Emma Whitford
@emmawhitford.bsky.social
Covering all things faculty for @insidehighered. Get in touch: emma.whitford@insidehighered dot com // Signal: @emmawhitford.96
Pinned
I want to learn more about the experiences of trans and other genderqueer faculty, staff and students at Texas public universities for a potential feature. If this is you and you're open to talk anonymously, get in touch via email (in bio) or on Signal at emmawhitford.96 #academicsky
Reposted by Emma Whitford
Trump Partially Funds SNAP as Colleges Scramble to Feed Students
After court orders, the Trump administration agreed to use emergency reserves to pay for food stamps during the government shutdown. But the funds cover only half of what’s needed. https://bit.ly/4nCXpKb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky
After court orders, the Trump administration agreed to use emergency reserves to pay for food stamps during the government shutdown. But the funds cover only half of what’s needed. https://bit.ly/4nCXpKb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky
November 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Trump Partially Funds SNAP as Colleges Scramble to Feed Students
After court orders, the Trump administration agreed to use emergency reserves to pay for food stamps during the government shutdown. But the funds cover only half of what’s needed. https://bit.ly/4nCXpKb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky
After court orders, the Trump administration agreed to use emergency reserves to pay for food stamps during the government shutdown. But the funds cover only half of what’s needed. https://bit.ly/4nCXpKb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky
As we head into a busy winter season for academic conferences, international scholars are deciding to skip them, part in protest against the Trump administration's attacks on higher ed, and part in caution for their own safety at the border.
New from me:
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
New from me:
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Cautious or Protesting, Foreign Scholars Skip U.S. Conferences
As President Donald Trump deploys National Guard troops to American cities and ICE arrests pick up, some international scholars are opting out of U.S. travel.
www.insidehighered.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:41 PM
As we head into a busy winter season for academic conferences, international scholars are deciding to skip them, part in protest against the Trump administration's attacks on higher ed, and part in caution for their own safety at the border.
New from me:
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
New from me:
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
A growing number of universities are using spoken "policies" to scrub transgender identity from course content and scare faculty members into compliance with legally fuzzy rules that violate academic freedom. More at @insidehighered.com: www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
Unwritten Policies Sow Faculty Fears. Are They Enforceable?
A growing number of institutions are censoring faculty speech and instruction through murky verbal directives that sow fear and confusion. Can they be enforced?
www.insidehighered.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
A growing number of universities are using spoken "policies" to scrub transgender identity from course content and scare faculty members into compliance with legally fuzzy rules that violate academic freedom. More at @insidehighered.com: www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
Reposted by Emma Whitford
Hi I'm an @insidehighered.com reporter writing about which universities are cutting travel expenses, freezing hiring or slashing other costs citing the fed government shutdown. Please DM me or email me any examples at ryan.quinn@insidehighered.com today (especially statements on websites)!
October 21, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Hi I'm an @insidehighered.com reporter writing about which universities are cutting travel expenses, freezing hiring or slashing other costs citing the fed government shutdown. Please DM me or email me any examples at ryan.quinn@insidehighered.com today (especially statements on websites)!
Reposted by Emma Whitford
Breaking: Brown University has declined the invitation to join the Trump administration's proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." Brown is now the second to do so after MIT rejected the proposal last week.
October 15, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Breaking: Brown University has declined the invitation to join the Trump administration's proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." Brown is now the second to do so after MIT rejected the proposal last week.
Reposted by Emma Whitford
Deepa Das Acevedo, author of The War on Tenure, talks to @emmawhitford.bsky.social of @insidehighered.com about the erosion of tenure protections.
#AcademicSky #EduSky #LawSky 🗺️ 🗃️
https://cup.org/4nuLmQ0
#AcademicSky #EduSky #LawSky 🗺️ 🗃️
https://cup.org/4nuLmQ0
Fighting Back Against “The War on Tenure”
Deepa Das Acevedo’s new book is a response to the erosion of tenure protections that has become all too clear in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death.
www.insidehighered.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Deepa Das Acevedo, author of The War on Tenure, talks to @emmawhitford.bsky.social of @insidehighered.com about the erosion of tenure protections.
#AcademicSky #EduSky #LawSky 🗺️ 🗃️
https://cup.org/4nuLmQ0
#AcademicSky #EduSky #LawSky 🗺️ 🗃️
https://cup.org/4nuLmQ0
I want to learn more about the experiences of trans and other genderqueer faculty, staff and students at Texas public universities for a potential feature. If this is you and you're open to talk anonymously, get in touch via email (in bio) or on Signal at emmawhitford.96 #academicsky
October 1, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I want to learn more about the experiences of trans and other genderqueer faculty, staff and students at Texas public universities for a potential feature. If this is you and you're open to talk anonymously, get in touch via email (in bio) or on Signal at emmawhitford.96 #academicsky
Texas Tech isn't the only university system handing down chilling, verbal-only directives banning discussions about transgender identity. If this is happening at your institution, I want to know about it--reach me on Signal at emmawhitford.96
www.insidehighered.com/node/192421/...
www.insidehighered.com/node/192421/...
Texas Ban on Transgender Course Content Sows Chaos
Verbal-only policies prohibiting academic discussions of trans identity appear to be extending beyond the Texas Tech system and now include anti-trans curricular reviews.
www.insidehighered.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Texas Tech isn't the only university system handing down chilling, verbal-only directives banning discussions about transgender identity. If this is happening at your institution, I want to know about it--reach me on Signal at emmawhitford.96
www.insidehighered.com/node/192421/...
www.insidehighered.com/node/192421/...
As of Monday, it appears that Angelo State has softened its policies to allow preferred names and LGBQ content, but not transgender discussions. If anyone at Angelo State wants to chat with me about it, I'm on Signal at emmawhitford.96
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Angelo State Reportedly Banning Pride Flags, Pronouns
The new policies, if fully implemented, will also prohibit any discussion of transgender topics. It’s the latest assault on academic freedom at Texas public institutions.
www.insidehighered.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:44 PM
As of Monday, it appears that Angelo State has softened its policies to allow preferred names and LGBQ content, but not transgender discussions. If anyone at Angelo State wants to chat with me about it, I'm on Signal at emmawhitford.96
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Hey #AcademicSky, got parking woes? I want to hear about them. Tell me about your university's return-to-office plans, parking policies and any petty (or not petty) complaints about spot availability. Reach me here or on Signal: @ emmawhitford.96
September 23, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Hey #AcademicSky, got parking woes? I want to hear about them. Tell me about your university's return-to-office plans, parking policies and any petty (or not petty) complaints about spot availability. Reach me here or on Signal: @ emmawhitford.96
As of this morning, we've counted 13 reports of swatting calls--false reports of active shooters on campus--at U.S. colleges since Aug. 19. At many colleges, fall classes began yesterday. www.insidehighered.com/news/student...
Colleges Face Shooting Hoaxes as Fall Classes Start
Often referred to as “swatting calls,” the false reports are intended to activate a large law enforcement response.
www.insidehighered.com
August 26, 2025 at 3:02 PM
As of this morning, we've counted 13 reports of swatting calls--false reports of active shooters on campus--at U.S. colleges since Aug. 19. At many colleges, fall classes began yesterday. www.insidehighered.com/news/student...
I'm thrilled to be back! Working on my Bluesky feed, so academics--please say hi!
Today is @emmawhitford.bsky.social 's first day back at IHE! She previously covered leadership for us, left for a bit and is now back in the newsroom to cover the faculty beat. Send news tips to Emma.whitford@insidehighered.com #higheredsky #academicsky
August 19, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I'm thrilled to be back! Working on my Bluesky feed, so academics--please say hi!