Total Campus Report - Efficient & valuable curated higher ed developments delivered once per week. |
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Ohio State President Johnson announces her resignation. The move comes “following an investigation conducted by an outside firm into concerns about her that were raised by staff,” according to The Columbus Dispatch. She will serve the rest of the academic year. In May of 2022, Johnson was selected to represent the Big Ten on the CFP’s Board of Managers. No word on when or who will take over that assignment. (link); Johnson's tenure included a record $1.23B in research expenditures, raising $125M towards the Scarlet & Gray Advantage financial aid program and investing $3.5B into OSU's physical infrastructure. (link); Johnson: "These past several years have brought much personal satisfaction as well. Veronica and I quickly felt welcomed as full-fledged members of the campuses and local communities. We want to thank the amazing students, faculty and staff of Ohio State, the alumni, parents, supporters and all of Buckeye Nation, including my cabinet and the Board of Trustees, for the camaraderie you have shown us as we reached new heights together." (link); College Football Playoff Executive Director Hancock says Johnson is still on the CFP Board of Managers. Per ESPN’s Dinich, Hancock indicates he hopes Johnson stays on the board through the end of her term in Columbus. (link)
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Louisville selects Towson President Schatzel as its next president, effective February 1. Schatzel will make $925K with WDRB’s Otts reporting: “According to top trustees, they want her to make more than Cards AD Heird. [...] Schatzel will earn $1.12 million annually if her retirement incentive is included, whereas U of L athletics director Josh Heird earns an $850,000 salary and is eligible for a $125,000 in annual incentive, according to a U of L spokesman.” (link, link); The Washington Post’s Douglas-Gabriel pens a background on Schatzel’s tenure at Towson, with UofL Board of Trustees Chair Dixon noting: [Schatzel’s] “impressive climb through the academic ranks, as well as her extensive experience both in the business community and in health care, make her uniquely qualified to lead the university into our next chapter as Kentucky’s premier metropolitan research university.” (link); Schatzel, on her intention to be a long-term president: “I want to make it real clear, you’re stuck with me. … to make the kind of transformational change that everyone wants to participate in, it takes time, so I’m committed for that timeframe.” (link)
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With more than one month remaining, North Carolina’s Campaign for Carolina surpassed $5B from over 215K donors. With the milestone, UNC is one of six U.S. public universities to surpass $5B in a single campaign and the only public or private institution based in the South to do so. Of the donors who have contributed, over 106K are new donors and over 96K are alumni while 74 donors made gifts of $10M or more. (link)
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The University of Nebraska System announced the public launch of “Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future,” an effort to encourage and engage at least 150K donors to give a combined $3B for student success and access ($1.6B), faculty support and academic programming ($750M), and research that will address the needs of the state ($650M). The campaign will support all system campuses and more than half of the campaign goal has been given or pledged from over 112K benefactors. (link, link)
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Details of incoming Florida President Sasse’s five-year, $10M contract include: a $1M base salary with a 4% maximum annual raise, $812K maximum performance bonus, $800K in contributions to a retirement account over the course of the contract and a $1M deferred compensation retention bonus upon completion of the five-year term. Other features are a term life insurance policy that starts at $3M and increases yearly based on salary; a supplemental disability insurance policy with a guarantee of 60% of his salary; tuition waivers for his his spouse, children, parents and grandchildren; travel benefits for his wife and three children; paid family health insurance should he lose coverage before his university policy takes effect; and a post-presidential faculty appointment, with salary and assignment determined by the board chair. (link)
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West Virginia named North Texas AD Baker to the same post in Morgantown, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Thamel: “For West Virginia's brass, Baker's roots growing up in rural Oklahoma were viewed as an asset, as his background fits the school's blue-collar vibe.” (link, link); President Gee: "When we began this search, we were determined to find someone who could lead in the modern realities of intercollegiate athletics and build on the legacy of his predecessors. We wanted someone who clearly understood the dynamics of a fast-changing athletics environment and had found success being at the forefront of this new world that includes managing NIL and the portal. We looked at a number of well-qualified candidates and, at the end of the day, Wren met every one of our needs." Baker will begin on December 19 and has signed a six-year agreement through December 31, 2028. He will earn yearly compensation of $1.1M plus incentives. (link); CollegeAD publishes more details of Baker’s contract. $1.1M base for the first two years, then annual $50K increases over the last four. Annual incentives possibly total $125K in year one with $25K per year bumps. If WVU chooses to replace Baker without cause it would owe 75% of base left on the deal. In the other direction, Baker would pay $1M before the end of next year, a total that decreases by $200K annually. West Virginia is also covering Baker’s $250K buyout at UNT. (link); Multiple media outlets report Baker will retain Football Head Coach Brown for another season. (link)
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Presidents & Chancellors in the News |
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Take a peek at the slide show from Arizona President Robbins’ recent State of the University address, which includes an overview of UA’s brand strategy, R&D expenditures and key achievements across athletics, academics, research and student success. (link) |
Arizona State President Crow shares the drivers behind his push to address inequities in higher education, including a realization during his undergraduate studies that the “rules” governing education were exclusive: “After a while, I began hearing that all the really good schools were the ones that didn’t let anybody in, and I literally said to myself, ‘How can those be the good schools? Wouldn’t the good schools be the ones producing all the people who are going out and doing all the things that we need?’” Among the changes he and ASU are championing include an emphasis on lifelong learning, an increased push for inclusivity and a physical expansion of the campus footprint. (link)
