Harvard University cancels course on policing technique amid public feedback

February 5, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — Under pressure from students, Harvard University canceled a course that was to have been offered this semester on a controversial policing technique used in Springfield, Mass. The technique is known as C3, or Counter Criminal Continuum Policing. It involves citizens working with police to bring down crime.

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A look at the research behind video conferencing fatigue

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — Much has been learned about Zoom and similar conferencing technologies. Zoom has updated the product monthly and even bimonthly as educators at all levels used the technology. It continues to improve. Zoom was so ubiquitous at the beginning of the COVID pandemic that is on its way to becoming an eponym.

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Report: States move away from placement tests as pandemic drags on

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — The pandemic has spurred more community colleges to experiment with additional measures for determining placement into college-level math and English courses other than a single standardized placement test score, according to a new brief from researchers at the Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR).

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Biden Administration orders clearer COVID-19 guidance for college openings

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — President Biden signed an executive order Thursday directing the secretary of education to provide, in consultation with the secretary of health and human services, “guidance to institutions of higher education on safely reopening for in-person learning, which considers the institution’s setting, resources, and population.”

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Community colleges face steep enrollment declines amid pandemic

January 28, 2021

THE HECHINGER REPORT — Community colleges have traditionally been a refuge where recent high school graduates — and adults of all ages — could pick up credits and develop new skills during a poor job market. Enrollment at two-year schools swelled during the downturn a decade ago. Many expected a similar rush during the pandemic.

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Federal COVID-19 relief measures provide addition funding for HBCUs

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — Historically Black colleges and universities received much-needed debt relief from the federal government as part of the recent COVID-19 relief bill, a change leaders say allows them more financial freedom to invest in their futures. Congress passed a behemoth spending bill last month that included relief measures.

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Biden Administration proposes immigration bill with path to citizenship and signs executive order preserving DACA

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — President Biden on his first day in office Wednesday proposed an immigration bill that features a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and makes Dreamers — young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children — immediately eligible for green cards.

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S&P Global Ratings forecasts negative outlook for US higher education

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — S&P Global Ratings is keeping in place a negative outlook on the U.S. not-for-profit higher education sector’s bond rating stability for the fourth straight year and also has a negative outlook for universities it rates outside the country. The ratings agency issued the outlook this week in an annual report on the higher education sector.

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Biden Administration announces political appointees to the Department of Education

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — The Biden administration Thursday night named Rich Williams chief of staff of the Education Department’s Office of Postsecondary Education. The department also named Ben Miller as temporary senior adviser to Sheila Nix. The department further announced a number of other political appointees.

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Biden Administration extends break on repaying student loans

January 28, 2021

INSIDE HIGHER ED — The Education Department said Wednesday night that at President Joe Biden’s request, it is continuing to give student loan borrowers a break from making their monthly payments for another nine months, until Sept. 30. The department’s student aid website was also updated to reflect the pause had been extended.

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