J. Brian Charles, a senior reporter at The Chronicle, covers the intersection of race and higher education. Before joining The Chronicle, he helped relaunch Baltimore Beat, a Black-run newspaper, and served as its deputy news editor. He has also worked as a staff writer for The Trace, covering gun violence in communities of color. And he was a staff writer for Governing magazine, where he covered urban affairs. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Playboy, Slate, Baltimore Magazine, and New York magazine.
Stories by This Author
Reckoning With History
A 2021 law requires some colleges to repair the harm caused by their enslavement of Black Americans. Few students have benefited so far.
'Negative Results'
After relations soured, a consultant accused a college’s administration of “prioritizing whiteness.” The president’s attempt to hide the leaked document made things worse.
A New Era in Admissions
Asian students will now compose almost half the freshman class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. White enrollment was not affected.
A Bogus Pledge
University administrators, eager for a historic donation, ignored several warning signs, according to a new report.
Anticipating attacks
The university’s top leader says it’s a concession to the tremendous pressure that colleges are under as lawmakers seek to ban DEI efforts.
Holding On
The tiny HBCU experienced a cash crunch after its enrollment plummeted.
Turning Tides
He built his career advocating for underrepresented students. Now his movement is under organized attack.
Campus Activism
Students and faculty members say trust has been broken. CUNY’s leaders say they had no choice.
Campus Activism
President Nemat (Minouche) Shafik called some behavior by pro-Palestinian activists, including the takeover of Hamilton Hall, “acts of destruction, not political speech.”
Confronting Conflict
At a convening, college leaders discuss ways they can proactively teach students to engage and see past identity.