This week, exciting plans at Dartmouth, some startling news for computer science majors, and updates on the strikes at the University of California and The New School.
Dartmouth announced a $100 million plan to “increase access and leadership opportunities in STEM fields for historically underrepresented groups.” Dartmouth STEM-X, as the plan will be called, was launched by a $25 million gift from Penny and James Coulter, ‘82.
The New York Times reported that the number of computer science undergraduate majors more than tripled from 2011 to 2021. Meanwhile, the tech companies that once encouraged students to pursue this study (Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, among others) are now undergoing “layoffs, hiring freezes and planned recruiting slowdowns.” These changes are leading to uncertain employment futures for recent college graduates.
Ongoing strikes at the University of California and The New School show no signs of stopping anytime soon. Workers at the University of California are in their fourth week of a strike for better wages and are now threatening to withhold 30,000 grades until the strike ends, potentially impacting financial aid for some students. At The New School, adjunct professors are in their third week of a strike for better pay and improved working conditions.
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