Jasper Smith

Jasper Smith

@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

Staff reporter at @chronicle.com covering how race and politics shape college campuses. Reality TV enthusiast, cookbook collector, cat mom. She/her. Reach me jasper.smith@chronicle.com

3.9K followers112 following11 posts

Jasper Smith reposted

Shea Vance
@sheatvance.bsky.social

NEW: U. Mich is pumping the brakes on its plan to pass/fail first-semester freshmen in one of its colleges. The president wrote to admins that "distorted" media coverage of the plan could hurt the reputations of the university and its students. For @chronicle.com: www.chronicle.com/article/u-of...

chronicle.comU. of Michigan Leaders Hit the Brakes on Pass/FailCiting “distorted narratives” about the university’s students in the news media, the president said more “input, analysis, and discussion” is needed before the pilot project begins.

Jasper Smith reposted

Shea Vance
@sheatvance.bsky.social

It’s hard to discourage students from using AI. It’s harder when the provost does it in his published work, professors said. A look inside Dartmouth’s campus firestorm over its chief academic officer’s AI use, with @garrettshanley.bsky.social for @chronicle.com: www.chronicle.com/article/dart...

chronicle.comDartmouth’s Provost Quietly Used AI in His Published Work. It’s Touched Off a Campus Firestorm.The incident adds fuel to a debate at the college over its embrace of AI.

Jasper Smith reposted

Stephanie M. Lee
@stephaniemlee.bsky.social

EXCLUSIVE: A book out next week from the Smithsonian claims to settle the debate about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. But at the eleventh hour, a Hemings relative who gave DNA to the study has dropped out. Her worry: the science in the book hasn't been vetted. www.chronicle.com/article/the-...

chronicle.comSally Hemings’s Oldest Descendant Gave the Smithsonian Her DNA. She Says It Lost Her Trust.On the eve of a new book that promises to settle the debate about Thomas Jefferson, a Sally Hemings relative is raising alarms that its science hasn’t been vetted.
Jasper Smith
@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

The debate over Ghent University’s handling of Nathan Cofnas has expanded beyond the merits of his accusations about Arday. It's become a proxy battle about whose viewpoint deserves protection. www.chronicle.com/article/shou...

chronicle.comShould Jason Arday’s Accuser Be Defended? American Scholars Disagree.More than 200 signed an open letter protesting Ghent University’s suspension of Nathan Cofnas. But Cofnas’s views have left some scholars with misgivings about that campaign.

Jasper Smith reposted

Megan Zahneis
@mzahneis.bsky.social

I wrote about Texas A&M's fall course-review process @chronicle.com. Some top-line results: Rhetoric and Film? OK, as long as discussion of critical race theory is removed. Contemporary Sociological Theory? Don't advocate while teaching. LGBTQ Literatures? Not allowed. #HigherEd

chronicle.comWhat Texas A&M Will — and Won’t — Let You TeachNewly obtained records reveal that two courses for the fall were canceled outright, while administrators demanded changes to others. Instructors say the deliberative process is a black box.

Jasper Smith reposted

Megan Zahneis
@mzahneis.bsky.social

@jasperjsmith.bsky.social has the deep dive on the U. of Florida's prospective new president and his track record of supporting DEI at Alabama — which one prominent conservative critic has cast as "aggressive," "illegal," and grounds for disqualification at UF. www.chronicle.com/article/the-...

chronicle.comThe U. of Florida Rejected a Former DEI Champion. Will Stuart Bell Face the Same Fate?At the university of Alabama, Bell doubled black enrollment after an aggressive diversity campaign to make the flagship reflect the state’s demographics.

Jasper Smith reposted

Chronicle of Higher Education
@chronicle.com

The University of Wisconsin system president, Jay Rothman, said in letters obtained by The Chronicle that the board would not tell him why they’d lost confidence in his leadership. https://chroni.cl/3O25JY4

chronicle.comA Board Asked Its President to Resign. He Won’t.The University of Wisconsin system president, Jay Rothman, said in letters obtained by The Chronicle that the board would not tell him why they’d lost confidence in his leadership.

