INSIDER
Harvard reports slight decline in Black students in wake of affirmative action ruling
Read full article: Harvard reports slight decline in Black students in wake of affirmative action rulingThere was a slight decline in the numbers of Black students in Harvard University's freshman class, which follows a Supreme Court ruling which struck down affirmative action in higher education.
Judge dismisses antisemitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move ahead
Read full article: Judge dismisses antisemitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move aheadA federal lawsuit accusing Massachusetts Institute of Technology of tolerating antisemitism after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel has been dismissed while a similar one against Harvard University can continue.
MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' host says he was surprised and disappointed the show was pulled from the air
Read full article: MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' host says he was surprised and disappointed the show was pulled from the airMSNBC “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough says he was “surprised and disappointed” the news and talk show was pulled off the air the day before and that the explanation he was given didn't hold water.
Harvard looks to combat antisemitism, anti-Muslim bias after protests over war in Gaza
Read full article: Harvard looks to combat antisemitism, anti-Muslim bias after protests over war in GazaTwo task forces charged with proposing ways to combat anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and antisemitism at Harvard University have delivered their preliminary recommendations to the school’s interim president.
As more Texans struggle with housing costs, homeownership becoming less attainable
Read full article: As more Texans struggle with housing costs, homeownership becoming less attainableA new housing report from Harvard University found that would-be homebuyers need to make more money than ever if they want to buy a home in Texas’ urban areas.
Group of graduates walk out of Harvard commencement chanting 'Free, free Palestine'
Read full article: Group of graduates walk out of Harvard commencement chanting 'Free, free Palestine'Hundreds of students in graduation robes walked out of the Harvard commencement chanting “Free, free Palestine” after weeks of protests on campus.
Harvard students end protest as university agrees to discuss Middle East conflict
Read full article: Harvard students end protest as university agrees to discuss Middle East conflictAnti-war protesters have taken down their tents in Harvard Yard after the university agreed to meet to discuss their demands.
It began with defiance at Columbia. Now students nationwide are upping their Gaza war protests
Read full article: It began with defiance at Columbia. Now students nationwide are upping their Gaza war protestsWhat began last week when students at a New York Ivy League school refused to end their protest against Israel’s war with Hamas has turned into a much larger movement.
Harvard again requiring standardized test scores for those seeking admission
Read full article: Harvard again requiring standardized test scores for those seeking admissionHarvard University announced Thursday that it is reinstituting standardized tests as a requirement for admission beginning with the class of 2029, joining other colleges that are again mandating tests for those hoping to enter the schools.
College will cost up to $95,000 this fall. Schools say it's OK, financial aid can numb sticker shock
Read full article: College will cost up to $95,000 this fall. Schools say it's OK, financial aid can numb sticker shockAs more than 2 million graduating high school students from across the United States finalize their decisions on what college to attend this fall, many are facing jaw-dropping costs that can be as much as $95,000.
Harvard condemns student and faculty groups for posting antisemitic cartoon
Read full article: Harvard condemns student and faculty groups for posting antisemitic cartoonHarvard University has condemned what it called a “flagrantly antisemitic cartoon” posted on social media by student and faculty groups that advocate for Palestinian liberation.
Hasty Pudding honors 'Saltburn' actor Barry Keoghan as its Man of the Year
Read full article: Hasty Pudding honors 'Saltburn' actor Barry Keoghan as its Man of the YearHarvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals roasted Barry Keoghan, best known for his roles in “Dunkirk,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” and “The Banshees of Inisherin,” as its 2024 Man of the Year Friday.
Counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Texas
Read full article: Counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in TexasWealth Enhancement Group compiled a list of counties where children have the most potential for economic mobility in Texas
Plagiarism probe finds some problems with former Harvard president Claudine Gay's work
Read full article: Plagiarism probe finds some problems with former Harvard president Claudine Gay's workHarvard University has released a detailed account of its investigation into plagiarism allegations against former president Claudine Gay, who resigned this month over those concerns and her antisemitism testimony at a congressional hearing.
As a new generation rises, tension between free speech and inclusivity on college campuses simmers
Read full article: As a new generation rises, tension between free speech and inclusivity on college campuses simmersThe expansive version of free speech long accepted in American society is facing more forceful competition than it has seen in a century.
Lawsuit filed against Harvard, accusing it of violating the civil rights of Jewish students
Read full article: Lawsuit filed against Harvard, accusing it of violating the civil rights of Jewish studentsSeveral Jewish students have filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing it of tolerating antisemitism that has resulted in them being intimidated, harassed and assaulted.