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Michigan President Ono will solicit feedback from faculty regarding the direction of the university: “I heard loud and clear from many of you that it hasn’t been clear what kind of University of Michigan we want to be in the future. It hasn’t been clear where we’re headed. We want to harvest your ideas, your innovation, too, so that we can all have a clearer understanding of where we’re headed. … We hope that within a year we’ll have a clearer vision of where we’re headed so we can all go in the same direction and really maximize the efficiency of this great institution.” (link)
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In an op-ed for the Lansing State Journal, interim Michigan State President Woodruff pens on the “intentional journey” the university is on to improve how it responds to sexual misconduct, relationship violence and workplace harassment. Woodruff credits recent investments into education on mandatory reporting, Title IX and compliance staff, and health promotion programming for an uptick in RVSM-related reports and investigations, as detailed in a yearlong study published by USA Today. Current efforts include a campus climate survey, an internal audit of the Title IX office and a Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Strategic Plan, “the only university-level strategic plan of its kind that we are aware of, which is interoperable with our university strategic plan and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan,” per Woodruff. More Woodruff: “While our direction and momentum are good, we will not be satisfied until everyone who passes through our doors feels confident and enabled to achieve their major as well as their mission in life. This is our commitment to those who travel on the pathway created by our experiences and by the differences we make.” (link)
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In an address to the Greater Cayce West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Board of Trustees Chair Westbrook expressed support for the university’s closed presidential search process, explaining it allowed the Board to consider sitting heads of academic institutions. Regarding the state legislature’s effort to reorganize the board, Westbrook noted: “The legislation didn’t pass and it died at the time at the end of that session… we’ve had some change, not only with the new president. I was elected as the new chairman about three months ago, and we have a new vice chair as well. And things are going very well. With the new president, we've seen not only a growth in what's going on with our students and our research, but also a lot more excitement about where things are at the university.” (link)
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Stanford’s Board of Trustees will oversee an investigation into allegations of scientific misconduct in research involving President Tessier-Lavigne after website PubPeer challenged the authenticity of multiple images in four papers he co-authored circa 2016. Tessier-Lavigne: “Scientific integrity is of the utmost importance both to the university and to me personally. I support this process and will fully cooperate with it, and I appreciate the oversight by the Board of Trustees.” (link, link)
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Listen in to Texas A&M President Banks addressing questions from last month’s Faculty Senate meeting, which includes news that the search for a provost will begin in the spring. Further, Banks on the university’s budget related to ongoing reorganization efforts: “We’re evaluating our budgeting process now. Faculty Senate has a representative on that committee that will assess the current budgeting model. … [A&M’s chief financial officer] believes we may have a plan of action by this summer but we wouldn’t implement it in year one. We would probably have some sort of phased approach over a two year period.” Full Q&A. (link)
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Wake Forest President Wente delivered her second annual presidential address on November 17, highlighting updates to the Strategic Framework process and sharing the proposed “unique value proposition” developed by the Core Planning Team: “Wake Foresters will embody Pro Humanitate at home and in the world.” Additional thematic goals formed by the CPT include serving as a lifelong learning community, fostering a community of inquiry through research and creative work, and building meaningful partnerships that support a commitment to fostering wellbeing among WFU’s local, regional and global communities. Wente’s vision for the university includes becoming a national role model for innovation in experiential learning and professional development, accountability in inclusive excellence and excellence in defined scholarship and research areas. (link); Wente emphasized the university’s goals through the Strategic Framework process, enumerating the “Who we are” questions the process seeks to define, the three core commitments guiding the university’s mission and the three thematic goals of the process. Wente: “Ultimately, my vision is that our strategic framework will enable and strengthen our ability to be a catalyst for good in society. I want us to be continually recognized as a national model for graduating leaders with integrity and courage, for innovation in learning, for excellence in defined scholarship and research areas, for inclusive excellence, for bold decisions and for entrepreneurial partnerships.” (link)
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Former West Virginia AD Lyons talks candidly about his exit from Morgantown, telling WV MetroNews’ Kercheval that, while he’ll always be a West Virginian, there “will be some bitterness there.” Asked if he was referring to President Gee, Lyons says: “Yes. They call themselves friends and did blindside. That’s not the way I do business. … To my knowledge, this decision was made at a campus level and was taken to the board.” Lyons also says he had a “good indication” he would be let go but was still surprised by the decision. “I look at it like I’m the scapegoat.” The decision to extend Football Head Coach Brown, Lyons continues, was not a unilateral one on his part: “This wasn’t overnight, this was several backs and forths, and President Gee was involved and (Vice President for Strategic Initiatives) Rob Alsop was involved and ultimately the chairman of the board, Dave Alvarez signed off.” (link, link)
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In his weekly video update, Kansas Chancellor Girod introduces KU Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Leeper before diving into challenges KU and higher education as a whole face in the current social and political climate. (link) |
During his State of the University address, Florida State President McCullough called the university “an academic powerhouse on the rise,” promoting the school’s record number of applications and amount of public and private investments. McCullough reaffirmed his nine institutional goals, including achieving recognition as a Top 15 institution in the country and AAU membership. McCullough: “We have bold and audacious goals, and of course we cannot accomplish them alone. As a public institution, we are uniquely positioned to improve the quality of life at Florida State University, but also the quality of life in the State of Florida.” (link)
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Michigan President Ono was named chair of the Fulbright Canada Board of Directors and will serve a three-year term as a U.S. member after concluding his current three-year term as a Canadian member. (link) |
