Colleen Murphy on Muck Rack

Colleen Murphy

Washington, D.C.
As seen in: Open Campus, Medium, MSN, Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, VICE, Patch, Poynter Online, Daily Business Review, Law.com, New Jersey Law Journal, New York Law Journal and
Not here anymore. Managing editor, local network @opencampusmedia ✨ Cover pic: @nocontextroyco, profile pic: @mollyalisonward.
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Articles by Colleen Murphy

The college students facing an unexpected eviction threat - Open Campus

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
The Dispatch Sign up for our newsletter about the role of higher ed in society Student parents in their mid- to late-30s are about twice as likely to face an eviction filing as their peers who aren't in school, according to findings released by New America this week. It's a surprising finding because the threat of eviction generally declines with age, the researchers said: "College enrollment, in other words, is not just failing to protect these adult students from eviction.
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Political climate stirs fear on campuses

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
About half of faculty who responded to an AAUP survey said they wouldn’t recommend coming to work in the South because of the political climate. (Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash) The political climate in the South is prompting faculty members to seek jobs elsewhere, according to a survey released last week by the American Association of University Professors regional chapters.
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Three Open Campus local reporters to pursue stories on barriers facing Black men in college

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By Colleen Murphy, Colleen Murphy
| OpenCampus Verified
Three reporters from Open Campus’s Local Network received Education Writers Association awards to report out stories on barriers Black men face in accessing higher education. EWA provides each reporter with $10,000 to pursue their project. Twelve reporters were selected in total. “This was one of the most competitive rounds of our fellowship program since its inception, reflecting our enthusiastic and ambitious journalist members,” Kathy Chow, EWA’s executive director, said in an announcement.
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A watershed moment in college sports

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Some D-1 colleges could begin directly paying their athletes this year. And, as Trump returns to office, our reporters dig into immigration issues in higher-ed. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. This year will be a crucial one for colleges in the four most-lucrative athletic conferences.
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Frisky Froth

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By Colleen Murphy
| Santa Barbara Independent Verified
Frisky Froth By Colleen Murphy, S.B. Fri Jan 17, 2025 | 5:28pm Add to Favorites I usually appreciate efforts to enhance awareness about the growing challenges faced by older adults. However, the article entitled, “Boomers Go Bust: Santa Barbara Supervisors Receive Bombshell Report on Aging,” decided to lean on misogynistic tropes at the onset of the story.
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A look back at the biggest higher-ed news of 2024

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
2024 was a big year for Open Campus. We added five newsrooms to our Local Network and started a Texas-specific collaborative. Every day, we saw the power of local beat reporting to inform and strengthen communities. We were even recognized with several industry awards. Read more about the impact of our work. And, if you value the work we do to improve Americans’ understanding of colleges in their communities, please consider supporting our year-end campaign.
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A FAFSA bright spot

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
We’ve entered a new FAFSA cycle, and the stakes are high after last year’s challenges. A new analysis shows progress in getting low-income students to complete the financial aid application. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. The 2025-26 FAFSA cycle has begun. There’s hope things will go more smoothly, after persistent issues over the last year led to a nationwide decline in FAFSA completion.
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High school is over. Now what?

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
What would you tell your younger self before entering the workforce? What should job training really look like? What did you major in, and are you working in that field? Those are some of the questions Open Campus explored in a Nov. 12 webinar highlighting takeaways from 200 interviews we’ve conducted in Houston and Chicago. It’s all part of an ongoing project centered on how young people learn about post-high school options.
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The ‘education divide’ shaping politics

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
The election is nearing, and we’ve got to talk about it. Plus, Texas students are galvanized to vote after efforts to reduce polling places. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. With the election upon us, I’ve been inundated by a persistent media narrative: Black voters, a reliably blue bloc, are moving away from the Democratic party.
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The ‘education divide’ shaping politics

