I wrote about the Epstein files and what they tell us about men in academia. In a field where climbing the career ladder is only possible through a combination of luck, mentorship and networking — the files show the ways sexism and misogyny still hold women back. 19thnews.org/2026/02/epst...

An NPR investigation found that the DOJ withheld some Epstein files related to abuse allegations against Trump. And, what you need to know ahead of the president's State of the Union address tonight. n.pr/4aT95Eh

Students have been arrested and disappeared for writing op-eds, expelled for their speech, censored from reporting the news and also disciplined for doing so. Trump, state lawmakers, and college officials, all bear responsibility. www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

Is the country of the First Amendment, where unrestricted self-expression has long been a birthright, witnessing the slow demise of free speech? ft.trib.al/ghUjGiA

good morning i blogged about those "fuck the mormons" chants that keep happening at BYU sporting events, and what the big 12 could actually do to prevent them from happening www.extrapointsmb.com/p/lets-talk-...

Mott Community College President Accused of Proselytizing on Campus The Board of Trustees met Wednesday to discuss claims that Shaunda Richardson-Snell made inappropriate religious remarks to students and campus visitors. It sparked fierce debate among community members. https://bit.ly/40h6aQS

Green Mountain College closed in 2019 and was bought by an eccentric distiller (and former Apprentice contestant) in 2020. Now he wants to give the campus to someone focused on “the revival of the United States and Western Civilization.”

The National Governors Association is pulling out of an annual meeting at the White House after President Donald Trump declined to invite two Democratic governors.

UNC Student Group Illuminates Administration’s Opaque Decisions Several recent policy changes at the University of North Carolina flagship have been made in secret with little, if any, communication to campus. The students in TransparUNCy are working to expose the process. https://bit.ly/3OPquGs

After Researching Tenure’s History, Tennessee Lawmaker Drops Bill to End It www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

“It was a moral panic—we were only on ‘Pedophile Island’ to meet the world’s most powerful people!” New comic from @mattielubchansky.com on the excuses that tell on themselves. 🔥 inthesetimes.com/article/i-we...

Our top story: Protesting, wearing black clothing, owning zines, guns, or first aid kits. Using the encrypted messaging app Signal. The federal government is using all these activities to build a so-called "antifa" conspiracy case.

Tricia McLaughlin earned a reputation for extraordinary, shameless lying. To mark the occasion of her departure, here are five of the most heinous lies McLaughlin told during her tenure at DHS. My latest for @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/tricia-mcl...

You: Would like to know how much the national champion-winning Indiana Hoosiers spent on balloons. I: Would like you to become a paid subscriber to FOIAball. www.foiaball.com/p/indiana-oh...

It is my personal editorial position that the term "reported fiction" is bad and not a thing journalists should, generally speaking, embrace.

The Virginia Senate rejected several lingering Youngkin board appointments yesterday. Those rejections included the entire Richard Bland College board, plus Eric Cantor at William & Mary. www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

Kansas May Withhold Millions From Universities With ‘DEI-CRT’ in Gen Ed www.insidehighered.com/news/diversi...

This week's FOIAball is all about money, power, and influence. www.foiaball.com/p/head-coach...

BREAKING: Judge blocks Hegseth effort to punish Sen. Kelly. "This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees." Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...

Months after the killing of Charlie Kirk, a growing number of lawsuits by people claim they were illegally punished, fired and even arrested for making negative comments about Kirk. n.pr/46w2RJ6

Some children in Dilley were so distraught they cut themselves or talked about suicide, parents told ProPublica. They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.

UNC Administrators Can Now Secretly Record Faculty The new policy prohibits students from recording class without permission but explicitly allows administrators to surveil professors for any “lawful purpose.” https://bit.ly/3MyingR #EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd

What's the tastiest NCAA mascot? I'm betting Bevo or Ralphie.

Another college closure announced today: Lourdes University in Ohio. The private Catholic university has struggled with persistent operating losses and plunging enrollment, falling from around 2,500 students in the early 2010s to under 1,000. www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Jeffery Epstein called the University of Nebraska and Creighton “not good places”in a January 2012 email thread to his last known girlfriend who was then applying to dental schools. Read more ⬇️ www.dailynebraskan.com/news/jeffrey...

EAB: Higher Ed Facing Confluence of Pressures on Sector A new report from EAB finds colleges are battered by political, social and market forces, resulting in a sector with less autonomy and tighter margins than in past downturns. https://bit.ly/3MoWkJi #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

Providence Christian College will close later this year. Officials blame declining enrollment, rising operating costs, heightened accreditation expectations, and the loss of federal funds after the Education Department cut off the flow of HSI dollars. www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Hours after Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum shot a Chicago woman 5 times, his boss, Cmdr. Greg Bovino, emailed him about extending his mandatory retirement. "In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much left to do!!” Bovino wrote Story: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/m...