Minnesota President Gabel speaks with student journalists about a variety of topics, including the recent resignation of Regent Sviggum after he made a comment about the diversity of the UM-Morris campus, the launch of Operation Gopher Guardian and negotiations with the Teamsters Local 320 and AFSCME 3800 unions. On the latter issue, Gabel: “These negotiations are not easy, but we know both sides came to the table wanting what was best for our workers in the communities that they represent. Our collective bargaining agreements are voted into effect by those unions and they agreed to the terms and they will go to the Board of Regents for approval in December. Those get at pay increases and an effort to do a variety of other things that go into the quality of life of being employed at the University of Minnesota. We’re in a very challenging time with inflation. It has hit a lot of people really hard, particularly many of our employees who are represented, so we want to make sure they earn enough. We continuously evaluate every year as we do for our employees who are not in unions to make sure that people are paid fairly.” (link)
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Maryland President Pines delivered the opening address at the inaugural Quantum World Congress in Washington, D.C., promoting the university’s role as a leader in science and technology based in part on its work in quantum physics and quantum engineering research. Pines: “This is important because all of this work isn’t just about new technology and new knowledge, it’s about improving the lives of all humankind through quantum science. Quantum is an enabler that will help us tackle the grand challenges of our times.” (link)
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North Carolina Chancellor Guskiewicz joins student journalists to reflect on the university’s “victories and unprecedented challenges” over 2022, including the Supreme Court admissions case, campus safety, and campus housing. On the Supreme Court case: “It's about really protecting our democracy and the types of decisions that your generation will be out there participating in that democracy. And being able to be part of decision-making, we'll be made better and in a more informed way, having sat in our classrooms and had conversations around whatever the topic might be in the classroom alongside students with different lived experiences. That to me is critically important for protecting our democracy.” Regarding plans for the upcoming year: “I talk often about building our community together. That's the first strategic initiative in Carolina Next strategic plan. We have to continue to listen to our community, we have to continue to find ways that the diverse student body that I talked about earlier, has all the opportunities to thrive here at Carolina. And there's always room for improvement.” (link)
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Arizona State named School of Politics and Global Studies Director Hinojosa to serve as dean of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. (link) |
Arizona State is working with Korn Ferry on its Football Head Coach search process. (link) |
Colorado named veteran policy strategist Piper as senior vice president for external relations and strategy for CU’s system administration. Piper most recently served as chief of staff for Congressman Perlmutter. (link) |
CBS’ Dodd via Twitter: “It was strongly suggested to me that if UCLA is forced to stay in Pac-12, common sense move is Big Ten HAS to fulfill that media rights contract. It would go get the likes of Oregon & Washington (maybe more) & effectively collapse the Pac.” (link)
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Colorado elevated Assistant Vice President for Engagement Salazar to the position of vice president for outreach and engagement. (link) |
Kansas selected interim New Mexico Dean Mafi as executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, effective March 1, 2023. (link) |
Michigan State Trustee O’Keefe resigned from the position due to concerns about the lack of transparency related to the resignation of former Business School Dean Gupta and the interim presidential selection process. O’Keefe in a resignation letter to Governor Whitmer: "My fear is that the Board will bypass yet another opportunity for institutional transparency … I hope University influencers and stakeholders demand answers regarding the termination of the former Business School Dean, as well as the Interim President selection process. The population served by the Board is worthy of such answers. My belief is that the shadows of the University's past will continue to linger if true change remains aspirational and the Board does not practice the transparency it works to promote." (link); Newly-elected Trustees Denno and Jefferson spoke with WKAR about engaging with campus stakeholders and rebuilding trust. Jefferson: “Transparency is about telling the community what we're going to do, and then giving them a tool to measure and assess whether or not we've done it. And so I'll try to bring that same type of transparency to other aspects of our board governance.” Denno on the university’s presidential search: “One, I'd like to see someone who, who understands the Midwest. And two, I'd like to see someone who has the skill sets and the ability to manage a large complex organization like Michigan State University. And three, I think we need a president who is really going to sit down and listen to the community at Michigan State.” (link)
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North Carolina selected Oregon Senior Vice President for University Advancement Andreasen as its next vice chancellor for development, effective January 23, 2023. (link) |
Northwestern Assistant to the President Lowe will step down at the end of Fall Quarter after serving in the position since 1999 and joining the university in 1995. (link) |
Notre Dame named Research Senior Director of Planning and Business Operations McNulty as associate vice president for academic finance and administration, effective Dec. 5. (link) |
Oregon State removed the interim tag from Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Vignos. (link) |
Penn State named Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service Executive Director Terry as its next vice president for outreach, effective January 23, 2023. (link) |
Purdue announced three finalists for its provost search: Jeannie and Jim Chaney Dean of the College of Pharmacy Barker; College of Science Frederick L. Hovde Dean Wolfe; and College of Health and Human Sciences Dean Underwood. (link) |
USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Zukoski will step down from the role effective January 1, 2023, to return to a full-time teaching and research position. Executive Vice Provost Graddy will serve as interim provost while a national search takes place. (link) |
Tennessee reorganized its Division of Finance and Administration, including appointing Southern Research Executive Vice President of Finance and Strategy Allen as interim senior vice chancellor for finance and administration, effective January 3, 2023, elevating the Office of Information Technology to a stand-alone unit and appointing UT System Chief Information Officer Padilla as vice chancellor for information technology and digital innovation. (link)
