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Welcome to The EDU Ledger! We’ve moved from Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.

Why California’s First Online Community College Faces a State Audit

Less than two years since its inception, Calbright College is facing a state audit as people wonder where the money has gone. Calbright, an online public college described as an alternative to traditional community colleges, promised to teach people more quickly and less expensively. On its website, it notes, “Calbright College was established with equity […]

March 18, 2020

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First Black Graduate of UVA’s School of Law Dies at 87

John F. Merchant, the first Black graduate at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Law and the first African American to serve on the United States Golf Association’s executive committee, died earlier this month at 87, reports The Richmond Free Press. Born in 1933, Merchant paved a way out of poverty by pursuing education. […]

March 18, 2020

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Maryland Expands Definition of Hate Crime In Honor of Slain Black Student

The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill Monday that would expand the definition of what a hate crime is, ultimately making it easier to convict someone accused of one, reports The Diamondback. Currently, the law reads that a person cannot commit a crime “because of another person’s or group’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, […]

March 18, 2020

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Ex-Jackson State President Caught in Prostitution Sting Pleads Not Guilty

Former Jackson State University (JSU) president William Bynum Jr. and ex-director of JSU Art Galleries Shonda McCarthy have both pleaded not guilty to charges made following a police prostitution sting at a hotel in February, reports the Clarion Ledger. Bynum is charged with procuring the services of a prostitute, false statement of identity and possession […]

March 18, 2020

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Report Highlights Impact of Prior Learning Assessments

As part of the Association of Community College Trustees’ (ACCT) focus on developing community college workforce strategies, a new policy brief analyzed the impact of prior learning assessments.

March 18, 2020

Report: Pandemic May Put Financial, Enrollment Strain On Colleges

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the campus closures that have ensued, could pose significant enrollment and financial challenges to colleges and universities, according to a recent report from Fitch Ratings, a credit rating agency.

March 17, 2020

Mormon Educators Offer to Help Brigham Young University’s LGBTQ Students Transfer

After Brigham Young University leadership reiterated a campus ban on “same-sex romantic behavior” on March 4, Mormon writer Meg Conley put out a call on Twitter, offering to edit application essays for LGBTQ students who wanted to transfer. Over 500 people – mostly Mormon and many in higher education – contacted her to ask how they could help. Some volunteered their proofreading skills, others offered their guidance as admissions staff, professors and financial aid officers.

March 17, 2020

Ed Department Releases Webinar, Fact Sheet On Ensuring Civil Rights During Pandemic

The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education released a webinar and fact sheet on Tuesday to help educators prevent discrimination and ensure accessibility to online programs for students with disabilities as more and more schools shift their courses to the web amid the coronavirus pandemic. The webinar focuses on the legal […]

March 17, 2020

Reflections on the Professional Development of a Successful Senior Diversity Officer in Higher Education

At a time when colleges and universities are faced with a plethora of challenges associated with modeling a complex campus community that mirrors the faces of the social and cultural demographics of our respective states and society, many university executive leaders such as presidents and chancellors look to key individuals to lead diversity, equity and […]

March 17, 2020

Idaho Senate Passes Anti-Affirmative Action Bill

Following a heated debate, the Idaho Senate voted 25-10 in favor of legislation that would forbid any preferences for women or minorities in state or local government hiring, contracting and public education, reported the Idaho Press on Thursday. “People need to be hired by their merits and competencies,” said Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, the […]

March 17, 2020

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Asian Students Continue to Face Racism Amid COVID-19 Fears

As fear surrounding COVID-19 continues to grow, Asian students continue to face racist and xenophobic behavior from their peers at various institutions. On Monday, Pipe Dream, the student paper at Binghamton University in New York, reported various recent racist incidents on its campus as a result of the virus. When the Kappa Phi Lambda, an […]

March 17, 2020

ACT and SAT Postponed to Mitigate Spread of Coronavirus

Spring college admissions tests, such as the ACT and SAT, are being rescheduled or postponed in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus, reported the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Advanced Placement students may be allowed to take their college credit exams from home. The April 4 ACT test has been rescheduled for June 13. […]

March 17, 2020

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California Assembly Members Introduce Amendment to Repeal Affirmative Action Ban

Two California assembly members have introduced an amendment that would repeal a ban on affirmative action in the state, reported The Daily Californian. The amendment, ACA 5, primarily authored by assembly members Shirley Weber and Mike Gipson, would allow for race and gender to be considered in hiring and college admissions. They are seeking to […]

March 16, 2020

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U of Minnesota-Twin Cities to Acknowledge Campus Situated on Dakota Homeland

The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities plans to release a statement that will recognize that the campus resides on Dakota homeland, reported the Minnesota Daily. The campus occupies land that Dakota people lived on for generations and treaties with the U.S. government forced tribes to relocate, making way for Europeans to establish a town that would […]

March 16, 2020

Democrats in Congress Introduce Bills to Limit Financial Harm to Students During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Democrats in Congress are trying to limit the impact of the coronavirus on students, as K-12 schools and higher education institutions close or move online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

March 16, 2020

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Bill Allotting $577 Million to Maryland HBCUs Clears Legislature

The Maryland Senate on Sunday unanimously passed legislation that would allot $577 million to the state’s four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) over 10 years. The Maryland House of Delegates, in a near-unanimous vote, passed the bill last week. It now goes to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan for consideration.

March 16, 2020

COVID-19: Be a Part of Flattening the Curve

What is a pandemic? A pandemic is a disease outbreak that is global in nature. Pandemics are well-documented in the recorded history of humankind. The evolution of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, as a pandemic, represents a first. A brief review of other pandemics sets the stage for our current challenge while also providing lessons to […]

March 16, 2020

Public Health Expert Says African Americans Are at Greater Risk of Death From Coronavirus

This week, the U.S. joined nations around the world in instituting sweeping emergency measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. In an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, schools and universities shut down, and concerts and conventions have been canceled. The NBA suspended the remainder of its season, along […]

March 16, 2020

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