Harvard seeks to move past firestorm brought on by school President Claudine Gay's resignation
Read full article: Harvard seeks to move past firestorm brought on by school President Claudine Gay's resignationHarvard University is trying to move past the firestorm brought on by the plagiarism allegations, congressional testimony and resignation of Claudine Gay, the school’s first Black president.
Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns amid plagiarism claims, backlash from antisemitism testimony
Read full article: Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns amid plagiarism claims, backlash from antisemitism testimonyHarvard University President Claudine Gay has resigned amid plagiarism accusations and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.
Israel-Hamas war tensions roil campuses; Brown protesters are arrested, Haverford building occupied
Read full article: Israel-Hamas war tensions roil campuses; Brown protesters are arrested, Haverford building occupiedA weeklong sit-in at Haverford College has ended under threat of disciplinary action as U.S. college campuses continue to be roiled by tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.
Harvard president apologizes for remarks on antisemitism as pressure mounts on Penn's president
Read full article: Harvard president apologizes for remarks on antisemitism as pressure mounts on Penn's presidentHarvard University’s president apologized as pressure mounted for the University of Pennsylvania’s president to resign over their testimony at a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
Unique device brings solar eclipse experience to blind, low vision community
Read full article: Unique device brings solar eclipse experience to blind, low vision communityThe University of Texas at San Antonio is collaborating with Harvard University and building devices for the blind and low vision community to experience the solar eclipse with sound.
Balzan Prizes recognize achievements in study of human evolution, black holes with $840,000 awards
Read full article: Balzan Prizes recognize achievements in study of human evolution, black holes with $840,000 awardsAn American literary historian, a French paleoanthropologist, a Danish evolutionary geneticist and a German-Dutch radio astronomer have been named the winners of this year’s Balzan Prize.
In her next book 'Prequel,' Rachel Maddow will explore a WWII-era plot to overthrow US government
Read full article: In her next book 'Prequel,' Rachel Maddow will explore a WWII-era plot to overthrow US governmentRachel Maddow’s next book will be an exploration into right-wing extremism in the U.S., including a plot to overthrow the government at the start of World War II.
Education Department opens investigation into Harvard's legacy admissions
Read full article: Education Department opens investigation into Harvard's legacy admissionsThe U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into Harvard University’s policies on legacy admissions, which give an edge to applicants with family ties to alumni.
Tom Hanks urges Harvard grads to defend the truth and resist indifference
Read full article: Tom Hanks urges Harvard grads to defend the truth and resist indifferenceAcademy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks told graduates of Harvard University to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth.
Some people arrested on low level crimes will have their bond paid for Harvard research
Read full article: Some people arrested on low level crimes will have their bond paid for Harvard researchSome low-level offenders at the Bexar County Jail are having their bail paid for as part of a Harvard study. A San Antonio woman who was stuck in jail said she hopes this study will eventually lead to reform.
3 top law schools quit US News rankings over equity concerns
Read full article: 3 top law schools quit US News rankings over equity concernsThe University of California, Berkeley’s law school has joined the law programs at Harvard and Yale in pulling out of U.S. News & World Report’s rankings over concerns that they punish efforts to attract students from a broad range of backgrounds.
Paxton, Cornyn and Cruz prod U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissions
Read full article: Paxton, Cornyn and Cruz prod U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissionsThe high court heard oral arguments Monday in two cases brought by a group led by the same man who previously lost an affirmative action case against the University of Texas at Austin.
Court: Harvard can be sued for distress over slave photos
Read full article: Court: Harvard can be sued for distress over slave photosA Connecticut woman who says she's descended from slaves shown in widely published, historical photos owned by Harvard University can sue the school for emotional distress.
Justices to hear challenge to race in college admissions
Read full article: Justices to hear challenge to race in college admissionsThe conservative-dominated Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to the consideration of race in college admissions, adding affirmative action to major cases on abortion, guns, religion and COVID-19 already on the agenda.
Civil rights lawyer, professor Lani Guinier dead at 71
Read full article: Civil rights lawyer, professor Lani Guinier dead at 71Lani Guinier, a civil rights lawyer and scholar whose nomination by President Bill Clinton to head the Justice Department’s civil rights division was pulled after conservatives criticized her views on correcting racial discrimination, has died.
China defends science exchange program following US arrest
Read full article: China defends science exchange program following US arrestChina is defending its international scientific exchange programs in the wake of the conviction of a Harvard University professor charged with hiding his ties to a Chinese-run recruitment program.
