Tulane threatens expulsion for partygoers

CNBC: "Tulane is banning all parties or gatherings of more than 15 people as the private college tries to protect students and staff against spreading the coronavirus. Violators will risk suspension or expulsion ...The private school, while boasting an 11% acceptance rate for the incoming freshman class, is the fifth top party school in the U.S., according to the Princeton Review ... Tulane’s announcement comes as colleges try to balance holding in-person classes in the fall against the public health risks."

"Cornell University leadership, notably, cited school researchers who found the virus would be more likely to spread with classes solely online than a hybrid model, since students living off-campus would return to campus and not have to partake in mandated testing required for learning on campus if only taking online courses."

"Tulane’s reopening plan requires students starting class Aug. 19, five days earlier than originally planned, and ending the semester Nov. 24, with most exams happening online after Thanksgiving. Tulane plans to test all students upon arrival, provide frequent testing throughout the semester and put less people than normal in housing and classrooms."

Colleges Rescind Offers Over Racist Posts

The New York Times: "Amid a national accounting over entrenched and systemic racism after Mr. Floyd’s death in police custody on Memorial Day, at least a dozen schools have rescinded admissions offers to incoming students over instances of racism that circulated widely online, often after outraged students and university alumni demanded swift action. In this digital age, when social media posts can ricochet across the internet at furious speed, the message from those universities to the students caught posting racist sentiments online has been uncompromising: You are no longer welcome here."

"While private schools are not bound by the First Amendment and its protection of speech, public universities, as government institutions, must contend with the potential legal consequences of penalizing students for racist or sexist language ... But the First Amendment does not guarantee the right to be admitted to a state university with an admissions process that considers 'the whole person,' beyond just grades and test scores."

"In some cases, the revoked admissions offers are the results of concerted efforts by teenagers who have leveraged large social media followings and created Google spreadsheets to collect and document racist and offensive behavior with screenshots, videos and the names of those involved ... While the pushback from universities appears to have spiked in the weeks since Mr. Floyd’s killing, they are not limited to incoming freshmen. In early June, a student at Clemson University was included in an online spreadsheet that listed the personal information of young people who had reportedly posted racist content online."

Free Website Assists with Financial Aid

The New York Times: "To apply for federal aid, students need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which has 133 questions, including difficult ones like what is their parents’ total tax-exempt interest income. That’s just for federal aid, including work-study. Applying for state aid requires more forms. New York, for example, has 22 grant or scholarship programs with different applications. Added to this, students have to consider 4,400 colleges with different financial aid policies and then 10 times that number of private scholarships with different eligibility requirements and questions."

"To simplify the process ... a free platform, Going Merry, helps students find and apply for private scholarships, college financial aid and government grants, in one place. About 350,000 students and 7,500 counselors use the service. Along with applying for assistance, students can see what aid various colleges offer to students. Stanford University, for example, shows its commitment to meet the full need to students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. The University of Virginia highlights its same commitment to ensure that out-of-state students know about its financial aid as well as those in-state. Colleges can also feature particular programs."

"A number of sites make it easier to see what aid is available. MyinTuition, for example, provides an online calculator to give students a financial aid estimate based on six simple questions. Another start-up, Fair Opportunity Project, provides free college application and financial aid guides to every public school in America."