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The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents voted to accept an invitation to join the University of Texas System, selecting the UT System over the Texas A&M, Texas State and Texas Tech systems. While all systems promised SFA would retain its autonomy in many areas, regents indicated that joining the UT System was the most attractive option because of the access to the Permanent University Fund, which consists of assets created by oil and gas revenue from 2.1M acres of land in West Texas that earn billions of dollars annually. (link)
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Washington selected Associate Vice President for Communications Martin to serve as the university’s next Vice President for Marketing and Communications. In the position, Martin will provide oversight on UW’s brand strategy, marketing, reputation development as well as university-wide brand cohesion and integrated communication strategies. (link)
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Washington President Cauce appointed a 17-member search committee to identify candidates to serve as the university’s next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, with a goal start date at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year. (link) |
West Virginia elevated Health Sciences Assistant Vice President for Budget and Planning Paletta as the university’s next chief budget officer. Paletta will continue in her role with Health Sciences as well as lead WVU’s budget planning team, oversee capital budget politics and processes and support the implementation of a redesigned budget model. (link)
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Former West Virginia AD Lyons returns to Alabama as Executive Deputy AD/COO. (link); Back in Morgantown, Lyons’ buyout agreement has been finalized and will pay him $2.1M plus $312K in incentives earned this year, with Lyons staying on payroll through January 5 as Special Asst. to the President, per MetroNews’ Brocato. (link)
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Wisconsin is using TurnkeyZRG for its Football Head Coach search. (link) |
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In addition to their work on buyout/payout amounts for well over half of Power 5 ADs, Sportico & WME agent Lattinville also have updated compensation numbers, which sees Texas AD Del Conte ($2.17M), Texas Tech’s Hocutt ($1.639M), Ohio State’s Smith ($1.58M), Alabama’s Byrne ($1.49M) & Texas A&M’s Bjork ($1.45M) as the top five in salary. Interestingly, Penn State AD Kraft is set to make $3.15M in total compensation, leading the list when using total comp as the filter. Lots here, including Arizona State's Anderson having a cohort-high max bonus amount of $3.25M. (link)
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Alabama’s Human Resources Office is investing $40M in faculty and staff pay raises via the HReimagined initiative, which includes a minimum wage increase to $14 per hour for regular benefits eligible, non-exempt (hourly) employees and a second increase to $15 per hour after the first pay period in January 2023. (link) |
New Arizona State Football Head Coach Dillingham’s compensation is “expected to be in the $3.8M” range per The Athletic’s Haller, who adds that it is a “standard five-year deal, the maximum the state allows” and should the NCAA hand down penalties the deal “can extend.” (link) |
Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger was first with the news of Auburn finalizing a deal with Liberty Football Head Coach Freeze. The Tigers will pay the Flames $3M for Freeze’s buyout. (link, link); Freeze inks a six-year deal at an average of $6.5M annually. (link)
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ESPN boss Pitaro, from Wednesday’s SBJ Media Innovators event, on how the Big Ten rights agreement played out: “We operate with discipline. We have a very sophisticated strategy team. We have a very sophisticated rights acquisitions team run by Burke Magnus. When we looked at it, it was fewer games. The games were not what I would call the ‘A’ package, the quality that we typically acquire. And our rights fee was going up significantly. And so we just couldn't make it work.” (link)
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Colorado made an $8B impact nationally and $5.2B impact across the state between fiscal years 2018-22 via commercialization activities led by Venture Partners. The figures represent a four-fold increase since the previous impact report published in 2019. Of note, Venture Partners held 315 unique commercialization agreements, which generated $20.1M in revenue for the university. (link); The Colorado System Office of Advancement released its annual Impact Report to Donors, reporting that during the last fiscal year, 44,489 donors made 69,042 gifts totaling $377.2M. (link)
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Kansas' contract extension with Football Head Coach Leipold will pay him $5M next year with annual $100K raises through 2029 and a guarantee his salary will stay "within the top half of the Big 12" beyond 2024, according to The Athletic’s Olson, who also reports the extension includes a $5M pool for AC salaries and $2.5M for staff. There are annual $100K raises for those pools as well. (link); If by July 1, 2023, KU has not made “meaningful and substantial progress toward renovating the Anderson Family Football Complex,” Leipold “shall have the right to terminate” the agreement without a buyout. The same applies if the Jayhawks have not made progress toward adding additional square footage to the complex or renovating Memorial Stadium by December 15, 2023. (link); Full contract. (link)
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Kentucky Football Head Coach Stoops signed a contract extension through the 2030 season, with an $8.6M annual salary starting in February. The new deal no longer has automatic extensions for winning a certain number of games, but does come with an $800K bonus for winning a national championship. He owes $4.5M if he leaves before June 30, 2023, a sum that decreases by $500K each year. (link); Scroll all the way down for the full copy of the amended contract. (link)
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Michigan State alumnus Ishbia spills on his financial involvement with Football Head Coach Tucker’s 10-year, $95M extension that was signed one year ago. Ishbia, who gave $32M to athletics in February 2021: “I gave another $14 million to Michigan State, is what I gave. And the reality is, a 10-year, $95-million contract sounds like a lot right now. In eight years, that will be the middle of the road.” (link)
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Minnesota’s College of Continuing and Professional Studies received a $32.5M unrestricted gift from college alumna Larson, representing the largest gift the college has ever received. The gift will establish an endowment for the Karin L. Larson Legacy Scholarship, which was awarded to over 80 students this fall for the academic year. (link) |
Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger with the details on Ole Miss Football Head Coach Kiffin’s extension to continue leading the Rebels: Six years with roll-overs to extend to eight years, $9M/year and will be run through the school’s private foundation, since the state doesn’t allow public employees to have contracts longer than four years. (link)