Science panel: Consider air cooling tech as climate back-up
Read full article: Science panel: Consider air cooling tech as climate back-upAdThe report looks at three possible ways to cool the air: Putting heat-reflecting particles in the stratosphere, changing the brightness of ocean clouds and thinning high clouds. “I honestly don’t know whether or not it’s going to make sense,” said committee chairman Chris Field of Stanford University. AdTexas A&M University’s Andrew Dessler sees geoengineering as a safety feature for the planet, like car airbags you hope to never need. “Sometimes you have to examine very risky options when the stakes are as high as they are with climate change.”Ad___Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.
JFK’s Harvard sweater sold at auction for more than $85,000
Read full article: JFK’s Harvard sweater sold at auction for more than $85,000This undated photo released by RR Auction shows a Harvard University letter sweater that once belonged to former President John F. Kennedy, up for auction between Feb. 11-18, 2021, by the Boston-based auction firm. (Nikki Brickett/RR Auction via AP)BOSTON – John F. Kennedy’s Harvard University sweater, given away to a television cameraman who mentioned that he was chilly while interviewing Jacqueline Kennedy, has sold at auction for more than $85,000. The crimson wool cardigan, featuring a large black block-letter “H” and eight white mother-of-pearl buttons, was one of several mementos from U.S. presidents sold during a President's Day auction that ended Thursday, according to Boston-based RR Auction. AdJFK's Harvard sweater, with his surname sewn into the collar, was acquired by Herman Lang, a CBS cameraman who filmed an interview with Jacqueline Kennedy in 1964, the year after the 35th president's assassination in Dallas. It is believed that because the interview was outdoors, Lang mentioned that he was cold and was offered the sweater, according to RR Auction.
Biden picks Samantha Power, former UN envoy, for US aid post
Read full article: Biden picks Samantha Power, former UN envoy, for US aid postFILE - In this Oct. 16, 2017 file photo, Harvard professor Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, addresses an audience at a forum on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass. President-elect Joe Biden has selected Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President Barack Obama, to run the U.S. Agency for International Development. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he has picked Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President Barack Obama, to run the agency overseeing American foreign humanitarian and development aid. Biden said USAID will coordinate America's work to lead a global response to combat the coronavirus and help the most vulnerable nations.
Harvard petition demands scrutiny of ex-Trump officials
Read full article: Harvard petition demands scrutiny of ex-Trump officialsFILE In this May 30, 2019 file photo, graduates of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government hold aloft inflatable globes as they celebrate graduating during Harvard University's commencement exercises in Cambridge, Mass. A petition circulating at Harvard University demands that school officials create new accountability standards for former Trump administration officials who seek to work or speak on campus, an idea that has drawn outrage from prominent conservatives. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Harvard petition demands scrutiny of ex-Trump officials
Read full article: Harvard petition demands scrutiny of ex-Trump officialsA petition circulating at Harvard University demands that school officials create new accountability standards for former Trump administration officials who seek to work or speak on campus, an idea that has drawn outrage from prominent conservatives. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)BOSTON – A petition circulating at Harvard University demands new accountability standards for former Trump administration officials who seek to work or speak on campus, an idea that has drawn outrage from prominent conservatives. The new petition argues that Trump officials deserves more scrutiny than those tied to past presidents. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary and a Harvard Law School graduate, urged Harvard to reject the petition. “This is not an administration whose officers can be treated normally.”The Harvard petition goes further in demanding additional scrutiny of speakers and fellows, not just faculty.
Appeals court clears Harvard of racial bias in admissions
Read full article: Appeals court clears Harvard of racial bias in admissionsFILE - In this Aug. 13, 2019 file photo, students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. A federal appeals court on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 has upheld a district court decision clearing Harvard University of intentional discrimination against Asian American applicants. Both sides have been preparing for a possible review by the Supreme Court, and some legal scholars say the issue is ripe to be revisited. In multiple decisions spanning decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that colleges can consider race as a limited factor in order to promote campus diversity. In close calls between students, some underrepresented students may get a “tip” in their favor, school officials have said, but students’ race is never counted against them.
Professor charged in China case sues Harvard over legal fees
Read full article: Professor charged in China case sues Harvard over legal feesBOSTON – A Harvard University professor charged with hiding his ties to a Chinese-run recruitment program sued the Ivy League school on Friday over its refusal to pay his legal defense costs, accusing it of “turning its back on a dedicated faculty member." "Employees who find themselves accused of wrongdoing rely on their employers' promises to pay their defense costs," the complaint says. Authorities say Lieber was paid $50,000 a month by the Wuhan University of Technology in China under his Thousand Talents Program contract and awarded more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at the Chinese university. In exchange, prosecutors say, Lieber agreed to apply for patents and do other work on behalf of the Chinese university. Authorities say Lieber lied about ties to the program and the Chinese university, telling federal authorities that he was never asked to participate in the Thousand Talents Plan.
