Leadership

Silent Sam No Longer Stands. But the Saga of UNC’s Confederate Statue Is Far From Over.

Activists and many faculty members cheered its stunning fall on Monday. But the question of what to do about it is as urgent, and complicated, as ever.

Faculty

For Historians, the Business of Studying Monuments Like UNC’s Silent Sam Takes a Toll

On campuses with reminders of bigotry, scholars have tried to do their jobs while a righteous present clashes with a racist past. To some, Monday’s toppling of a Chapel Hill statue felt like relief.

Teaching

What an Art Historian Learned From the Football Team

Mentoring athletes in McDaniel College’s Division III program has changed Gretchen McKay’s perspective on the challenges today’s students face — and even how she teaches.

Re:Learning

With Employers in the Mix, Can Badges Become More Than a Fad?

The promise of badges is clear: to help students get hired by highlighting their skills, not just their degrees. Whether the facts live up to that promise is another matter.

Technology

On Twitter, Students Want to Know: How Many Retweets for a Full-Ride Scholarship?

In the self-serving subculture of retweeting for fame, some universities have been hit with repeated requests for free tuition — if a prospective student can spur a storm of retweets.

Idea Lab: Mergers and Collaboration

Many colleges are looking to potentially merge or collaborate with their peers. But what do leaders need to know to do this well? Our latest Idea Lab collection offers advice and tips from colleges that have merged or formed partnerships to cut costs and expand academic programs. It’s available in the Chronicle Store.

Commentary

The ‘U.S. News’ College Rankings: a Modest Proposal

Taking a page from Jonathan Swift, one college president has a suggestion for improving the most popular college-ranking process.

Lingua Franca

Why Learning Chinese Makes So Much Sense

Mandarin is overtaking German among college-bound high-school seniors. Geoff Pullum reflects on what that might mean, and what the job prospects are.