to policy makers, to the challenges that resulted from student debt. Claire's first chair appointment was at London South Bank University as professor of social policy (1998-2008) and early in the Blair years she spent time in the Cabinet Office on secondment as head of research in the women's unit. She reported to numerous parliamentary select committees, and all the major reviews of student funding that took place in the UK after 1997, including the most recent review, the Augar report of 2019. In 2006-07 she was a visiting scholar at the Harvard graduate school of education, and was a Fulbright New Century scholar in 2007-08. Her post as professor of higher education policy at Birkbeck began in 2008, followed by the professorship of higher education studies at the Institute of Education (which later merged with UCL) in 2010. In 2014, under the leadership of Simon Marginson, Claire was named deputy director of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE) and was central to CGHE research management. Claire's contributions to research scholarship included more than 125 books, reports and chapters, more than 30 peer-reviewed journal papers, and numerous conference and seminar presentations. She was renowned for her generosity as a mentor to young researchers, and for the warmth that she evoked in old and new acquaintances. With her longtime partner, Annette Zera, an educationist, Claire loved to travel - there was not a corner of the globe they hadn't visited – and she also enjoyed cooking, gardening and going to the theatre. Claire is survived by Annette, Ne'eman and me.
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Texas A&M, university systems in other red states will create agency to review quality standards
The Texas A&M System is partnering with university systems from five other Republican-led states to create a new agency to set quality standards for their schools. The move comes amid Republican criticism of higher education accrediting agencies, which they say are partly responsible for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and reinforcing liberal bias in the country's colleges and universities. Officials with Texas A&M, State University System of Florida, University System of Georgia, University of Tennessee System, University of North Carolina System and University of South Carolina System said in a news release Thursday they will create a new agency to accredit them. They are calling the new body the Commission for Public Higher Education. Texas A&M and most other public, four-year universities in Texas are currently accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Jim Suydam, Texas A&M University System's director of media relations, said the university is not planning on leaving SACSCOC right now. 'In recent legislative sessions, our top state officials have sought a more reasonable and transparent pathway toward accreditation. And now, the leadership of the Texas A&M University System is pleased to announce that the System has joined an alliance of some of the nation's top university systems to provide a new, less cumbersome and more objective option for accreditation,' said Glenn Hegar, who will become the Texas A&M Chancellor on July 1. Accreditors assess higher education institutions' quality by reviewing their programs, curricula and graduation rates, among other metrics. Colleges and universities need to be accredited if they want their students to qualify for federal financial aid. Texas law requires the state's public universities to be accredited by one of seven federally recognized agencies. It's unclear if the five university systems have begun the process of getting the new agency recognized by the federal or state government. Suydam said it will likely be a two-year process. In recent years, President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have criticized U.S. universities for what they say amounts to promoting liberal ideologies to students. In April, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Education to overhaul the accreditation process for universities by reviewing existing accrediting agencies, suspending accreditation recognition for those deemed to have a poor performance, and recognizing new accreditors. He claimed some agencies have approved 'low quality' institutions and abused their authority by requiring that schools have diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives. SACSCOC does not have any DEI requirements for universities to get accredited, according to the agency. 'If DEI is the concern, then the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools would satisfy that concern because SACS does not require DEI for accreditation,' said Brian Evans, president of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors. 'So, I don't know why the southern schools…are going band together to create a new accrediting agency.' The creation of the new accrediting agency also comes after the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 530, which will give schools other options to become accredited. SACSCOC will no longer be the sole accreditor for Texas universities, allowing them to choose any agency from an approved list by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
