Matt Hartman
@themhartman.bsky.social
Higher ed reporter at the assembly. bylines at the new republic, the ringer, jacobin. live crabs stay humble.
Reposted by Matt Hartman
A 34-year-old as a politician: My god he's like a baby. It's like they just elected an infant to be their mayor.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
November 5, 2025 at 5:45 AM
A 34-year-old as a politician: My god he's like a baby. It's like they just elected an infant to be their mayor.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
A 34-year-old as an athlete: You have to admire the bravery of him attempting that dunk, knowing full well the grim reaper is right behind him.
Reposted by Matt Hartman
I actually do want a data center in my backyard so bad I want to grow numb to the endless drone of a million electronic beehives I want to get testicular cancer from people I’ll never meet generating shrek porn in their basements
November 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I actually do want a data center in my backyard so bad I want to grow numb to the endless drone of a million electronic beehives I want to get testicular cancer from people I’ll never meet generating shrek porn in their basements
Reposted by Matt Hartman
What's the worst university slogan you've ever heard?
Asking on behalf of an unnamed uni that coined "Work. With Flexibility" for a major internal reorg, & has now spent many millions on consultants who--after polling such finalists as "Vital We Are"--has settled on "Next, Forward to Our Future"
Asking on behalf of an unnamed uni that coined "Work. With Flexibility" for a major internal reorg, & has now spent many millions on consultants who--after polling such finalists as "Vital We Are"--has settled on "Next, Forward to Our Future"
October 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
What's the worst university slogan you've ever heard?
Asking on behalf of an unnamed uni that coined "Work. With Flexibility" for a major internal reorg, & has now spent many millions on consultants who--after polling such finalists as "Vital We Are"--has settled on "Next, Forward to Our Future"
Asking on behalf of an unnamed uni that coined "Work. With Flexibility" for a major internal reorg, & has now spent many millions on consultants who--after polling such finalists as "Vital We Are"--has settled on "Next, Forward to Our Future"
Reposted by Matt Hartman
Great piece.
"...a central and long-running rupture over the foundational mission of civics schools... Should they reform how universities teach by prioritizing civil discourse, or should they add viewpoint diversity by hiring more conservatives?"
"...a central and long-running rupture over the foundational mission of civics schools... Should they reform how universities teach by prioritizing civil discourse, or should they add viewpoint diversity by hiring more conservatives?"
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Lesson in Civics
The School of Civic Life and Leadership’s public fighting is part of a long-running rupture about the mission of civics schools around the country.
www.theassemblync.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Great piece.
"...a central and long-running rupture over the foundational mission of civics schools... Should they reform how universities teach by prioritizing civil discourse, or should they add viewpoint diversity by hiring more conservatives?"
"...a central and long-running rupture over the foundational mission of civics schools... Should they reform how universities teach by prioritizing civil discourse, or should they add viewpoint diversity by hiring more conservatives?"
fighting within the school of civic life and leadership began before the school existed, and i've got a new story that explains what it's all about
there's a ton of new info, so here are a few highlights:
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
there's a ton of new info, so here are a few highlights:
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Lesson in Civics
The School of Civic Life and Leadership’s public fighting is part of a long-running rupture about the mission of civics schools around the country.
www.theassemblync.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:12 PM
fighting within the school of civic life and leadership began before the school existed, and i've got a new story that explains what it's all about
there's a ton of new info, so here are a few highlights:
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
there's a ton of new info, so here are a few highlights:
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
The hottest club in Durham is the real estate office behind q shack
October 5, 2025 at 12:48 AM
The hottest club in Durham is the real estate office behind q shack
unc just sent out a response from board of trustees chair malcolm turner:
"The former Provost’s baseless assault on this volunteer Board and how it conducts its business stands in stark contrast to the widely recognized excellence the University has achieved under this Board’s leadership...
"The former Provost’s baseless assault on this volunteer Board and how it conducts its business stands in stark contrast to the widely recognized excellence the University has achieved under this Board’s leadership...
breaking news from unc: former provost chris clemens is suing the university for open meetings and public records violations during their discussion about delaying tenure votes
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Former Provost Sues UNC-Chapel Hill Trustees Over Closed Meetings
Chris Clemens accused the trustees of "hiding matters of grave public concern,” including tenure debates, using a Signal group and closed session.
www.theassemblync.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
unc just sent out a response from board of trustees chair malcolm turner:
"The former Provost’s baseless assault on this volunteer Board and how it conducts its business stands in stark contrast to the widely recognized excellence the University has achieved under this Board’s leadership...
