Hello and welcome back to The Markup, Inside Higher Ed’s weekly roundup of all things higher ed policy. I’m your host, Jessica Blake, IHE’s federal policy reporter, who is wondering why and how so many things happen on the higher ed beat in one week.
We’ve got a lot to unpack. But first, here are a few quick hits.
After weeks of concern raised by students and faculty members, Yale confirmed it is negotiating a settlement with the Department of Justice over its allegedly discriminatory admissions policies. University officials say it is “a standard and important practice” and that they remain “committed to safeguarding academic freedom.”
Meanwhile, at Northwestern, a soon-to-be-ousted journalism professor sued the university and several government officials, alleging that he was denied tenure because, among other things, federal agencies pressured officials to punish his pro-Palestine activism. Steven Thrasher, a gay Black man, says in the lawsuit that he was “robbed” of a successful career and livelihood and is suing on 12 counts, including First Amendment retaliation and multiple forms of discrimination.
This Week’s Big Story
For nearly five decades, international students have been able to study and stay in the United States for as long as their program lasted. That policy ended this week when the Department of Homeland Security issued a rule limiting their time in the country to four years or less. International education advocates warn the change will add unnecessary bureaucracy into an already complicated system. They fear it will create another barrier for foreign students who want to attend American universities.
Current students won’t see any immediate changes, but how the rule affects future students remains unclear. Both groups will have to seek permission to stay in the country beyond four years, and advocates are concerned about the ability of the federal government to review applications given that immigration officials are already overburdened. The administration has not explained how it will decide whether to extend students’ stays.
For its part, the administration is downplaying the impact of the rule. DHS officials wrote in the rule that “nothing in this rule would prevent students from continuing their studies and research as long as individual students are complying with the terms of their nonimmigrant classification.”
Still, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement that with this rule, “the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders, and it will ensure “foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home.”
