A judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit over Minnesota in-state tuition for students without legal status
Minnesota public universities can continue to offer in-state tuition and scholarships to some immigrants in the country without legal status, a federal judge ruled on Friday, dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice last summer that attempted to halt the programs. The decision follows a series of clashes...
Slippery Rock raises dining, parking, some academic fees
Parking permits and dining, technology and student life fees will increase for Slippery Rock University students next school year. SRU’s Council of Trustees on Friday approved a new fee structure that increases non-academic fees, as well as academic fees for the physician assistant, nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy programs....
Former Pittsburgh teacher sues district, claiming officials hindered new job opportunities
A former Pittsburgh Public Schools teacher is suing the district, claiming he was not given due process following an exchange with a student last year and that response to the incident has hindered his ability to work. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Dino DeIuliis, includes claims of constitutional violations...
Bigger classrooms, better accessibility and rooftop playground highlight new Brentwood elementary school
When finished, the new Brentwood Elementary School will feature dedicated space for support classrooms, wider and more accessible hallways, and a rooftop playground. Construction of the new school, located at 30 West Willock Road, is scheduled to be ready for the first day of school Sept. 8. It brings together...
State education secretary, lieutenant governor visit Point Park for food accessibility initiatives
Point Park University sophomore Chloe Humway believes on-campus resources like a free food pantry and community garden can be vital to students. And to some, those resources can be the deciding factor when attending a college, she said. “It is almost like a life-changing thing,” Humway said. “We have a...
Pitt chancellor emeritus Mark Nordenberg to retire after serving university for almost 5 decades
University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg will officially retire from the university this summer, ending a nearly five-decade run shaping and leading Pitt. The university announced Thursday that Nordenberg, 77, will step down on June 30 as chair of the Institute of Politics and director of the Dick Thornburgh...
Woodland Hills to pilot program exploring medical fields
Eddie Willson heard from Woodland Hills High School students that they wanted to work in the medical field, but didn’t know how to break in. “After graduating high school, they’re going into interviews with AHN and UMPC saying, ‘I have a high GPA and I have recommendation letters from my...
Pittsburgh schools discourage participation in reported ‘Downtown Takeover’ event
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials are discouraging students’ attendance from a reported “Downtown Takeover” event Friday. District spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said officials are aware of information circulating on social media regarding a planned event, encouraging students to gather in Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday night. Pugh said the district, “out of an...
‘Architect of AI’ Jensen Huang to be CMU’s commencement speaker
Jensen Huang, an electrical engineer, a businessman and the eighth richest man in the world, will be Carnegie Mellon University’s keynote speaker during commencement in May. Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, also will receive an honorary doctorate of science and technology during the graduation, the university said. “Honorary degrees...
McKeesport behavioral intervention specialist on paid leave following incident with daughter, a student
A McKeesport Area behavioral intervention specialist is on paid leave following an incident between the employee and their daughter, who is a high school student in the district, Superintendent Donald MacFann said Wednesday. The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon and school officials were made aware within minutes, MacFann said. The employee,...
Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI
The assignment involves no laptop, no chatbot and no technology of any kind. In fact, there’s no pen or paper, either. Instead, students in Chris Schaffer’s biomedical engineering class at Cornell University are required to speak directly to an instructor in what he calls an “oral defense.” It’s a testing...
Duquesne opens new nursing simulation center thanks to $4 million gift
Duquesne University has opened a new nursing simulation center thanks to a $4 million gift from a financier and philanthropist. The Joanne Barkett Conway Simulation Center is an 8,600-square-foot training facility located at Duquesne’s Fisher Hall and housed in the School of Nursing. University officials say the lab was made...
Young graduates face the grimmest job market in years
In January, an administrator from the career center at the University of Delaware posed a question on a private message board for educators: “Has anyone else noticed a decrease in employer fair registration for their spring events?” Responses came swiftly. “We are definitely seeing similar issues!” “It seems the current...
East Allegheny school counseling program recognized nationally
Emilia Mattucci and Joseph Pedulla, school counselors at East Allegheny Jr./Sr. High School, try to avoid what Mattucci calls “random acts of guidance.” Rather than being reactive to students’ needs, the counselors focus on data-driven, planned lessons and conversations with students on topics ranging from social and emotional learning, to...
Pittsburgh-area colleges get funding for programs to combat sexual assault
Carrie Benson remembers a day, semesters ago, when a student stopped at the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office at the University of Pittsburgh to ask about certain signs in the bathrooms. The signs, posted on bathroom stalls, outlined resources available to sexual assault survivors. The student asked who put...
Solar project at Carlynton high school will power most of building
When complete, a solar panel system on the rooftop of Carlynton Jr.-Sr. High School will power the majority of the building’s annual electricity needs. District officials are moving forward with a 716-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system with Energy Independent Solutions, at a cost not to exceed $1.41 million. Assistant Superintendent Jeff...
Damar Hamlin starts scholarship initiative at alma mater Central Catholic
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on Monday returned to his alma mater, Central Catholic High School in Oakland, to announce a scholarship initiative for students and those planning to go into building trades. Through Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, 10 scholarships — each worth $1,000 — will be given annually to...
Rising job opportunities in sports management attract students
Kaleb Tkacs became involved in sports management from the moment he stepped foot on Duquesne University’s campus in August 2023. Tkacs, of Scottdale, joined as a volunteer film crew member with the Duquesne football team that fall. In 2024, he was elevated as a student assistant, overseeing the film crew,...
College-in-high school programs offer ‘head start’ to aspiring educators
When aspiring teacher Ainsley Martin enrolls at Pitt-Greensburg in the fall, she will have six education credits under her belt with the help of a program launched by one of the university’s professors. Martin, a senior at Southmoreland High School, has known that she wants to become a teacher since...
Hampton superintendent retiring after 42 years in public education
Michael Loughead remembers having a positive experience when he was a student growing up in eastern Pennsylvania years ago. That curiosity inspired him to consider a career in public education — and that’s where he has been ever since. Loughead, 66, of Oakmont, will retire as Hampton Township School District’s...
Trump administration sues Harvard, saying it violated civil rights law and seeking to recover funds
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed a new lawsuit Friday against Harvard University, saying its leadership failed to address antisemitism on campus, creating grounds for the government to freeze existing grants and seek repayment for grants already paid. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, is another missive in...
Penn State faculty criticize administration’s unionization meetings
Penn State faculty trying to start a union are calling foul after university administration plans college-by-college meetings regarding unionization efforts. Members of the Penn State Faculty Alliance — a group of faculty pushing for unionization — say the meetings planned by administration are “anti-union.” On Tuesday, Penn State announced the...
Keystone Oaks junior wins statewide award for career readiness — 4 years after immigrating from Ukraine
One thing led to another for Kira Voichenko, a junior at Keystone Oaks High School. Voichenko immigrated to Pittsburgh from Ukraine in March 2022, one month after Russia’s full-scale invasion. In the fall of that year, she started at Keystone Oaks Middle School as an eighth-grade student. Toward the end...
Carlow University names Rhonda Maneval as provost
Carlow University has elevated Rhonda Maneval to the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs. Maneval joined Carlow in 2022 as dean of the College of Health and Wellness and began also serving as interim provost in fall 2023. Her appointment as provost was announced Wednesday. “Rhonda stands...
Women technology experts give advice to South Fayette students
High school can be like a buffet when it comes to career exploration, says Ethan Hudson, a sophomore at South Fayette High School. “You have to try a little bit of this and that, so you know what it’s like,” said Hudson, 15. That was part of the thought process...