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Missouri will launch three new scholarship programs for first-year, nonresident students during the 2023-24 academic year: The Tiger Border County Award 1 and 2, which will provide a $21,500 award and a $17,000 scholarship, respectively, and are automatic to those who qualify; and the Columns Award, which will start at $15,000. Each is renewable up to four years. (link)
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Action Network’s McMurphy reports new Nebraska Football Head Coach Rhule’s eight-year contract is worth $72M. NFL Network’s Rapoport notes that the Huskers offset the “vast majority of the $34M the Panthers still owed him.” (link, link); More specifics from the Lincoln Journal Star’s Just: Eight years, $74M, 90% guaranteed, “some deferred compensation,” $7M annually for his staff. (link); More from USA Today’s Berkowitz and The Athletic’s Sherman. The deal includes four separate $1M deferred payments that have vesting dates in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2030. Annual salary starts at $5.5M, goes to $12.5M in the final year. Bonuses include $150K for any bowl game, $300K for winning the Big Ten Conference Championship game, $650K for winning the CFP National Championship. (link, link)
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Discovery to Impact, the research commercialization and innovation group at Texas, formed a $10M UT Seed Fund to invest in startups built on university-owned intellectual property. (link) |
Washington Football Head Coach DeBoer signs a contract extension that could keep him in charge of the Huskies program through the 2028 campaign. Action Network’s McMurphy reports the deal includes a $1M raise in 2023, bumping his earnings to $4.2M. Comes with $100K increases annually and a $1M retention bonus if he is still at UW on March 15, 2028. (link, link)
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Newly named Wisconsin Football Head Coach Fickell’s deal is a seven-year one, starts at $7.5M and averages $7.8M. (link) |
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Arkansas’ Fine Arts Center, a facility listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will undergo a restoration over 70 years after it opened, with the renovation expected to begin in January 2023 for completion in Fall 2024. The refreshed design will include upgraded classroom spaces, more collaborative spaces in the library and a public lobby and common space between University Theatre and Concert Hall. (link)
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Auburn officials joined personnel from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to celebrate the groundbreaking of a research facility to house the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory. The research facility will include two buildings at Auburn Research Park and two buildings at a site near campus, with each housing work on conservation cropping systems, environmentally sound animal waste management, global climate change, improved poultry production practices, cotton disease control, improved forage production and the use of biochar in agriculture. (link)
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Iowa offers a snapshot of the progress it is making on several facilities fronts, including projects for the gymnastics, baseball, field hockey and wrestling programs. A feasibility study is underway for a new field hockey building that would include new team locker rooms, team space and press box. Discussions are ongoing to determine a specific size and possible locations. Pending approval from the Iowa Board of Regents, construction on a new training center for the gymnastics team and the Iowa spirit squad and dance team is expected to begin in the fall of 2023. For baseball, Duane Banks Field improvement proposals include a renovation to the press box, bleachers, concourse, dugouts and stadium entrance. The department is also in the beginning stages of an arena enhancement project that will modernize Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (link)
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Iowa State dedicated the $2.9M Off-Highway Vehicle Chassis Dynamometer Laboratory, part of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and supported by a lead gift of $1.8M from Danfoss Power Solutions. (link) |
The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved selection of an architect to design a new football operations complex, which will include strength and conditioning space, recovery facilities, sports medicine, nutrition, a dining facility, meeting space, coaches’ offices, and adjacent practice fields, among other amenities. (link) |
Oklahoma State is beginning a multi-year, $55M upgrade to the seating bowl of Boone Pickens Stadium. OSU has engaged architecture firm Populous and Tulsa's FLINTCO on the project. The first phase of the process is expected to conclude in late Summer 2023 and the second phase will begin following the final home game of the 2023 football season. (link)
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TCU announces a $10M gift from the Jane & John Justin Foundation to renovate the existing Bob Lilly Performance Center and construct a new Football Performance Center, plus a 10K-sq. ft. Restoration and Wellness Center for all TCU student-athletes. Renovation to the BLPC will include "a studio for the women’s triathlon program, plus a yoga/stretching room, expanded free weight and cardio space, expanded nutrition center and the addition of an outdoor warm-up area.” The new FB space will include a 20K-sq. ft. strength and conditioning spot, plus conference rooms and technology centers. The Athletics Human Performance Center Renovation and Expansion project has a $40M price tag and will be funded through private donations. Early 2024 is the targeted start date for construction. (link)
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Boston College will launch a Global Public Health and the Common Good major program. The degree, which will be administered by the Connell School of Nursing in partnership with the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, is expected to enroll 45 students and will require 12 courses totaling 36 credits, with courses covering subjects such as biostatistics, data analysis and epidemiology, as well as either a capstone project or service project. (link)
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University of California officials reached tentative agreements with the United Auto Workers on five-year contracts for postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers. Highlights of the contracts include the implementation of a salary scale that results in an 8% average salary increase for postdocs and a 4.5% pay increase for researchers in the contract’s first year; Up to $2,500 annual reimbursement for child care expenses with $1,000 annual increases; access to a pre-tax program to pay for transit costs; and a Postdoc Paid Leave program of 8 weeks of 100% paid family leave for all Postdocs, among other benefits. (link); Postdocs and researchers will continue to strike in solidarity with student workers who have yet to ratify an agreement. (link)