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
A voter at an early-voting location in Goldsboro, N.C. on Oct. 21. (Photo by Jonathan Gruenke/WUNC) With the election upon us, I’ve been inundated by a persistent media narrative: Black voters, a reliably blue bloc, are moving away from the Democratic party.
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Texas Tribune's higher-ed reporting uncovers 'stunning level of political meddling'

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Kate McGee, one of our two higher ed reporters at partner The Texas Tribune, was honored for her dogged reporting on Texas A&M University. McGee’s coverage of the university’s botched hiring of a veteran Black journalist led to the resignation of the university’s president. She also reported on the temporary suspension of a professor who allegedly criticized Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The Tribune’s coverage was recognized by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas last month.
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Yes, Americans still see value in college

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
Most parents still want to see their children pursue college after high school, despite what you may hear. And, we uncovered how one university treats its most well-connected students. When you picture “college,” you might think of a scene like this one. (Photo: Courtesy of Ohio State University) A New America brief out this week pushes back on the notion that Americans are turning away from college.
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Open Campus to pursue higher-ed reporting projects with Minnesota, Hawaii newsrooms

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
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Headed back to school? Be kind, stay organized, and make connections.

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
College professors and college-access advocates share their tips for students headed back to the classroom. And, meet the newest member of our Local Network. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. It’s that time of year. College students are moving into dorm rooms and classes are starting up. It’s one of the best times of year if you ask Russell Lowery-Hart, chancellor of Austin Community College.
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Open Campus adds Houston community-colleges reporter to Local Network

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Open Campus is excited to announce that its partner The Houston Landing has hired a reporter to cover the city’s community colleges. Miranda Dunlap will cover the topic for the Landing. Dunlap previously covered K-12 education at the nonprofit news outlet. She started in the role on Aug. 26. Coverage of community colleges is vital for the Houston area, where attendance at two-year colleges accounts for nearly half of all higher education enrollment, according to the think tank Texas 2036.
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Reporter named investigative-reporting award finalist for Texas A&M reporting

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Kate McGee, one of our two higher ed reporters at partner The Texas Tribune, is a finalist for an investigative reporting prize from the Institute for Nonprofit News. McGee and her colleague James Barragán are recognized for their reporting on Texas A&M University. McGee’s coverage of the university’s botched hiring of a veteran Black journalist led to the resignation of the university’s president.
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'FAFSA' melt is throwing college plans off course

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Ongoing FAFSA issues mean many students have seen their college plans disrupted — it’s compounding summer melt. And, Pell Grants haven’t expanded degree options in Pennsylvania prisons. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. We’re in the thick of summer. While most associate this time of year with sunny days and beach vacations, college-access advocates around the country are working hard to make sure college-bound students stay the course.
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Open Campus co-founder to moderate Texas Tribune Festival panel

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Sara Hebel, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Open Campus, will moderate a conversation on higher ed at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. The Sept. 6 panel will answer the question: How can higher ed in Texas get its mojo back? Texas colleges and universities serve more than 2 million college students and are key drivers of workforce training and economic mobility.
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Equity and equality?

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By Colleen Murphy, Paneetha Ameresekere
| Ceylon Today Verified
BY Paneetha Ameresekere Rupee or domestic credit by the banking and monetary sectors to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and public corporations continued to overshadow credit to the private sector for the seventh consecutive month to February 2022, a phenomenon last seen nearly 33 years ago in 1989, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data of Friday’s (8 April) showed.
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Mississippi reporter earns regional award for Delta State investigation

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Molly Minta, our higher education reporter at partner Mississippi Today earned a second-place honor in the 2024 Green Eyeshade Awards for her coverage of a controversial hire at Delta State University. The Green Eyeshade Awards recognize the best journalism in the southeastern United States. Molly’s award is in the non-deadline reporting/online category.
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Our California reporting is spurring lawmakers to act