Jasper Smith reposted

Eric Kelderman
@erickelderman.bsky.social

www.chronicle.com/article/bord... Blockbuster report from @jasperjsmith.bsky.social and @katiemangan.bsky.social on how GMU's Board tried to sink its president

chronicle.com‘Bordering on Insubordinate': How George Mason’s Conservative Board Chair Went After Its PresidentText messages obtained by <i>The Chronicle</i> detail a monthslong campaign to get Gregory Washington to dismantle its DEI programs and fall in line with Trump’s demands.

Jasper Smith reposted

Robert Kelchen
@robertkelchen.com

The University of Kentucky told the federal government that it has ties with over 1,200 organizations that are alleged to be discriminatory, including the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the Kentucky Maple Syrup Association (!).

chronicle.comWhy One Campus Told the Government It Has Ties With 1,200 Groups That ‘May’ DiscriminateThirty-one colleges agreed to send the Trump administration lists of potentially discriminatory partner groups. The University of Kentucky’s was quite long.
Jasper Smith
@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

To determine whether a group might racially discriminate, the University of Kentucky flagged organizations with identity-specific names, diversity statements, or race-specific DEI initiatives for possible membership cancellation. Is your organization on its list? www.chronicle.com/article/why-...

chronicle.comWhy One Campus Told the Government It Has Ties With 1,200 Groups That ‘May’ DiscriminateThirty-one colleges agreed to send the Trump administration lists of potentially discriminatory partner groups. The University of Kentucky’s was quite long.
Jasper Smith
@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

Administrators wanted a professor to pin-point when exactly he would talk about sexuality in a public policy class. When he couldn't, and instead said it would be brought up throughout the semester, they canceled his course. www.chronicle.com/article/this...

chronicle.comThis Spat Shows Just How Messy Texas A&M’s New Course Reviews AreAdministrators wanted a professor to pin-point when he would talk about sexuality in a public policy class. When he couldn’t, they canceled his course.

Jasper Smith reposted

Megan Zahneis
@mzahneis.bsky.social

New year, new opportunities with @chronicle.com's reporting fellowship! Two days until our Zoom info session and just over a week until we begin reviewing applications - young journalists, we'd love to read yours.

Jasper Smith
@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

As the Trump administration seeks to overhaul higher ed, two Virginia universities have landed at the center of its war on diversity efforts I talk with Jack Stripling on this week’s College Matters about why Virginia has become ground zero in that fight www.chronicle.com/podcast/coll...

chronicle.comHow Virginia Became Higher Ed’s BattlefieldWith one university president felled and another imperiled, fights over DEI in the commonwealth are getting brutal.

Jasper Smith reposted

Bill Grueskin
@bgrueskin.bsky.social

Trump, who said last year that he had “saved” historically Black colleges, has canceled $140 million in grants to them since March. Agencies told HBCUs “to change the language in grant applications that explicitly focus on Black people — or lose federal funding.” www.chronicle.com/article/hbcu...

chronicle.comHBCUs Reel as Trump Cuts Black-Focused Grants: ‘This Is Our Existence’HBCUs’ mission-driven effort to serve Black communities could now result in severe budget cuts under Trump’s crusade against DEI. It’s all a big misunderstanding, advocates say.

Jasper Smith reposted

Aallyah Wright
@aallyahpatrice.bsky.social

In Clarksdale, there's limited transportation and no movie theater. The town inspired Sinners, but many can't travel to see it in theaters. They created a petition to invite Ryan Coogler & team to host a public screening and experience the Delta. MY LATEST: capitalbnews.org/clarksdale-r...

capitalbnews.org‘Sinners’ Is Set in Clarksdale, Where There’s No Theater. Locals Are Asking for a Screening.The Mississippi Delta town launched a petition in hopes of bringing director Ryan Coogler and his team to the community that helped inspire the hit film.

Jasper Smith reposted

Chronicle of Higher Education
@chronicle.com

'This is a vast overstep': Trump's latest executive order limits what can be deemed as race and sex discrimination. Civil-rights lawyers say Trump's executive order will make it more difficult for students and employees to file complaints with OCR over systemic discrimination. chroni.cl/42O6NlX

chroni.clTrump Just Made It Even More Difficult to Accuse Colleges of Systemic Sexism and RacismAn executive order regarding disparate impact is a “vast overstep” and will likely face legal challenges, civil-rights lawyers say.