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According to Michigan’s 2022 Impact Report, the university generated 433 new inventions and 16 startups, which raised $760M in capital during FY22. Additionally, a new faculty service unit, Corporate Research Alliances, resulted in 94 corporate-sponsored research awards totaling $37.4M. (link) |
Ole Miss rebranded its Office of Research Integrity and Compliance to the Office of Research, Integrity, Security and Compliance (RISC) and created a new director of research security position to strengthen protections for university researchers. RISC Director King: “The responsibility of security is not new to our department. But the area is being enhanced and given a more appropriate standing within the department. The rebranding is our response to increased federal mandates in order to better support our researchers.” (link)
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The Moffett Family Foundation made a significant gift to Oklahoma to elevate the David Moffett Professorship of Corporate Finance within the Michael F. Price College of Business to the status of an endowed chair. (link) |
The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved the purchase of 25 airplanes for the expansion of OU’s aviation program, changing the name from the School of Aviation Studies to the School of Aviation, pending approval from State Regents. The Board also approved the addition of five new degree programs that seek to fill economic and societal needs, including a master of science in sustainability and master of science in applied computer science. (link)
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Purdue will resume requiring test scores, including SAT and/or ACT, beginning with the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Davis: “The evidence is clear that test scores provide essential information in a comprehensive admissions evaluation that enables us to ensure the optimal chance of success for each admitted student.” (link)
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Syracuse will extend its test optional policy for students applying for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. Additionally, students who do not submit test scores will still be eligible for merit scholarships. (link) |
Center for Politics Board member McKnight made a lead gift to Virginia for the creation of two professorships in the UVA Center for Politics: a tenured Bicentennial Professor of Politics and a John S. McCain Professor of Practice. (link) |
The total number of applications received across the Washington State System increased 34% YoY after the university implemented the use of the CommonApp in its admissions process. Other enrollment strategies include the university’s first-ever onsite admissions event in Puyallup and Mount Vernon, resulting in 250 admitted students, and an increase in Enrollment Management visits to community colleges across the state. President Schulz: “While our systemwide numbers are down 7.7% from where they were last fall, we are thrilled to be seeing early indications of a return to pre‑COVID application levels thanks to the coordinated efforts of faculty and staff across the system.” (link)
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The University of Wisconsin System reported a total fall enrollment of 160,782, a 1.3% decrease YoY, while the flagship campus reported a total enrollment of 49,587 based on 10-day figures. (link) |
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After collecting three years of student health data, Iowa State will develop a health and well-being strategic plan, which will include proactive measures as well as prevalence-based resources. More, including a summary of some of the study’s findings about sexual violence, substance abuse and mental health. (link) |
Kentucky President Capilouto provided an update on continued DEI efforts in the wake of a racially-motivated assault that occurred on campus earlier this semester, including Board of Trustees approval of a revitalization of Memorial Hall into a space dedicated to diversity and inclusion; an investment into holistic support for student health and well-being via virtual counseling options and a triage center; and additional support for college-based DEI officers. (link)
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NC State Chancellor Woodson shares an update on the university’s latest efforts related to student mental health and well-being, which include hiring temporary counselors, connecting with UNC System colleagues to provide additional counseling services via virtual drop-in sessions, establishing a network of approved off-campus providers and exploring a partnership with a teletherapy provider to increase counseling capacity. Additionally, Wolfpack faculty are being asked not to require absence documentation from students for the remainder of the semester and a wellness day has been scheduled for February 16, 2023. (link)
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Colorado welcomed Omega Psi Phi as the first historically Black fraternity to officially register as a Recognized Social Greek Organization and the first National Pan-Hellenic Council organization to come to Boulder’s campus permanently. Four additional NPHC organizations are currently recognized with provisional status. (link) |
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Stanford released the Annual Title IX/Sexual Harassment Report, noting that the number of reported incidents in the 2021-22 academic year increased YoY to 214. Among the outcomes of cases during the reporting period were seven employee terminations and one student expulsion. (link, link - full report)
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Vanderbilt’s Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion released the 2021-22 Report for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which highlights accomplishments such as the development of a Graduate and Professional EDI Council, the appointment of associate vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion ’Otukolo Saltiban and the creation of a strategic plan for the EDI division. Chancellor Diermeier: “The 2022 EDI report details the good progress we continue to make toward that goal, thanks to the commitment and collaboration among teams across campus. This is work that is never finished, but we can and must measure our progress along the way and continually identify opportunities to make Vanderbilt a place where every one of us feels confident that we belong.” (link)
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National Science Foundation Director Panchanathan was on campus at Mississippi State for NSF Day, which brought together researchers from the state’s higher education institutes for a day of engagement around current research priorities and funding opportunities. (link) |
The investigation into Virginia shooter Jones continues, with the New York Times reporting on a 2021 music video posted to YouTube showing Jones holding a gun and rapping about murder: [the video] “adds to the questions surrounding the university’s investigation of Mr. Jones in the months before the shooting. He had left a trail of warning signs, including a concealed weapon violation and a felony charge that was pleaded down to a misdemeanor.” Per a police search warrant inventory, conducted less than 12 hours after the shooting, Jones had “a semiautomatic rifle, a pistol, ammunition and a device designed to increase a weapon’s rate of fire in his dorm room on campus.” (link)