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
A year ago, our California reporter told a story about the red tape that’s standing between millions of adults and money that could help them enroll in community college. In writing about the federal funds that are designed to help adults without high school-diplomas, Adam Echelman, who covers the massive California community college system for us and for our partner CalMatters, pointed out state leaders’ inaction. He uncovered a solution, too. Now, Adam’s reporting has spurred lawmakers to act.
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Supporting student parents brings generational change

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
A new documentary highlights the challenges student parents face. And, we’re accepting pitches for our next round of local story partnerships. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. We spent several months this spring working with The Montana Free Press on a story about the childcare crisis in Montana, which is keeping thousands of parents out of the workforce. The problem will require major policy reform and perspective shifts to solve.
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We're accepting pitches in second round of local, higher-ed story partnerships

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Open Campus is again accepting pitches for one-time, ambitious higher education stories that center local communities. This is the second round of our local story partnerships, an initiative meant to encourage in-depth reporting focused on higher education. Newsrooms we select will receive $10,000 from Open Campus. Our editors collaborate with the teams behind the chosen projects, offering higher education expertise, data analysis, and editing support.
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When a DEI ban becomes ‘a carte blanche’

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
Why uncertainty is baked into bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. And, how one university is bracing for the NCAA athlete compensation settlement. Latinx and LGBTQ students in Texas have organized intimate graduation events separate from the larger commencement ceremony. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune In our conversations with reporters about bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, there’s one theme that keeps coming up: ambiguity.
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Reporter wins beat-reporting prize for Texas higher-ed coverage

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Open Campus is excited to announce that the Education Writers Association has named Kate McGee as one of its top beat reporters of the year. McGee is a higher education reporter at our partner The Texas Tribune. She regularly covers the influence of state politics on university campuses. Her reporting on Texas A&M’s botched hiring of a veteran Black journalist led to the resignation of the university’s president.
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What does absenteeism mean for college readiness?

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
Chronic absenteeism has increased — but going to school is key to college and career readiness. And, FAFSA issues are forcing students to make tough choices. Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash I wanted to zoom in this week on absenteeism numbers. New data from the American Enterprise Institute show that about a quarter of public-school students were considered chronically absent last school year, compared to 15% before the pandemic.
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Why this online ed effort isn’t reaching adult students

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
The University of North Carolina system’s online ed venture isn’t yet reaching as many adult students as leaders had hoped. And, three of our reporters are nominated for national awards. Photo Illustration by The Assembly Project Kitty Hawk, the University of North Carolina system’s $97 million foray into online education, was created to serve the state’s adult learners and boost enrollment at its public universities.
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Three Open Campus reporters named national education award finalists

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Three Open Campus reporters have been named Education Writers Association finalists for beat reporting. Charlotte West, an Open Campus staff reporter, was recognized for her coverage of higher education in prisons.
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Insurer wants out of duty to defend school sexual abuse suit

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By Colleen Murphy
| PropertyCasualty360 Verified
On Nov. 11, 2021, Daniel Schlademan filed suit in Bergen County Superior Court against the Leonia Board of Education and John Anagnosti, alleging that the abuse took place in approximately 1980. Photo: Proxima Studio/Adobe Stock A lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of Employers Insurance Company of Wausau that aims to relieve the insurer of its duty to defend a New Jersey school district in a case regarding sexual abuse that allegedly happened more than 40 years ago.
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College Inside: Georgia State to end prison education

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
A biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons. Written by Open Campus national reporter Charlotte West. Short on time? Here’s what you need to know: Georgia State University is shutting down the prison education program it’s operated since 2016, citing federal government rules for the return of Pell Grants as a primary reason for its decision.
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A trust-building presidential search at the U. of Minn.

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
There have been numerous examples in recent years of presidential searches at public universities that wind up shrouded in secrecy. It’s happened at the University of Mississippi and Michigan State University and Youngstown State University, just to name a few. And such secrecy is now enshrined in Florida law. Some, like the president of Youngstown State’s board, have argued confidentiality is necessary: it allows institutions to attract candidates without fear of current employers finding out.
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A trust-building presidential search at the U. of Minn.