"The former Provost’s baseless assault on this volunteer Board and how it conducts its business stands in stark contrast to the widely recognized excellence the University has achieved under this Board’s leadership...
breaking news from unc: former provost chris clemens is suing the university for open meetings and public records violations during their discussion about delaying tenure votes
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Former Provost Sues UNC-Chapel Hill Trustees Over Closed Meetings
Chris Clemens accused the trustees of "hiding matters of grave public concern,” including tenure debates, using a Signal group and closed session.
www.theassemblync.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:25 PM
breaking news from unc: former provost chris clemens is suing the university for open meetings and public records violations during their discussion about delaying tenure votes
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
i teamed up with charlotte ledger to explain the logic behind the queens/elon merger
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Why Queens and Elon Are Merging
The deal will provide Queens with stable financial backing and Elon with improved access to Charlotte’s growing business opportunities.
www.theassemblync.com
September 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM
i teamed up with charlotte ledger to explain the logic behind the queens/elon merger
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Reposted by Matt Hartman
Scoop: A brand new nonprofit endorsing Durham candidates hasn’t disclosed its leadership—but initially listed an endorsed candidate’s husband’s property as its address, and mirrors her campaign messaging
Anonymous Durham Political Group Has Ties to Candidate It Endorsed
Yes for Durham made candidate endorsements. But the group, which hasn’t disclosed its leadership, has ties to one endorsed candidate.
indyweek.com
September 13, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Scoop: A brand new nonprofit endorsing Durham candidates hasn’t disclosed its leadership—but initially listed an endorsed candidate’s husband’s property as its address, and mirrors her campaign messaging
the turmoil at the school of civic life and leadership has gotten bad enough that the university hired a law firm to investigate
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC-Chapel Hill Investigates the School of Civic Life and Leadership
Chancellor Lee Roberts said that the university is reviewing the school after faculty and administrative turnover in the past year.
www.theassemblync.com
September 11, 2025 at 12:41 PM
the turmoil at the school of civic life and leadership has gotten bad enough that the university hired a law firm to investigate
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
i joined my friends at @wunc.org's the broadside to talk about bill belichick and the impact college football finances have on the rest of the university
www.wunc.org/podcast/the-...
www.wunc.org/podcast/the-...
The Belichick effect and the money-sucking machine of college football
College football has become a money-sucking machine, with schools spending every dollar possible to keep up in an athletics arms race.
www.wunc.org
September 4, 2025 at 4:57 PM
i joined my friends at @wunc.org's the broadside to talk about bill belichick and the impact college football finances have on the rest of the university
www.wunc.org/podcast/the-...
www.wunc.org/podcast/the-...
Reposted by Matt Hartman
This week, The Broadside tackled… what else? The Belichick effect.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
The Belichick effect and the money-sucking machine of college football
College football has become a money-sucking machine, with schools spending every dollar possible to keep up in an athletics arms race.
www.wunc.org
September 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This week, The Broadside tackled… what else? The Belichick effect.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
Big thanks to @scottdochterman.bsky.social and @themhartman.bsky.social for explaining the money-sucking machine behind college athletics. And why winning may not matter when you can’t lose in college football.
Reposted by Matt Hartman
My preferred outcome is that the entire Belichick situation becomes funnier and funnier and so far so good
September 2, 2025 at 1:49 AM
My preferred outcome is that the entire Belichick situation becomes funnier and funnier and so far so good
Pretty sure TCU is running an experiment in schadenfreude at this point
September 2, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Pretty sure TCU is running an experiment in schadenfreude at this point
![EARL SWEATSHIRT I think it captured both parts of myself: being 16 and then also having a family. The 16-year-old that still is like, [grunts] “live, laugh, love — [expletive] dumbass!” Like, “live laugh, love, the world is [expletive]!” And then my life changing drastically. It’s like, I guess the joke was on me, because if you have kids, that is not even kind of funny at all. If someone says “live, laugh, love” and you have kids, you’re like, “Exactly, brother.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5mza3xbznhojqn4jyr7iemvw/bafkreidrwx7b3emgkwv7e56wo2zeczy5kxvzy6op7yhhseitznp6eghu5u@jpeg)
August 27, 2025 at 6:24 PM
i know this is "we built a hotel here when they said we shouldn't" but i can't help but read it as "they thought we couldn't colonize them but we sure did"
August 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM
i know this is "we built a hotel here when they said we shouldn't" but i can't help but read it as "they thought we couldn't colonize them but we sure did"
duke libraries told their staff that the department of slavic and eurasian studies is being eliminated. that's not true. but all their staff were cut.
