Higher ed 2023-24 recap through student journalism
Happy end of the school year!
We made it another year. If you graduated, congratulations! If not, well, congrats for finishing the year. 🎉
This academic year ended with student journalism in the national spotlight, once again, because of the recent campus turmoil around the Israel-Hamas war.
But they’ve always been there throughout the year, documenting changes in higher education and amplifying young people’s voices.
And in the words of The Pitt News’ former editor-in-chief in her column: “They will continue to do so, even when the national cameras turn elsewhere.”
For this issue, I wanted to showcase student journalism in the 2023-24 academic year that localized national issues and highlighted trends within the higher education space.
📅 What happened this year? An end of affirmative action. Rise of AI usage. Attempts to cancel student debt. FAFSA delays. College closures. Political influence. And so much more. Here’s a recap:
📜 Affirmative action overturned
The year began after the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action, ending race-conscious admission practices. Pressure mounted on colleges and universities to find ways to ensure continued diversity and inclusion efforts.
Wesleyan ends legacy admissions following SCOTUS ruling (The Wesleyan Argus)
Critics argue that legacy admissions perpetuate the inequalities that have existed in American universities for centuries.
The Connecticut university joined several schools that already announced an end to such practices.
After top court strikes down race-conscious admissions, what’s next for Boston College? (The BC Heights)
The day the court ruled on the case, a Black and first-generation student said his group chats buzzed with texts saying the decision felt inconsiderate to them.
A law professor predicted colleges would be less diverse.
College of William and Mary students concerned about Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action (The Flat Hat)
A Virginia student: “Whether I like it or not, my Black makes me who I am, and just kind of ignoring that through admissions takes away from my identity, and I feel like my place here at the College.”
It’s business as usual for NH colleges in the wake of affirmative action ruling (The New Hampshire)
Meanwhile, some states, including New Hampshire, already banned the practice even before the court ruling.
While top California and Michigan schools accepted fewer minority students after banning affirmative action, New Hampshire's 2012 ban has shown less clear-cut results.
💰 Student loan crisis
The three-year loan payment pause ended last October. The Supreme Court blocked a student loan forgiveness program. There were significant delays with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Temple students grapple with increased student loans (The Temple News)
A Pennsylvania student: “I know, before college, my plans were to move into the city or something depending on my job, but as of right now, I’m moving back home with my family just to save money and to start paying off my student loans.”
Washington University announces new ‘no loan’ policy to be implemented next fall (The Student Life)
The policy promises to eliminate federal loans from financial aid packages, allowing students to graduate without debt.
FAFSA updates cause delays for UNI students (The Northern Iowan)
The FAFSA, usually available by October 1, was delayed until December 31 due to changes aimed at improving accessibility and ease of application.
This three-month delay caused backlogs in student applications and slow response times for financial packages, impacting the rewards granted to those most in need.
💸 Budget cuts, institutional closures
Colleges and universities faced financial pressures from declining enrollment, mismanagement or both. Major universities made cuts. Many announced closures or mergers.
Coverage of West Virginia University budget crisis (The DA Online)
Editorial: University officials “have seemingly ignored” the concerns of students, faculty, staff and alumni about the transformation plan, which included cutting 28 majors and 143 faculty positions last September.
University of Arizona lays out financial crisis steps; Layoffs and budget cuts to come (The Daily Wildcat)
Every department was told to prepare for 5%, 10% and 15% downsizing plans.
The CFO blamed the budget neglect on the disconnect between different colleges and the central university administration.
Months later, the university president announced his resignation.
University of Findlay-Bluffton University merger series (Pulse Media)
Students shared mixed reactions, expressing concerns about potential tuition increases.
The Ohio schools were founded on different religious beliefs, raising questions about how each university would maintain its unique identity in terms of sports, history, and religion.
The King’s College last Christian college to close in NYC (The Empire State Tribune)
Due to ongoing financial turmoil and the revocation of its accreditation, the college decided to temporarily close while seeking a “strategic alliance.”
Several scholars and King’s faculty lamented the lack of Christian higher education in the state.
🌍 DEI initiatives under threat
Legislation targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has led to significant changes at public colleges and universities across several states. These changes include shuttering DEI offices, job cuts and defunding student organizations.
Wyoming students speak out against new legislation that threatens diversity programs (The Branding Iron)
One student questioned if cutting DEI initiatives meant cuts to veteran affairs, non-traditional student support, programs for young mothers, and disability support as well, stating, “Because at their core, they are DEI work.”
Texas student leader navigates loss of community spaces (The Daily Texan)
The University of Texas Austin closed its multicultural center this year, leading to reduced funding for identity-specific student organizations.
An organization for Black students in advertising and public relations had to pause its operations last semester.
“The future remains uncertain because how are you going to get members? How are you going to promote? How are you going to get funding?” a co-founder said.
Several Louisiana State schools scrub diversity content within same few weeks (Reveille)
Schools within the university changed the language of their websites and committees, replacing “diversity” with “engagement.”
The university denied speculation that anyone was instructed to modify the language on their websites.
🤖 AI adoption, adaptation
Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, students have rapidly embraced the chatbot and other artificial intelligence tools, prompting colleges and universities to adapt.
Q&A: Students, faculty on the impact of AI (The University Press)
43% of students report having experience using AI tools.
They find AI beneficial for understanding complex problems, especially when teacher support is limited.
Faculty highlights AI's role in personalized learning, research acceleration and organizational efficiency while some equate AI use to plagiarism.
AI assisting professors at Northern Illinois University (The Northern Star)
Blackboard introduced an AI assistant for its clients last July.
The assistant boasts at least seven different features, including image generation and rubric assistance, with new features being added monthly.
AI institute set to launch during 2023-24 academic year at UMass Boston (The Mass Media)
It’s the first in the nation.
It’s “dedicated to optimizing and democratizing the use of AI tools across a broad range of professions.”
🏛️ Political influence
Higher education saw significant political influence, with legislative actions, leadership changes, and Congressional hearings reflecting growing politicization.
New College faces faculty exodus, political turbulence as new academic year begins (The Catalyst)
In August, 90 faculty members, 38 had resigned, retired or taken leave.
Several news outlets attributed the changes on campus to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ vow to transform the school into a bastion of conservatism.
A professor: “Let’s face it: we all know all the changes that are going on. The student dynamic has also changed. You can see it in the class. There’s sometimes two cultures happening.”
Congressman Bill Johnson offered Youngstown State presidency (The Jambar)
The faculty union criticized the board of trustees for its lack of transparency and community involvement at the Ohio school.
It raised questions about criteria and the president search process.
📢 No featured opportunities section this week due to the email length limit. Expect feature pieces on high school student journalists of the year next month!
I want to hear from you: What type of stories do you want to see in The Nutgraf? Is your student publication doing something cool that you’d like to share? Reach me at nutgrafnews@substack.com. I will respond! Also, please share.