Quick hits.
- The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would allow people with concealed-carry permits to bring firearms to public-college campuses. The measure, which has already passed the state Senate, now goes to Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, for his signature. (Associated Press)
- Stanford University will raise undergraduate tuition by 7 percent for the coming academic year. The annual cost of attendance will be $82,000. (Inside Higher Ed)
- Resident doctors and fellows at the University at Buffalo, part of the State University of New York, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the Union of American Physicians & Dentists. (The Buffalo News)
- Recently released text messages by Bert Ellis, a new board member at the University of Virginia, reveal his fight against giving slavery too much weight in the institution’s story, as well as his defense of Thomas Jefferson’s legacy. (The Washington Post)
- Cornell University returned ancestral remains to the Oneida Indian Nation that had been dug up and stored for decades in the institution’s archives. (Associated Press)
The aftermath of a mass shooting.
After a shooting spree at Michigan State University last week left three students dead and five critically injured, campus leaders had some major responsibilities: help their community process grief and regain a sense of safety on campus, facilitate a return to the classroom, and examine what could be done to improve campus security. It’s a set of duties that has become familiar to the leaders of other institutions that have experienced tragedies on and around their campuses, especially in an era when mass shootings take place almost every day.
Michigan State’s interim president, interim provost, and chief of police answered questions this week from our Kate Hidalgo Bellows about how they see their roles in the midst of this tragedy and the kinds of support they have received from other college leaders.
“Sadly, it’s a club,” said the interim president, Teresa K. Woodruff, of the many colleges with similar experiences. Still, she said, “the academy comes together to grieve, but also to support.”
Here’s more of Kate’s group interview.
Don’t miss our ‘Trends’ rundown today!
Catch up on our 2023 Trends Report and ask your questions today at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific, in a discussion exclusively for Chronicle subscribers. Join us here, or sign up to watch later on demand.
Comings and goings.
- Sonya Christian, chancellor of the Kern Community College District, was named on Thursday as the next chancellor of the 116-campus California Community Colleges system, which serves 1.8 million students. Christian, who will take office on June 1, will be the first woman and the first person of South Asian heritage to lead the system on a permanent basis.
- Stephen Gange, executive vice provost for academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins University, has been named interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. He succeeds Sunil Kumar, who will leave to become president of Tufts University.
- Emily Schuck, assistant vice president for enrollment management at Marietta College, in Ohio, has been named vice president for enrollment management at Furman University, in South Carolina.
- Dina Zavala, interim vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, has been named vice president for inclusion, equity, and community at Carleton College, in Minnesota.
To submit a new-hire announcement, email people@chronicle.com.
Footnote.
Wedding season is almost upon us. Cue the “save the date” notices, which, depending on the happy couple, might invite you to celebrate on a college campus.
Is a campus a unique wedding location? A great way for institutions to bring in extra cash? I asked some of my Chronicle colleagues for their opinions.
Taylor Swaak, a staff reporter and recent newlywed, is not a fan of campus weddings but believes engagement photoshoots on campuses are a great idea if the couple has ties to the institution.
“I love a college-campus wedding because 90 percent of the time it’s walkable,” said Alison Krug, a reports editor.
Emma Pettit, a senior reporter, said she has long been interested in writing a story about the most competitive wedding spots on college campuses, such as the University of Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart. So if you got married on a campus and would be interested in sharing your experience, Emma would love to hear from you, at emma.pettit@chronicle.com.