join me on a journey through the misinformation of budget cuts at duke
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
join me on a journey through the misinformation of budget cuts at duke
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
The Strange Case of Duke’s Still Living Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Duke Libraries said the department would be eliminated. College leadership says that’s not true. While faculty remain in place, the department has no staff left and is being led by someone from anothe...
indyweek.com
August 21, 2025 at 8:34 PM
duke libraries told their staff that the department of slavic and eurasian studies is being eliminated. that's not true. but all their staff were cut.
join me on a journey through the misinformation of budget cuts at duke
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
join me on a journey through the misinformation of budget cuts at duke
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
There's a house on my dog walk route with 3 Hummers and also a miniature statue of David
August 16, 2025 at 12:46 PM
There's a house on my dog walk route with 3 Hummers and also a miniature statue of David
it's a very, very fun job in north carolina's best newsroom. please reach out if you wanna join the team--i'm happy to answer any questions!
We’re hiring a higher ed reporter @theassemblync.bsky.social! It’s one of our core focus areas and a busy time for North Carolina’s colleges and universities.
Come work with @themhartman.bsky.social and me!
www.theassemblync.com/assembly-job...
Come work with @themhartman.bsky.social and me!
www.theassemblync.com/assembly-job...
Work With Us
See what roles are currently available at The Assembly, your go-to source for journalism on power and place in North Carolina.
www.theassemblync.com
August 13, 2025 at 4:53 PM
it's a very, very fun job in north carolina's best newsroom. please reach out if you wanna join the team--i'm happy to answer any questions!
Why do all evs have the same fancy door handles?
August 12, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Why do all evs have the same fancy door handles?
Reposted by Matt Hartman
The University of North Carolina System already includes campuses from Cullowhee to Elizabeth City. This spring, it seemed like a UNC campus in Flint, Michigan could be next.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Inside UNC-Chapel Hill’s Scrapped Plan to Open a Michigan Campus
UNC-Chapel Hill’s “Prometheus” project explored purchasing Kettering University, an engineering school in Flint.
www.theassemblync.com
August 7, 2025 at 12:48 PM
The University of North Carolina System already includes campuses from Cullowhee to Elizabeth City. This spring, it seemed like a UNC campus in Flint, Michigan could be next.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
up until april of this year, unc-chapel hill was considering whether to buy a michigan university and run it as a satellite campus
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Inside UNC-Chapel Hill’s Scrapped Plan to Open a Michigan Campus
UNC-Chapel Hill’s “Prometheus” project explored purchasing Kettering University, an engineering school in Flint.
www.theassemblync.com
August 7, 2025 at 1:35 PM
up until april of this year, unc-chapel hill was considering whether to buy a michigan university and run it as a satellite campus
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Reposted by Matt Hartman
BREAKING: @theassemblync.bsky.social obtained an email in which UNC-Chapel Hill's ex-provost said Chancellor Lee Roberts agreed to the Board of Trustees’ controversial move to delay tenure votes for financial reasons.
From me & @themhartman.bsky.social
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
From me & @themhartman.bsky.social
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Provost: UNC-CH Chancellor Signed Off On Plan To Delay Tenure
Chris Clemens wrote in an email obtained by The Assembly that Chancellor Lee Roberts agreed to delay tenure votes for financial reasons.
www.theassemblync.com
August 2, 2025 at 12:05 AM
BREAKING: @theassemblync.bsky.social obtained an email in which UNC-Chapel Hill's ex-provost said Chancellor Lee Roberts agreed to the Board of Trustees’ controversial move to delay tenure votes for financial reasons.
From me & @themhartman.bsky.social
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
From me & @themhartman.bsky.social
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...