Daily Lumina News 040323

In just a few months, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the legality of race-conscious admissions practices at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The decision in the two cases could have a far-reaching impact on higher education.
The president of James Madison University, who played a key role as a lawyer in the University of Michigan's Supreme Court cases 20 years ago, offers insight on what college leaders should be doing as they wait for the court's final opinion.

Amid the tidal wave of proposals across the country that would eliminate diversity efforts at public colleges, Ohio’s Senate Bill 83 stands out.
The 39-page bill could reshape higher education in the state, with provisions that would ban many diversity initiatives, require annual faculty performance reviews, create new graduation requirements, potentially bar Chinese students from enrolling, and mandate the language colleges must include in their mission statements.

As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis works to enact sweeping higher ed reforms in the Sunshine State, students and faculty alike are protesting legislation that would ban teaching certain topics, limit institutional authority, and undermine tenure protections.
But one group is remaining conspicuously silent: Florida’s college presidents.

Linda Hunt is working at her dream job—designing a high-tech softball bat and other projects for Easton Diamond Sports. How did she go from playing ball as a child to a career in research and development for the world’s leading manufacturer of baseball and softball equipment?
Hunt describes her journey in this video, which is part of a new digital series highlighting little-known jobs in big industries.

Responding to pressure to simplify the transfer process, the University of California is proposing a new pathway that would guarantee admission to California community college students who meet certain criteria.
But UC’s idea, unveiled last week, already faces criticism from lawmakers and college access advocates who fear the proposal will only make transferring more confusing for students.

Climate change is on the minds of many in the future Class of 2027, and could be a critical factor in how current high-schoolers make their final college choices in the coming weeks.
For many prospective students, climate change is an existential threat; as a result, colleges and universities across the country are seeking and finding innovative ways to curb their emissions and become more environmentally sustainable.