All articles tagged with #universities
Iranian authorities are drafting new mandatory hijab directives for universities, though a senior official admitted that 'war conditions' limit enforcement. While hardliners push for stricter rules, widespread public defiance and economic hardship continue to undermine compliance.
A whistleblower report claims the Trump administration’s campus antisemitism probes were politically motivated, skipped proper Title VI process, and used funding suspensions to coerce universities, expanding from medical schools to entire campuses; Rep. Jamie Raskin opened an inquiry as the DOJ denies the allegations, and settlements at Brown, Columbia, and Harvard illustrate the ongoing disputes over free speech and campus antisemitism enforcement.
Cambridge sociology of education professor Jason Arday faces plagiarism allegations for his PhD, with reports he copied over 100 passages; he is also accused of listing visiting or honorary positions at Ohio State University, the University of Glasgow, and Durham University that those schools deny, raising questions about his professional biography while Cambridge says investigations are handled by the original institution and Arday cites prior inquiries finding no misconduct.
Thousands of students across more than 20 Iranian cities protested changes to university entrance rules, calling for the removal of the fixed weighting of 11th-grade GPA on the national exam; protests also highlighted campus issues like food quality and resources, while authorities imposed suspensions and expulsions and tightened online restrictions as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.
Thousands across Argentina protested President Javier Milei’s cuts to the tuition-free public university system, urging adherence to a funding law that would cover operating costs and teacher salaries. Milei’s government argues the law lacks funding specifics and is being challenged in court, a case that could reach the Supreme Court, as unions report inflation-driven pay losses and faculty departures to private or better-paying jobs.
A cyberattack attributed to the ShinyHunters disrupted the Canvas platform across US and Canadian campuses, affecting Penn State, UBC, the University of Toronto, UCLA and the University of Chicago, causing exam disruptions as ransom-like warnings circulated and Instructure worked to restore service.
Iran’s parliament speaker warned the U.S. against a ground invasion, saying American troops would be set on fire and vowing to punish regional partners, while the Revolutionary Guard called Israeli and American university facilities legitimate targets unless Iran’s university bombardments are condemned. In response, regional universities have moved online (including the American University of Beirut), and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad cautioned that American universities in Iraq could be targeted as tensions escalate in the widening Iran-Israel-U.S. conflict.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it would target American and Israeli universities in West Asia in retaliation for a reported strike on Tehran's Iran University of Science and Technology, giving the U.S. until Monday to condemn the attack and imposing a 1-kilometer exclusion zone around campuses; observers note security forces have used civilians as cover, raising tensions across the region.
The Trump administration has renewed actions against antisemitism on elite campuses, suing Harvard and UCLA, seeking disclosure from Penn, and surveying at Cornell. Proponents say it protects Jewish students; critics warn the tactics could pressure universities to curb dissent and push conservative aims, highlighting ongoing tensions among government actions, academe, and Jewish communities.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announces a sweeping policy to sever ties with nearly two dozen elite universities and seven prominent think tanks, banning military personnel from enrolling in those institutions starting in September and replacing programs with options at state universities and conservative schools; the move targets institutions the administration deems liberal-leaning and indoctrinating service members, and follows Harvard's earlier ban in this campaign, with 93 military students currently enrolled at affected programs.
Protests returned to Tehran’s universities on Monday, with students chanting for exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi and clashing with the Basij, signaling renewed unrest after a harsh crackdown. The demonstrations come as U.S. forces gather in the Middle East and indirect talks over Iran’s nuclear program are set to resume in Geneva, amid ongoing disputes over the death toll of earlier protests and the government’s crackdown.
As the new semester begins, students at multiple Iranian universities—including Tehran’s Sharif and Amirkabir—held anti-government demonstrations, reviving a nationwide movement that had been crushed in a deadly crackdown. Videos show chants like 'Death to the dictator' and reported tensions or arrests on campus, with state media noting limited incidents while rights groups say thousands were killed in the crackdown, highlighting ongoing dissent against the clerical regime.
A North Carolina judge denied efforts to establish or expand early voting locations on university campuses, effectively limiting campus voting access ahead of the election.
Seven of nine universities approached by the Trump administration declined a proposed 'Compact for Academic Excellence,' which would have linked funding to policy changes such as enrollment caps and bans on race and gender considerations, signaling resistance to the administration's policy demands in higher education.
Most universities approached by the Trump administration to support a preferential funding plan have declined, with only the University of Texas showing potential interest, indicating widespread reservations among higher education institutions.