Commencement 2026

Princeton Changes Its 133-Year-Old Honor Code Over AI Cheating Fears [ WSJ ]

The flava:

. . . In a survey of over 500 seniors conducted by the student newspaper last year, 30% reported they had cheated on an assignment or exam. Nearly half reported knowledge of an honor code violation but less than 1% had made a report.

The steps taken at Princeton underscore the enormous challenges facing colleges and universities as generative AI tools have become widespread in recent years. Nationwide, studies suggest that a third of students admit to using artificial intelligence to produce entire assignments, said Christian Moriarty, a professor of ethics and law at St. Petersburg College in Florida and a director at the nonprofit International Center for Academic Integrity. . . .    

The article:

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/princeton-cheating-ai-proctors-2a1cf62e

Henry Winkler Delivers Commencement Address to Emerson College 2026 Graduates

How much personal info will be leaked by the recent Canvas hack?? [ reddit.com/r/cybersecurity ]

The flava:

So apparently Canvas got hacked by ShinyHunters (3?!) times and is currently completely down. The cybercriminal group said the deadline is on May 12st, and if Instructure doesn't comply, they'll leak the PII of all students and teachers. I'm not a cybersecurity major, and I don't know much about Canvas, but how much will we be affected if no deal is reached? Like, how much information is typically stored on Canvas, and will they be able to figure out more through what is available in the system? I'm genuinely concerned....

The link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1t6ps71/how_much_personal_info_will_be_leaked_by_the/

University of Michigan Graduation Commencement May 2nd 2026 Highlights

U.S. Department of Education Opens Title IX Investigation into All-Women's Smith College for Admitting Men [ ed.gov ]

https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-opens-title-ix-investigation-all-womens-smith-college-admitting-men

The Small Private Colleges Dying in a Winner-Take-All University Marketplace [ WSJ ]

The flava:

The financial troubles at St. Michael’s College hit home for biology professor Declan McCabe when he noticed Buckthorn shrubs encroaching on walking trails near the house of the campus president. 

Enrollment declines opened the door to maintenance staff reductions, giving the invasive shrub the upper hand. McCabe—a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-it-done Irishman—taught his students to identify the woody plant and cut it back with handsaws and loppers. He turned the chore into lessons on the environment.

Tenured professors doubling as groundskeepers at a $70,000-a-year private college in New England is another sign of what is shaping up as the bleakest era for America’s smaller private schools. 

Consolidation of the nation’s nearly trillion-dollar higher-education sector is driving a new winner-take-all market, benefiting Ivy League campuses, flagship public universities and schools with high-profile sports teams and renowned research institutions. They enjoy high demand and a surplus of full-tuition payers, while lesser-known campuses juggle cost cuts and steep tuition discounts, including at St. Michael’s, to fill seats. . . .     

The article:

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/college-tuition-loans-budget-cuts-7d0ea05f