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
Courtesy of the University of Minnesota There have been numerous examples in recent years of presidential searches at public universities that wind up shrouded in secrecy. It’s happened at the University of Mississippi and Michigan State University and Youngstown State University, just to name a few. And such secrecy is now enshrined in Florida law.
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New College of Florida is sanctioned by national faculty group

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By Colleen Murphy, Divya Kumar Verified
| Open Campus
A national faculty union has voted to sanction New College of Florida, saying the Sarasota school’s leaders have imposed “an aggressively ideological agenda” since taking over more than a year ago. The American Association of University Professors, which has placed 12 other universities on its sanctions list since 1995, pointed to its investigation last year in justifying the addition of New College.
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New York City, North Carolina newsrooms join Open Campus Local Network  - Open Campus

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Open Campus is expanding its Local Network to coverage of New York City and North Carolina. Open Campus will partner with THE CITY to cover the 25-campus City University of New York. And, it will partner with WUNC, a public radio station located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, to cover higher education in North Carolina.
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Mississippi’s university faculty are woefully underpaid. Is that ‘economic reality’?  - Open Campus

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By Colleen Murphy, Molly Minta
| Open Campus
Higher education officials — from the presidents of each public university to the commissioner of their central governing board — all agree: Mississippi’s faculty and staff are woefully underpaid. “If there’s ever a group in the United State of America that deserves our applause, deserves our thanks and appreciation,” it is the faculty,University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce said during an impassioned speech at the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees meeting Thursday.
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An unresolved glitch keeps students with immigrant parents out of the new FAFSA

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
An unaddressed error on a federal form is preventing American high school students with immigrant parents from accessing financial aid. These students are entitled to federal help paying for college, and submitting the federal student aid application — or FAFSA — is the only way to get it. But a revamped version of the online form launched this year is inadvertently shutting them out because their parents don’t have Social Security numbers.
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Open Campus to partner on collaborative reporting projects with Arizona, Montana, North Carolina, and Utah newsrooms

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Four local newsrooms have been selected for the inaugural Open Campus story partnerships. These collaborations encourage in-depth reporting focused on higher education. The newsrooms are: Arizona Luminaria, Montana Free Press, the Salt Lake Tribune, and The Assembly in North Carolina. The newsrooms’ story pitches were selected from a pool of more than 20 applicants. The projects focus on workforce challenges in rural America, adult education, and barriers to college readiness and access.
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The Dispatch: FAFSA turmoil continues across the country

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
The number of FAFSAs submitted so far this year is 57% lower than 2023, a sign of problems with the new online form. And, poor grades can keep students who return to complete a degree from accessing financial aid. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. Families across the country continue to struggle to complete the FAFSA, the federal application for financial aid, under the new system that’s been rife with problems and delays.
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FAFSA turmoil continues across the country

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
The number of FAFSAs submitted so far this year is 57% lower than 2023, a sign of problems with the new online form. And, poor grades can keep students who return to complete a degree from accessing financial aid. Families across the country continue to struggle to complete the FAFSA, the federal application for financial aid, under the new system that’s been rife with problems and delays. Mixed-status families can’t complete the online form at all, as our Sneha Dey reported.
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Are Mississippi’s colleges and universities prepared for the ‘enrollment cliff’? Lawmakers want to know

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Starting next year, the number of high school graduates will begin to fall in Mississippi. That’s the looming reality a joint hearing of the House and Senate Colleges and Universities committees zeroed in on Wednesday. In Mississippi, this trend, called the “enrollment cliff,” will force the largely tuition-dependent colleges and universities to compete for a shrinking pool of students.
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Can Colorado budget cuts help colleges become more efficient?

