Paul Umbach

[Looks up from coding]

[Sees updates]

[Goes back to coding]

My lovely gerrymandered-to-hell Republican-controlled state government cannot manage to produce a budget. We still do not have one. So that’s nice.

the USA built a system of higher education so good that smart/rich people from across the world came here, spending billions to learn here, subsidizing education for Americans while spending money to live in our cities and towns. our government arbitrarily decided we should stop doing that

The US Department of Education is far behind on producing key statistics | Brookings Federal education data releases have slowed dramatically, with major gaps in the 2024 Digest and Condition of Education report.

For those who care about quality education, @bakerdphd.bsky.social describes the Department of Ed's deeply troubling drop in reporting ed statistics. www.brookings.edu/articles/the...

Kevin holding a copy of his book in an atrium

Hey! It's the official publication day for my book! I'm so proud of this work and hope it does some good in higher ed.

The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace after the Great Resignation

www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/...

Advice | How College Leaders Can Stand Up for DEI Workers and Programs Some of the most vulnerable employees at institutions are being hung out to dry.

The last time secretly recording higher ed workers was in the news, @thetattooedprof.bsky.social & I wrote about it. UNC chancellors are under intense pressure to respond to these videos, but firing people over them is abhorrent & yields power to these groups. www.chronicle.com/article/how-...

Door is wide open for Roy Cooper to walk right through. C'mon Governor!

After ruling the NIH grant terminations illegal, Judge Young ended the hearing with an eye-opening speech.

“This represents racial discrimination, and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community. That's what this is. I would be blind not to call it out. My duty is to call it out. And I do so.”

UNC System president restricts campuses’ salary spending, hiring amid funding threats North Carolina’s public universities must keep their total administrative employee headcounts and total, permanent salary spending at April levels.

Got word today that the UNC system is freezing all salaries and admin headcount at April 2025 levels. All hiring needs chancellor approval. Bracing for expected state revenue decline and to make up for tax cuts. amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/e...

“Strength Comes From Us”: Thousands Gather in Durham to Protest Trump The rally was one of about 2,000 protests held under the “No Kings” banner across the country Saturday to coincide with Trump’s birthday and Flag Day.

The rally was one of about 2,000 protests held under the “No Kings” banner across the country Saturday to coincide with Trump’s birthday and Flag Day.

Immigration Raids Add to Absence Crisis for Schools

The current wave of federal immigration raids began in January with a “rogue” operation in California’s Central Valley.

My new study finds these raids increased school absences by 22%—a leading indicator of the resulting family stress & lost learning opportunities👇

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/u...

Moved to Durham from Raleigh a couple of years ago. Love Durham!

I couldn't find me in the picture either. Great crowd.

I found me!

(I did not find me, there were so many people)

At Chapel Hill, Only Health-Sciences Professors Have Been Getting Tenure The UNC Chapel Hill board hasn’t tenured a single professor in fields outside the health sciences since January. The inaction has prompted confusion and alarm among faculty.

This is the first media coverage that I have seen of the UNC board's quiet decision to largely pause granting tenure outside of the health sciences. This is worth watching over the coming weeks.

This framing is all wrong

Our international students are not a “crucial funding source”

They are our STUDENTS

They are the reason we EXIST

We teach STUDENTS

Trump Administration Revokes Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students Foreign students make up almost 28 percent of its total student body. The unprecedented move would also force existing students to transfer or lose their legal status.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has terminated Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, ratcheting up the conflict between the Trump administration and the institution. chroni.cl/3YZHUTf

Well done ‪@drshaunharper.bsky.social‬! Encourage all to watch his testimony starting at 22:45.

YouTube video by House Committee on Education & Workforce Restoring Excellence: The Case Against DEI

I am testifying to Congress at 10:15am EDT today. The hearing, “Restoring Excellence: The Case Against DEI,” will be live streamed via YouTube. Watch at the link below.

What a great piece.

“Not every leader can or should publicly challenge politicians. … But at some point, you have let your community know what you are doing and what you stand for.”

'Please take care of us:' Federal cuts close PCB evaluation at NC State building NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson says the Health Hazard Evaluation of Poe Hall has been closed due to federal cuts. Poe Hall was closed when toxic chemicals were discovered in the fall of 2023.

I worked in this bldg. for 3 years. I brought my child to this bldg. I knew there was dust & asbestos abasement, but I trusted the university to keep us safe. I was fortunate to leave with no known negative health effects. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for others. www.wral.com/news/investi...

NCME sues to protect measurement data and research. "The law requires not only data access but data quality. For 88 years, our organization has upheld standards for valid measurements and measurement research. We do so again today.” @ncme38.bsky.social #NCME25 www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...

N.C. Community Colleges Want $100 Million to Remake Program Offerings North Carolina's 58 community colleges are seeking $100 million to reshape how the state prepares workers for high-demand jobs.

This is a great piece about the North Carolina community college system's proposed new funding model that goes all-in on workforce development. Between this and the Next NC scholarship, that state is trying some big new things in higher education.

ToBeClear It is important for researchers to be clear, factual, and transparent about how federal priorities are affecting research. We therefore want to acknowledge that this work has been impacted by recent United States federal executive actions. This research has been affected by U.S. federal executive actions. Data removed that was used for this study • Example #1 • Example #2 • Example #3 Image Image This research has been affected by U.S. federal executive actions. Data at risk from lack of updating or maintenance due to cuts in personnel or funding used in this study • Example #1 • Example #2 • Example #3 • Example #4 • Sub example • Sub Example • Sub example • Example #5

Resistance with slides:

when presenting scientific evidence created by federal data and/or $

tell your audience what they won’t be seeing more of

Slides templates here

https://sites.google.com/view/tobeclear/

I get the fear of speaking up, but I believe there’s room for clear, principled opposition to unjust policies that harm our students. At some point, we have to do what’s right before we completely lose who we are as educators.

GUEST COLUMN: Letter to the chancellor: Defend our international students Through this open letter, the NC State University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors calls upon the chancellor and officials of NC State to take action on behalf

The NC State AAUP chapter calls on our chancellor, who has been conspicuously silent on the myriad of attacks on higher ed, to stand up for our international students. Our students deserve better. I encourage all faculty to join the @aaup.bsky.social. www.technicianonline.com/opinion/gues...

Update! UMass-Amherst's faculty senate is now on board!!

Last night they passed their own resolution calling for two compacts:

1) of all public and land-grant higher ed in the country
2) of all public and private higher ed in Massachusetts

Read and spread widely!!

www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ikin7...

BREAKING: Harvard AAUP & the nat'l AAUP have jointly filed a lawsuit & TRO to block the Trump admin from demanding that Harvard restrict speech & undermine academic freedom or else lose $8.7 billion in federal funds. This action challenges the Trump admin's misuse of funds for coercion. Stay tuned.

Advice | Higher Ed’s Paltry Investment in Training its Own Leaders What does a well-designed leadership-development program look like?

My latest in Working Better: I explore higher ed's paltry investment in training its own leaders and interview of a bunch of people to understand what a well-designed leadership development program includes. www.chronicle.com/article/high....