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Staying with the Hoos, over 9K students, alumni and community members attended the memorial service honoring the three members of Virginia’s football team who were killed in the November 13 shooting. (link) |
A missing Wisconsin student has been found thanks to a tip from a community member following a UW Madison Police Department request for information. (link) |
Our deepest condolences to the Purdue community, who mourns the passing of student Vijay Viswan. (link) |
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We also offer condolences to the Vanderbilt community following the passing of sophomore Emily Sotelo, who went missing during a hike in White Mountain National Forest. (link) |
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A California jury found the NCAA not liable for the passing of former USC FB student-athlete Gee in a suit that was seeking $55M in damages. Front Office Sport’s Christovich: “The questions the jury considered were related to whether the NCAA unreasonably increased the risks to Gee, and whether the NCAA unreasonably failed to minimize the risk to Gee. To both, the majority of jurors said no.” From the NCAA: “We are gratified that the jury, after considering four weeks of evidence and testimony, agreed overwhelmingly with our position in this case. The NCAA bore no responsibility for Mr. Gee’s tragic death, and furthermore, the case was not supported by medical science linking Mr. Gee’s death to his college football career. We express our deepest sympathies to Mr. Gee’s family. The NCAA continues to actively enhance player safety in collegiate athletics in its role as an athletic association. While the NCAA is not a medical body, it is at the forefront of funding the largest, independent study on the natural history of concussions in sports such as football. The NCAA is proud of its long track record of working to make sports safer in its role as an athletic association and will continue to aggressively defend against cases like this that wrongly try to exploit the legal system to unfairly target the NCAA.” (link)
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A lawsuit was filed on behalf of volunteer Division I baseball coaches alleging that the NCAA illegally limits not only the number of paid baseball coaches teams can hire, but also illegally price-fixes volunteer coaches’ salaries at zero. The complaint specifically argues, among other things, that volunteer coaches still perform full-time duties for no money while some ACs make six figures a year and HCs’ salaries can exceed $1M. The volunteer coaches are represented by the law firm Korein Tillery, which recently succeeded in winning a $185M settlement for MiLB in a lawsuit against MLB over low wages. (link)
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Auburn Associate Professor of Economics Stern was awarded just shy of $650K in damages from an Alabama jury last week after the group found that Stern, a former dean and chair of his department, had been illegally punished for blowing the whistle on the athletics program intervening in academic matters as they related to football student-athletes. Context: “In 2014, Auburn’s faculty athletics representative delivered a presentation to the University Senate asserting there was no clustering of Auburn athletes in any major, the lawsuit said. Stern challenged this idea, arguing that an unusual number of students on the football team seemed to be studying public administration.” At the time 23 out of 48 upperclassmen FB student-athletes were enrolled in public administration, compared to 88 of all 11,402 upperclassmen in the entire school. More from Inside Higher Ed. (link)
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Charges have been filed against seven Michigan State FB student-athletes for their involvement in the Michigan Stadium tunnel melee on October 29. Spartan player Crump has been charged with felonious assault, while student-athlete Windon has been charged with assault and battery. Five others have been charged with aggravated assault. (link); Interim MSU President Woodruff: "I do not condone inappropriate behavior by anyone on our campus or when representing MSU. And consequences are part of a learning environment, which were announced today. But I also believe that as universities, we must make our respective environments safe places for competition. The rivalry between our two schools predates the current presidents and will likely last long into the future. But student success is more important than any score and I am committed to working with the University of Michigan to enable that success on the field and in all of the places and spaces where rivalry foreshortens any students' pathway to that success. My commitment is to make changes that are meaningful to that goal and report back to the community before the end of the year." (link); Woodruff also responds to the Big Ten's review and sanctions: “What seems to be missing from the disciplinary outcomes are the learning opportunities that can and should coexist with findings of fault. We must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough, as leaders, to help further safety within our competitions through meaningful actions and education? Or are we risking the opportunities and livelihoods of young people without creating change for success in the future? To that end, we also welcome Commissioner Warren’s offer to work with our institutions to create such an environment for everyone involved." (link)
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The parents of late Stanford women’s soccer student-athlete Meyer have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university. ESPN reports: “At the time of her death Meyer, 21, was facing disciplinary action for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player who was accused of sexually assaulting a female soccer player. Meyer's father said his daughter was defending that teammate, who was a minor at the time. The lawsuit states that on the night of her death, Stanford ‘negligently and recklessly’ sent her the formal disciplinary notice that ‘contained threatening language regarding sanctions and potential 'removal from the university.’” The lawsuit, in part: “Katie's suicide was completed without planning and solely in response to the shocking and deeply distressing information she received from Stanford while alone in her room without any support or resources.” Stanford spokesperson Mostofi: “The Stanford community continues to grieve Katie's tragic death and we sympathize with her family for the unimaginable pain that Katie's passing has caused them. However, we strongly disagree with any assertion that the university is responsible for her death. While we have not yet seen the formal complaint brought by the Meyer family, we are aware of some of the allegations made in the filing, which are false and misleading.” (link)
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The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating allegations that Stanford is biased against men, as it offers several programs to support women but no male equivalents. The OCR is officially investigating five programs, including Women in Stanford Law, Stanford’s Women in Business and the Stanford Society of Women Engineers. (link)