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
For the third year in a row, Colorado’s public college and university leaders have written a letter to the state legislature’s powerful Joint Budget Committee asking for more money than what’s proposed in Gov. Jared Polis’ budget. Polis wants to increase Colorado’s higher education budget next fiscal year by $42.7 million.
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Admissions storylines to watch

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. For this first Dispatch of 2024, I wanted to take a look at what’s coming down the pike in admissions in the coming months. I talked to a few smart people — here’s what’s on their minds: With the new FAFSA now available for families to fill out, the attention turns to the counselors who will guide them through the process and to the financial aid officers who will package offers.
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The best eco-fiction books that make you care and give you hope

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By Nina Munteanu, Richard Powers, Annie Proulx, Colleen Murphy
| Shepherd
What resonated with me on so many levels was the author’s use of lyrical and beautiful language in describing trees and forests: as characters. I’m an ecologist and I felt a particular kinship with the botanist Patricia Westerford, a disabled introvert who must swim against the hegemonic tide with heretical ideas. When she argues that trees communicate, learn, trade goods and services, have intelligence and society, her scientific peers ridicule her and end her university career.
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Pro-Palestinian students want universities to stop investing in companies with ties to Israel

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
In December, during her graduation ceremony at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jenin Alharithi walked onto the stage and unrolled a banner with the colors of the Palestinian flag and a simple message: “U of I System, Divest from Genocide.” Alharithi, vice president of the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, is one of thousands of students across the country demanding their universities end investments in companies doing business with Israel and in weapons manufacturers.
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The biggest higher ed storylines of the year

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By Colleen Murphy
| beehiiv
It’s been another busy year on the higher ed beat, and our reporters have been on top of the biggest stories and themes. Thanks for reading. Do you have stories we should explore in 2024, or ideas you’d like to read about in this newsletter? Email me: . The Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. (Photo: Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource) A major theme in our reporting this year is one that we fully expect to continue to grapple with in 2024: growing distrust in higher ed.
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Free speech fallout and higher ed's trust problem

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
The departure of U. Penn’s president and higher ed’s trust problem. Plus, three final bylines from our HBCU reporting fellows. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. I want to zoom out this week on an event that has grabbed the attention of people inside and outside of higher ed: The fallout from a congressional hearing on antisemitism and the subsequent resignation of the president and board chair at the University of Pennsylvania.
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"I had never owned a computer. After 17 years in prison, I finally have one of my own."

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
A biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons. Written by Open Campus national reporter Charlotte West. A biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons. By Charlotte West. Before we dive in this week, we wanted to let you know that from now until Dec. 31, donations to Open Campus of up to $1,000 are triple-matched. Your support helps me continue reporting on higher ed in prisons. Make your tax-deductible donation today. Short on time?
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Delta State dean gets no-confidence vote following lawsuit, Mississippi Today reporting  - Open Campus

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
The Delta State University faculty senate called on the dean of the liberal arts college to immediately resign last week in a no-confidence vote, citing a failure to advocate for faculty and an ineffectiveness in handling tenure and promotion. The 11-3-3 vote by the body elected by faculty to represent their concerns questioned the leadership of Ellen Green, a biology professor who was appointed interim dean in 2020.
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Work with us on an enterprise story for your community

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
We’re launching a new project to support local reporting across the country. And, our reporter explored the end of a college-access scholarship program in Pittsburgh. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. Do you have an idea for a higher education story but lack the bandwidth or expertise to make it happen? We’ve created a new way for local newsrooms around the country to work with Open Campus.
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Inside the most-scrutinized office on campus

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By Colleen Murphy
| Open Campus
Rice University is continuing efforts to make students and staff of all backgrounds feel included, despite political headwinds. And, changes are coming to federal financial aid. A newsletter about role of higher education in society — plus Open Campus developments. Kate McGee, one of our two reporters at The Texas Tribune, went inside Rice University’s diversity, equity, and inclusion office for a day to peel back the curtain on the work of its staff.
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