Christa Dutton

Washington, D.C., United States, Winston-Salem

Reporting Fellow at The Chronicle of Higher Education

Reporting Fellow @chronicle. Raised by @wfuogb. [email protected]

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Articles

Facing New Protests and Political Pressure, Colleges Are Taking a Harder Line

6 days ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

Pro-Palestinian protests at three colleges in the past several days led to more than 100 arrests for trespassing or destruction of property. Several students were also suspended for violating their college’s policies and protest restrictions. The mass arrests at Columbia University, Swarthmore College, and the University of Washington may signal a shift in how college leaders are responding to protests, experts say.
5 Key Moments From the Congressional Hearing With College Presidents

1 week ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

On Wednesday, for the fourth time in 17 months, the U.S. House’s education committee brought in college presidents to testify about antisemitism generally and particular incidents on their campuses.
Indiana Required Colleges to Accept Complaints Against Instructors. Here’s How Many They Got.

1 week ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

Last year, Indiana enacted a law requiring public colleges to set up a complaints system that students could use to report professors who fail to “foster a culture of free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity,” among other things. The legislation touched off fears about whether it would, paradoxically, hinder academic freedom and freedom of speech. Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.
In Indiana, Last-Minute Additions to the Budget Take Aim at Higher Ed

2 weeks ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

In approving a new state budget late last week, Indiana lawmakers also gave the green light to several measures that would dramatically change public higher education in the state. Those additions, made at the 11th hour, include a post-tenure review process that measures productivity, guidance that makes faculty-governance groups “advisory only,” and a provision that gives the governor sole power to appoint trustees at Indiana University at Bloomington.
Utah Lawmakers Mandate a Utah State University Refocus Gen-Ed Courses on Civics and Viewpoint Diversity

1 month ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

Utah lawmakers are forcing a public university to overhaul its general-education curriculum — by refocusing it on the Western canon and civil discourse. Under a new law, signed by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox on Monday, Utah State University will create an independent academic unit called the “Center for Civic Excellence” that will serve as a new general-education hub.
‘I Want to Stand Up for Higher Ed’: Protesters Rally Against Education Dept. Cuts

2 months ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

Dozens of people raised signs and rang cow bells along Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C., on Friday morning as commuters drove by and honked in support. Behind them stood the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, which fired half its employees this week. Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for less than $10/month.
In Trump’s First Weeks, Dozens of Colleges Have Shut Down DEI Efforts

2 months ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

The dismantling of diversity efforts has sped up since President Trump took office six weeks ago and quickly released two executive orders aiming to eliminate “discriminatory and illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. The Chronicle has tracked changes at 41 campuses since Inauguration Day. They vary widely. Several colleges shuttered offices and canceled events. Many removed DEI-related language from university communications. Websites related to DEI resources are disappearing.
How One State’s ‘Intellectual Diversity’ Law Has Changed Professors’ Teaching

2 months ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton

David McDonald sees his classroom differently now. Since last summer, he’s stopped viewing students as collaborators, but rather as “potential police officers” of his teaching. His anxiety has multiplied, and he finds himself thinking: “If I say the wrong thing in class, I could lose my job.”Last spring, Indiana passed Public Law 113, referred to more commonly as Senate Enrolled Act 202.
Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI

2 months ago | chronicle.com | Erin Gretzinger |Maggie Hicks |Christa Dutton |Jasper Smith

Updated on February 21, 2025: Columbia University, Des Moines Area Community College, Gateway Technical College, Iowa State University, Lawrence Tech, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Arizona, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, United States Naval Academy, Vanderbilt University, Xavier UniversityThe Chronicle is tracking higher ed’s dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Higher-Ed Employees Talk About How Trump’s Actions Have Changed Their Lives

2 months ago | chronicle.com | Christa Dutton |Karin Fischer |Megan Zahneis

The first several weeks of the second Trump White House have given higher education a severe case of vertigo. Executive orders and policy announcements have come at a breathtaking pace: freezing federal grants, drastically reducing support for research, targeting a vast swath of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and threatening federal investigations. Often, judges have blocked them, but it is not clear that the administration is always complying.