FAMU Says Censoring the Word ‘Black’ Was a Mistake www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Students Push Back Against Immigration Agencies Recruiting on Campus As colleges stage spring career fairs, many are inviting government agencies—including CBP. But some students don’t want immigration officials on campus amid Trump’s national deportation campaign. https://bit.ly/4ckjdrW

NIH Avoided Funding Cuts. But It Lacks Permanent Leaders in Top Posts. After Trump administration terminations and other departures, the federal research funding agency has acting directors leading more than half of its 27 institutes and centers. https://bit.ly/3ZoO6E6 #EDUSky #AcademicSky

At least 32 kids entered foster care in 2025 after immigration agents detained their parents. That includes four toddlers ages 1-3 in Vermont. Here’s my story on the patchy tracking of family separations through the foster care system. www.notus.org/immigration/...

Can Embattled Women’s and Gender Studies Programs Survive? Scholars say recent Republican-led attacks on the field are nothing new, but nonetheless alarming. https://bit.ly/4a4dB3C #AcademicSky #HigherEd #EDUSky

EXCLUSIVE: When Senate Bill 17 went into effect in 2024, Texas universities were forced to enact anti-DEI policies. Since then, 12 queer resource centers or programs have closed — along with layoffs or transfers of at least 100 people. thebarbedwire.com/2026/02/05/c...

On July 22, an NCAA staffer emailed Cincinnati's AD and asked him to lean on a congressman to back the SCORE Act. That same day, the congressman got a donation. From the PAC of the lobbying firm the NCAA employed to pass the bill. FOIAball has ALL the deets. www.foiaball.com/p/ncaa-score...

Last night, Trump posted a video to his social media platform that contained a racist clip showing Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. It's still up:

Oklahoma Gov. ended tenure at regional and community colleges. Research university faculty may still earn it, with regular review. www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty... #AcademicSky @insidehighered.com

The Ed Dept sent a message to colleges & universities nationwide today: any that use data released this year by a massive student voting study risk being labeled violators of a federal law protecting student privacy, & suffering financial consequences for it. www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Ensign College Goes All-In on Three-Year Degrees The college, which is part of the Mormon church’s educational system, was approved to offer three-year degrees two and a half years ago. Now, all 10 of its majors will be available in a reduced-credit format. https://bit.ly/4tkGvny #EDUSky

Last May, St. John's University announced a partnership with Customs and Border Patrol to create the Institute for Border Security and Intelligence Studies. Now they've suspended the partnership following faculty and student outrage over the deal. www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos and publisher Will Lewis “are embarking on the latest step of their plan to kill everything that makes the paper special,” Ashley Parker writes. theatln.tc/UIN69Qt0

Whatever you think of the Washington Post at this moment, here's a chance to support the dedicated, hard-working journalists who were just laid off. If you have the means, your donation is most welcome. If you don't, a kind thought and maybe spreading the word to others is support enough 💙

A ‘Barrage of Bills’ Would Overhaul Higher Ed in Iowa—If They Actually Pass www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

Very sad to log on to see that the Washington Post has hired a bunch of media executives from the Jim Bankoff School Of Understanding Sports. Stupid decision made by stupid people who have nothing but contempt for their actual audiences.

The Washington-Baltimore News Guild strongly condemns the layoffs announced today at The Washington Post. These cuts represent yet another blow to a newsroom that has already been pushed to its limits and a disservice to the readers who rely on The Post for rigorous, independent journalism.

I sat down to do my taxes yesterday for the first time as a #smallbusinessowner, and like any good writer, I instead wrote a blog post It's what I've learned about subscription models over the past five months and a bit about the numbers of this newsletter. www.foiaball.com/p/why-i-want...

Israeli military start-ups brought in a record $15.6 billion in investments in 2025, up from $12 billion in 2024. Industry experts predict that the trend will continue to rise as the U.S. and other NATO countries surge defense budgets.

Exclusive: Homeland Security has used what’s known as an administrative subpoena, a legal tool that federal agencies can issue without an order from a judge or grand jury. Under President Trump, DHS has weaponized the tool to strangle free speech.

Nine More Higher Ed Names in the Epstein Files Through coffees, phone calls and private flights, at least nine more academics are linked to Jeffrey Epstein in the latest disclosure of documents from the Justice Department. https://bit.ly/49UlU1U #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

Hours after the New York Times reported the federal government was no longer seeking a cash settlement from Harvard, President Trump demanded a $1 billion payout. www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...