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An Alabama jury awarded Auburn Professor Stern $645,837 in damages after determining that Stern’s former dean illegally punished him for speaking out about the high concentration of football student-athletes in the school’s public administration program. (link) |
Louisville filed a lawsuit against the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors after the accreditation for its Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, originally awarded through the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs, expired in May. The Kentucky Board is currently attempting to rescind licenses for students in the program who graduated after the accreditation lapsed. Per a letter from UofL to students: "As previously reported, the University’s CACREP accreditation expired on May 14, 2022. The University filed its self-study, triggering the start of the reapplication process for accreditation prior to the expiration. It was the University’s understanding that the program’s accreditation status would not be interrupted or altered during the pendency of the reapplication process, so long as it applied prior to the expiration. The University recently learned that both CACREP and the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (KBLPC) have taken the position that the program is not currently accredited and will not be accredited until the reapplication process is successfully completed, which is anticipated in January 2024." (link)
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Deals, Partnerships & Collaborations |
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A host of New York Times contributors go deep on athletic department deals (Michigan State, LSU, Colorado) with sportsbook companies. Some on campus question whether the deals violate the industry’s rules against marketing to underage people and push back with unhealthy addiction concerns surrounding gambling. Maryland School of Medicine’s Drexler estimates 75% of college students gambled in some capacity, including playing the lottery, in the past year and indicates that 20% say they do so weekly. Lots more, including how many of these deals were done quickly and quietly without necessarily every key administrator knowing about them. (link); A NYT investigation into the explosion of sports betting since the 2018 PASPA Supreme Court decision details the lobbying efforts of gambling entities and unique partnerships to grow its customer base. On campuses, sportsbook partnerships with athletic departments drew ire from a number of constituents including trustees and university leaders that were unaware of the deals. Colorado Regent Kroll on the Buffs’ $1.6M deal with PointsBet: “I think a lot of regents at the time, myself included, had some concerns about the agreement and what it meant for college sports and the university to partner with a gambling operation. … I think the reality is that college athletics has become a profit-maximizing endeavor for athletics administrators and coaches. And pretty much everyone else is left kind of holding the bag.” Lots more. (link, link)
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SBJ’s Smith writes on the rise of OTT plays for athletic departments led by LEARFIELD & WMT, as well as Sport & Story. Notre Dame & WMT kicked off the trend back in March of last year with Fighting Irish TV & now dozens of other schools have followed with LEARFIELD counting 29 streaming services now running under the Sidearm banner. WMT is also working with the likes of LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Oklahoma State & others. Smith: “What’s clear is that these streaming services are coming out in different formats, but there is a growing sense that OTT products are a major force in the ability for a school to tell its story.” (link)
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REVELxp has been selected as the first-ever Exclusive Experience Partner for the ACC. As part of the multi-year agreement, REVELxp will create, sell, and host premium hospitality experiences for the Subway ACC Football Championship Game, beginning with yesterday’s event, which will include the production of an inaugural pregame party at South Lawn Village next to Bank of America Stadium. (link)
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Auburn is partnering with Athlete Network to create the A Club Network, a branded digital platform that will engage current and former student-athletes and bring cohesion across all departments. (link) |
Clemson and University Fancards announce a partnership to make Fancards the official prepaid card of Clemson athletics. (link) |
Georgia Athletics selected Anthony Travel for its on-site travel management service needs. (link)
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Penn State is partnering with Mantra Health to provide clinically comprehensive mental health services to its student-athletes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (link) |
Campus Ink announces a deal with Penn State to serve as the Nittany Lions official NIL merchandising licensee. (link) |
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Purdue and Accenture signed a five-year agreement to support the development of smart manufacturing technology and workforce. Accenture has committed funding towards the Accenture Smart Factory, which serves as a central hub between Purdue, Accenture and industry partners, and the Accenture Smart Manufacturing Scholars Program, which will include a Women in Manufacturing scholarship. (link)
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Utah has been invited to join the University Innovation Alliance, a coalition of public research universities dedicated to increasing the number and diversity of college graduates in the country. Utah will be the only higher education institution in the state to join the alliance. (link) |
Arizona State signed a memorandum of understanding with Mexico to launch an alliance of universities in the US and Mexico to boost the production of semiconductors in North America. (link) |
NC State and Under Armor have partnered to advance textile and materials innovation through a new innovation center on Centennial Campus and a master research agreement to bring new discoveries to market. UA is expected to invest $1M in research with NC State over the next year. Chancellor Woodson: “The addition of Under Armour on campus will result in meaningful experiences for our faculty and students. Through shared expertise, we look forward to strengthening textiles innovation, improving sustainability and developing future leaders for the industry.” (link)
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Virginia has partnered with Jindal Global University to expand its engagement in India via student and scholar exchange and joint research opportunities. (link) |
Utah’s College of Engineering entered an education partnership with the US Air Force that will allow faculty and staff to work closely with Air Force researchers on topics such as machine learning, nuclear engineering and additive manufacturing and co-develop educational programs. (link) |
The Texas Library Coalition for United Action, which includes Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Texas, reached a new agreement with Elsevier, the world’s largest publisher of scientific journals, to offer journal subscriptions totaling a combined $4.5M annually in savings. (link) |
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