An exodus appears to be under way of Ph.D.s and faculty generally, who are leaving academia in the face of political, financial and enrollment crises. It’s a trend federal data and other sources show began even before Trump returned to the White House. - Hechinger Report
“An angry article on the White House website, headlined 'President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian,’ lists a series of perceived offenses from museums in the capital, ranging from flying the Progress Pride flag alongside the Stars and Stripes to showing a stop-motion animation of Dr. Anthony Fauci.” - The Daily Beast
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), whose stated mission is the defense of free speech rights, made its bones as a leading voice against what it considered leftist political correctness on campus. Now FIRE is suing the Trump administration and pushing back on conservative overreach. - The New York Times
The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia has been mired in a two-year controversy over an “ethical review” by the now-former executive director which removed all online exhibits and videos. The museum’s new approach will focus more on the lives of patients and how medical history has changed over time. - WHYY (Philadelphia)
Arts Queensland, the government funding body for the northeastern Australian state, has announced recipients for the 2026-29 funding round, with the total amount of the funding pool being A$39.2 million, a record. - ArtsHub (Australia)
Attorneys for Shira Perlmutter, who is suing the Trump administration for what she argues is her illegal dismissal as U.S. Register of Copyrights, said in a memorandum that “the dots are not difficult to connect” between her office’s report on AI training, her firing the following day, and the administration’s new AI policy. - Publishers Weekly
Oklahoma’s public education superintendent, Ryan Walters, told USA Today and CNN that the 50-question certification exam – which is reportedly set to roll out in the coming days – will ask about topics such as the “biological differences between males and females”, freedom of religion and US history. - The Guardian
Three years later, the AI transformation is just about complete. By the spring of 2024, almost two-thirds of Harvard undergrads were drawing on the tool at least once a week. In a British survey of full-time undergraduates from December, 92 percent reported using AI in some fashion. - The Atlantic
“We hoped to convince them that their paradigm was inhumane and had to change. The housing had to be more robust and more thoughtful about the quality of space and how it can heal.” - The New York Times
"I believe in the power of offering Indigenous people opportunity and space for investigation — both personal and communal. I believe in the power of collective strength to lift the voice of our people, to claim our rightful position as leaders of creativity and aesthetic expression.” - Hyperallergic
Why is the BBC still running this show after “a report which upheld claims against hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode”? What will be left of the competition? - BBC
“Weeks after last month’s event, the museum network’s chief executive, Steven Knapp, acknowledged to employees that it was a violation of policy, accusing the fund-raiser’s organizers of providing misleading information.” - The New York Times
In her 2025-26 budget, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has proposed a 52% reduction in funding for cultural events and the elimination of the city-county Department of Cultural Affairs — this to help close a $402 million budget deficit. A campaign called Arts Action Miami is rallying supporters to oppose the cuts. - WLRN (Miami)
“The Henry Ford Academy: Alameda School for Art + Design ... is officially closing its doors on Aug. 31. Superintendent Jessica Rae Sánchez informed families … ‘We were recently notified by the Texas Education Agency that our Title I funding for the 2025-2026 school year will be significantly reduced due to low enrollment.’" - San Antonio Express-News (MSN)