Judges scrutinize suit's claims in Harvard racial bias case
Read full article: Judges scrutinize suit's claims in Harvard racial bias caseBOSTON – A panel of appeals court judges on Wednesday repeatedly challenged the legal claims of a group that accuses Harvard University of intentional discrimination against Asian American students who apply to the Ivy League school. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston appeared skeptical of arguments made by Students for Fair Admissions, which says Harvard imposes a “racial penalty” on Asian Americans. When a lawyer for the group accused the school of racial stereotyping against Asian American applicants, a judge interrupted and questioned the basis of the claim. The group's lawsuit alleges that Harvard admissions officers use a subjective “personal rating” assigned to each student to discriminate against Asian Americans. But Judge Sandra L. Lynch challenged that allegation, saying that, presented with competing statistical models from both sides, the trial court judge sided with Harvard's.
Judge to hear arguments in challenge to foreign student rule
Read full article: Judge to hear arguments in challenge to foreign student ruleNew visas would not be issued to students at schools planning to provide all classes online, which includes Harvard. Colleges say the policy puts students safety at risk and hurts schools financially. Immigration officials, however, say they told colleges all along that any guidance prompted by the pandemic was subject to change. They say the rule is consistent with existing law barring international students from taking classes entirely online. Federal officials say they are providing leniency by allowing students to keep their visas even if they study online from abroad this fall.
In reversal, federal government will allow international students to stay in the U.S. while taking only online classes
Read full article: In reversal, federal government will allow international students to stay in the U.S. while taking only online classesUniversity of Texas at Austin students pass by the main building on their way to and from classes on Oct. 03, 2012. Tamir Kalifa for The Texas TribuneOn Tuesday, the Trump administration walked back recent guidance that would have deported international college and university students if they were enrolled exclusively in online classes this fall. Schools offering hybrid instruction, like most Texas universities, would have had to certify to ICE that students were not taking an entirely online course load in the fall. While Rice University was the only college in Texas to join Harvard's lawsuit, other universities released statements of support for international students and pledged to working around federal guidance. There are more than 60,000 international students in Texas.
More than 200 schools back lawsuit over foreign student rule
Read full article: More than 200 schools back lawsuit over foreign student ruleFILE - In this Aug. 13, 2019, file photo, pedestrians walk through the gates of Harvard Yard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. The schools have signed court briefs supporting Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as they sue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal court in Boston. The lawsuit challenges a recently announced directive saying international students cannot stay in the U.S. if they take all their classes online this fall. They collectively enroll more than 213,000 international students, according to the brief. International students typically pay the highest tuition rates and rarely are eligible for scholarships.
Harvard, MIT sue to block ICE rule on international students
Read full article: Harvard, MIT sue to block ICE rule on international studentsThe lawsuit, filed in Boston's federal court, seeks to prevent federal immigration authorities from enforcing the rule. The guidance says international students won't be exempt even if an outbreak forces their schools online during the fall term. The guidance was released the same day Harvard announced it would be keeping its classes online this fall. Many schools have also come to depend on tuition revenue from international students, who typically pay higher tuition rates. It creates an urgent dilemma for thousands of international students who became stranded in the U.S. last spring after the coronavirus forced their schools to move online.
Mathematicians behind JPEG files honored by Spanish award
Read full article: Mathematicians behind JPEG files honored by Spanish awardIn this May 30, 2019 file photo, Mathematician Ingrid Daubechies is presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree during Harvard University commencement exercises. The Spanish foundation that organizes the annual awards announced Tuesday that the 2020 prize for Scientific and Technical Investigation will go to Yves Meyer, Ingrid Daubechies, Terence Tao and Emmanuel Candes. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)MADRID An international team of mathematicians whose theories have improved the compression of large digital files of data, including images and sound, will be recognized with one of the most prestigious awards in the Spanish-speaking world. The Spanish foundation that organizes the annual Princess of Asturias awards said Tuesday that the 2020 prize for Scientific and Technical Investigation will go to Yves Meyer, Ingrid Daubechies, Terence Tao and Emmanuel Candes. The annual awards, named after crown heir Princess Leonor, are handed in eight different categories ranging from arts to sports.