Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 11h

Hi, I’m behind the sofa. Bet you didn’t know where I was.

Shaggy black dog head with white fur on the snout poking her head over the back of an olive green sofa

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 11h

Student number controls

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 12h

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is expected to announce plans to cut the number of UK university places by about 100,000 annually by reintroducing student number controls, reports Patrick Jack #edusky
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/badenochs-number-caps-plan-would-cut-100000-university-places

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 13h

Application and yield numbers suggest that it’s not true. My read on Jeff’s project is that he’s trying to make highly anxious families feel ok about going to a place that has reasonable admit rates … that’s a great goal. But it’s not the same as the prestige hierarchy is crumbling.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 14h

Excellent point: One problem with the idea of viewpoint diversity is assumes fixed views that map onto a left-right ideological continuum.
www.chronicle.com/article/when...

My point is somewhat different. “Viewpoint diversity” is reifying. It reduces scholars to static ideological viewpoints. It imagines that individuals occupy identifiable political positions aligned with stable and explicit beliefs that do not change over time. This assumption comes out blatantly in one of the compact’s directives: “Signatories commit to rigorous, good faith, empirical assessment of a broad spectrum of viewpoints among faculty, students, and staff at all levels and to sharing the results of such assessments with the public; and to seek such a broad spectrum of viewpoints not just in the university as a whole, but within every field, department, school, and teaching unit.” Despite the misleading openness of the term “broad spectrum,” this directive asks the university to categorize its faculty, staff, and students in the manner that a naturalist classifies flora and fauna. It is then expected to publish (presumably anonymized) results, and then actively hire or admit individuals so as to broaden or complete the spectrum.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 14h

Deinstitutionalizing expertise requires an attack on higher education.

Kate Riga @kateriga.bsky.social · 16h

The political right's greatest project is discrediting experts. Only in a "do your own research" world can their cultural preferences - anti-abortion, anti-gender affirming care - claim equal legitimacy to the left's medically-backed positions on those issues. SCOTUS is a full partner in that effort

TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · 16h

The Supreme Court's conservatives advanced the right's greater project of discrediting experts Tuesday, feigning that there is no medical consensus against conversion therapy.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 18h

Of course, the cynical part of me worries that campus is will negotiate the tuition phrase out and accept the rest

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 18h

1. It strips power from campus officials, including the board and president. They are unlikely to relinquish that willingly, especially where it further creates ambiguity about federal and state authority.
2. The academic profession still has some influence. The unanimous rejection of this matters.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 18h

Maybe it’s not going to be taken up, at least as is, after all? If not, why not? Two thoughts:

Ryan Quinn @ryanequinn.bsky.social · 19h

And the University of Virginia's rector and interim president released a joint statement yesterday evening saying "it would be difficult for the University to agree to certain provisions in the Compact."

Ryan Quinn @ryanequinn.bsky.social · 1d

Interesting statement from Penn's president on the Trump administration's proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”

He hasn't said whether Penn will sign, but says "Penn seeks no special consideration." penntoday.upenn.edu/announcement...

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

I’m in gym cloths because I’m going to pickleball at 11. Don’t tell the state legislature!

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

*does it have a purpose anymore

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

I get that and it’s true. But we are at the point where the National Governor’s Association is about to dissolve. If the AAU can’t push for politices that support research, does it have a anymore?

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

Yeah. That’s the one I can think of too. It’s your says something when the only issue your - or your membership collectively - is willing to sue about is protecting high IDC rates

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

Serious question: when was the last time the AAU was party to a lawsuit opposing the administration’s actions?

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

The AAUP and other labor groups sue the administration over its plan to charge $100,000 for every new H-1B. The AAU is not party to the suit, even though though its members among the largest employers of foreign academics. We’re seeing which groups are willing to let others take the heat.

Higher ed groups sue over Trump administration’s $100K H-1B visa fee

The surprise policy rolled out last month could cause “catastrophic setbacks” to research in the U.S., the lawsuit alleges.

www.highereddive.com

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 19h

The AAUP and other labor groups sue the administration over its plan to charge $100,000 for every new H-1B. The AAU is not party to the suit, even though though its members among the largest employers of foreign academics. We’re seeing which groups are willing to let others take the heat.

Higher ed groups sue over Trump administration’s $100K H-1B visa fee

The surprise policy rolled out last month could cause “catastrophic setbacks” to research in the U.S., the lawsuit alleges.

www.highereddive.com

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 20h

Yes indeed
www.chronicle.com/article/trum...

On the one hand, Cantwell said, institutions are inviting unprecedented federal meddling in their affairs while doing little to nothing to boost affordability for students.

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Reposted by Brendan Cantwell

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 22h

I can’t believe my life is being affected by the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 21h

policy and finance, organizations and leadership, student affairs

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23h

quantitative methods, qualitative methods, mixed methods

Photo of a Kansas City Chiefs press conference with Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes. Reid is wearing a gray suit and red tie with a lapel pin. Kelce is wearing a camp-style short-sleeved shirt with a bird print, along with a suede cap, and Mahomes is wearing a white collared shirt, a pink checkered double-breasted vest, and a pale pink tie.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 22h

2/ Second, agree that we ultimately need a new social contract between higher education and society, I find it uncomfortable, or even arrogant, to suggest that a very small number of universities and enroll, a tiny segment of all students should establish that framework for the entire sector.

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 22h

1/ I admire Danielle Allen and I read this as a sub stack a few days ago. I think she misses the mark on two counts. First there is no one to negotiate with in the White House - I don’t understand how you can think The Compact is the starting place of some good faith activity.

Trump’s Imperfect Compact Is a Perfect Opportunity

Colleges shouldn’t sign. But they also shouldn’t dismiss the need for a new framework.

www.chronicle.com

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Reposted by Brendan Cantwell

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d

My new op-ed with @lkfazio.bsky.social:

Trump sent a 'compact' to our universities. They should reject this devil's bargain.
Any institution that yields to these broad and intrusive demands would forever be subservient to the whims of the government.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

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Reposted by Brendan Cantwell

Anil Kalhan @akalhan.bsky.social · 1d

University general counsel, university trustee, university president

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 1d

They lost our pre-order and it took weeks to replace. Just arrived today, but I can’t get into it yet cause I gotta work

Picture of the new Thursday murder club book

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Reposted by Brendan Cantwell

Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

@cantb.bsky.social and I shared some thoughts/concerns about the proposed higher education compact in this @chronicle.com piece. But I still think that quite a few red-state publics would sign up, if for no other reason than state legislatures would expect it.

Trump Says Signing a New ‘Compact’ Will Benefit Colleges’ Finances. It Could Also Do the Opposite.

Despite the promise of more federal dollars, several provisions could upend an already precarious business model.

www.chronicle.com

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Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 1d

I refuse to give that Times story about grade inflation at Harvard and click

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Reposted by Brendan Cantwell

Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 1d

What Americans Die from?

And what the media reports on...

Our World in Data ourworldindata.org/does-the-new...

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