By Scott Jaschik. Duke warns professors about emails from someone claiming to be a student, seeking information about their courses -- many in fields criticized by some on the right. Update: Some Michigan faculty members have received similar emails but from different source. Read more...

By Colleen Flaherty. MIT management professors push data-based model they say is more predictive of an academic's future research success than traditional methods of peer review in tenure. Read more...

By Colleen Flaherty. A New York State appellate court has reinstated two professors’ lawsuit against New York University, which alleges that the institution broke a de facto contract with them. The ruling, though preliminary, is significant in that it suggests that policies outlined in a faculty handbook can amount to a kind of contract. Read more...

By Colleen Flaherty. Two Wisconsin Republican legislators have threatened to withhold state funds from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in relation to a planned course on racism called The Problem of Whiteness. State Representative Dave Murphy has also called on the university to fire the professor in charge of the course over his tweets, saying that some condone violence against police officers. Read more...

By Colleen Flaherty. With reaccreditation at risk, Alamo Colleges drop course based on the 7 Habits self-help book that board had approved to replace a humanities requirement. Read more...

By Rick Seltzer. The university filed suit against local law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, charging legal malpractice over the way lawyers represented the university in a contract with a developer to build a $20 million fitness center and bookstore. A key clause was not included in legal documents, reported The Post-Standard. Read more...

By Rick Seltzer. The campus facilities maintenance, modernization and infrastructure backlog averaged $100.07 per gross square foot in 2015, said the 2016 “State of Facilities in Higher Education” report, which has been released annually for four years by facilities data and consulting firm Sightlines. Read more...

By Rick Seltzer. The leaders of nearly 200 colleges and universities have signed an open letter calling on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and members of Congress to support climate research, investment in a low-carbon economy and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Read more...

By Rick Seltzer. Barnard focuses on companies that deny science as it seeks to balance concern over climate change with financial responsibility and its own values. Read more...

By Rick Seltzer. University of North Carolina system faculty members joined waves of objectors late last week as Republican legislative leaders moved to bolster their power over state operations in the wake of their party losing the governorship. Read more...