Jasper Smith reposted

Chronicle of Higher Education
@chronicle.com

In signing an order to close Department of Education, President Trump called for returning authority over education to state and local officials, while punishing colleges for allegedly failing to combat antisemitism and allowing transgender athletes to compete. www.chronicle.com/article/afte...

chronicle.comAfter Cutting Half Its Staff, Trump Signs an Order Directing the Education Department to CloseBut Thursday’s order also calls for continuing most of the department’s core functions, like financial aid and civil-rights enforcement. Congress would have to vote on an actual shutdown.

Jasper Smith reposted

Adam Harris
@adamhsays.com

Tennessee State is facing a financial shortfall and its interim president recently told lawmakers they would run out of money by May. Now, the HBCU expects to lose at least $14.4 million in federal grant funding. www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...

tennessean.comTennessee State University to lose $14M federal grant as massive Trump cuts continueThe cut, and more uncertainty over federal grants, come as the historically Black university faces a financial shortfall.

Jasper Smith reposted

Michael Theis
@mjtheis.bsky.social

I had the privilege to produce the photos for @jasperjsmith.bsky.social's recent deep dive into the campus reaction to Dr. Ibram Kendi's new home at Howard University. Here's a few alternate images from the assignment, which included candids of Kendi at an event, and portraits of Dr. Greg Carr.

Jasper Smith@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

Conservative critics said the antiracism scholar would “no doubt find a receptive audience” at Howard. But some faculty are concerned about the hire. They worry that Kendi is using the HBCU's brand to repair his image: www.chronicle.com/article/can-...

chronicle.comCan Ibram Kendi Find a New Home at Howard?Christopher Rufo said the antiracism scholar would “no doubt find a receptive audience” at the HBCU. That hasn’t been the case so far.

Jasper Smith reposted

Sarah Brown
@brownepoints.bsky.social

If you want the definitive story on what the heck has happened with expulsions, protests, and arrests at Barnard over the past couple of weeks — Maya Stahl, one of our ace spring interns, has got you covered:

chronicle.comHow Gaza Protests and Trump Threats Have Shaken Barnard CollegeThe women’s undergraduate college at Columbia University expelled two student activists. Now it has become mired in a messy debate about discipline.

Jasper Smith reposted

Chronicle of Higher Education
@chronicle.com

President Trump continues to threaten an executive order to shutter the Education Department. Higher education experts say the department doesn’t have to be eliminated to be weakened substantially. chroni.cl/4iurMQG

chroni.clThe Education Dept. Survives for Now, but Program and Staffing Cuts Cause UpheavalMany in higher ed have expressed concern that the department doesn’t have to be eliminated to be weakened substantially.

Jasper Smith reposted

Chronicle of Higher Education
@chronicle.com

A legal challenge to OCR’s Dear Colleague letter argues that the department’s references to discrimination are too vague, and fail to give clear indication of what programs are illegal. chroni.cl/3EVYpsh

chroni.clLawsuit Challenges Ed. Dept.’s Authority to Ban Diversity Programs, Alter Teaching on RaceThe Office of Civil Rights’ guidance would have a “devastating” effect on professors’ efforts to provide viewpoint diversity and equal opportunity in the classroom, the plaintiffs argue.

Jasper Smith reposted

Phil Lewis
@phillewis.bsky.social

Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for education secretary, said she’s not “quite certain” whether African American studies would be allowed under Trump’s executive order

chronicle.comHere’s What Linda McMahon, Nominee for Education Secretary, Had to Say About Higher EdShe discussed dismantling the Education Department, investigating colleges over antisemitism and DEI, and increasing access to noncollege opportunities.

Jasper Smith reposted

Adam Harris
@adamhsays.com

Replying to @adamhsays.com

Anyway, to put a finer point on it, the nominee to run the Department of Education is not willing to say schools won't be penalized for teaching Black history.

Jasper Smith
@jasperjsmith.bsky.social

Some Democratic lawmakers said Thursday’s event had a strange dynamic, given that the department’s existence is in flux. “The whole hearing right now feels kind of surreal to me,” New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan said. Highlights: www.chronicle.com/article/here...

chronicle.comHere’s What Linda McMahon, Nominee for Education Secretary, Had to Say About Higher EdShe discussed dismantling the Education Department, investigating colleges over antisemitism and DEI, and increasing access to noncollege opportunities.