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  • More Than 100 Universities Sign Statement Rejecting Trump’s Interference in and Control of Their Campuses

    More Than 100 Universities Sign Statement Rejecting Trump’s Interference in and Control of Their Campuses


    More than 100 universities joined forces to oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to control their curriculum, their hiring policies, and their admissions policies. The initial statement was released this morning and almost another 100 universities signed on.

    The Trump administration’s threat to academic freedom by suspending federal funding and threatening the universities’ tax-exempt status alarmed the universities and spurred them to resist the administration’s unprecedented effort to stifle academic freedom.

    CBS News reported:

    Washington — More than 100 U.S. universities and colleges, including Harvard, Princeton, Penn, Brown, MIT, Cornell and Tufts issued a joint letter Tuesday condemning President Trump’s “political interference” in the nation’s education system. 

    The move comes a day after Harvard University sued the Trump administration, which announced an initial funding freeze of $2.2 billion and later signaled its intention to suspend an additional $1 billion in grants. The moves came after weeks of escalation between the administration and Harvard, which had rejected the administration’s demands to change many of the school’s policies and leadership, including auditing the student body and faculty for “viewpoint diversity.”

    “We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” Tuesday’s letter read. 

    “We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion,” it said, adding: “We must reject the coercive use of public research funding.” 

    Mr. Trump has sought to bring several prestigious universities to heel over claims they tolerated campus antisemitism, threatening their budgets and tax-exempt status and the enrollment of foreign students.

    The letter said the universities and colleges were committed to serving as centers where “faculty, students, and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation.”

    “Most fundamentally,” the letter reads, “America’s colleges and universities prepare an educated citizenry to sustain our democracy.

    “The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society. On behalf of our current and future students, and all who work at and benefit from our institutions, we call for constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic.”

    Reuters reported that other higher education institutions added their names to the statement, which now has nearly 200 signatories.

    The New York Times reported today that some of Harvard’s major donors were urging it to settle with the administration. Eventually, the government’s threats to take control of the university made a settlement impossible.



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  • Harvard President Rejects Government Control; Trump Threatens to Strip Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status

    Harvard President Rejects Government Control; Trump Threatens to Strip Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status


    Alan M. Garber, President of Harvard University, wrote a brilliant letter defending the independence of higher education–and Harvard in particular– from government control.

    Of course, the racist, homophobic, xenophobic Trump administration threatened to cut off Harvard’s federal research grants if they didn’t do more to combat anti-Semitism, a phony issue. Trump demanded an apology from Harvard for “egregious anti-Semitism.” Garber, the President of Harvard, is Jewish.

    The administration also demanded that Harvard abolish all programs to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. But then it demanded that Harvard hire new professors to guarantee “diversity” of viewpoint. Is Trump for or against diversity?

    Garber wrote:

    For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.

    Certainly, Garber wrote, Harvard would fight anti-Semitism, but it would not sacrifice its independence.

    The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.

    Garner made clear that Harvard would not allow the government to control teaching and learning at Harvard.

    Yesterday, Trump threatened to strip Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Doing so is literally illegal but law never gets in Trump’s way.

    This is tyranny and a blatant attack on academic freedom.

    The ignorant, self-centered Trump wants to wipe out academic freedom from any institution that does not kneel to his wishes.

    Be it noted that Elise Stefanik, a graduate of Harvard, cheered on Trump’s attack on her alma mater. She wrote on Twitter: “Harvard University has rightfully earned its place as the epitome of the moral and academic rot in higher education,” she posted on X, and said that Harvard should lose its tax exemption. She obviously was not brainwashed at Harvard. She should return her diploma.

    Happily, Harvard has the resources to fight Trump. He picked on the wrong target.



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  • From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools

    From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools


    Aug 25
    2023

    From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools

    Syed Ali

    By Syed Ali, founder and CEO, EZO.

    In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of the education landscape. K-12 schools are increasingly relying on technology to enhance teaching methods, improve student engagement, and streamline administrative processes. Although the investment is necessary, the rapid pace of technological advancements brings with it significant challenges.

    During the COVID pandemic, millions of K-12 students across the US relied on borrowed devices from their school districts, with Chromebooks being the most common for remote learning. Schools rapidly adopted Chromebooks in 2020, as the demand surged during the transition to remote or hybrid learning models, resulting in millions of students receiving laptops, tablets, and Chromebooks from school districts nationwide.

    Fast forward a few years, and now, many K-12 districts are still scrambling to account for all those devices, year after year. This includes not only locating and recovering missing devices, but also making sure clear policies and procedures are in place for future distribution, collection, liability, and insurance claim filings for those devices that can’t be found, as well as budgeting time and staff to inspect and repair any tablets that do come back before they’re redistributed.

    Take for example the 77,000-student Greenville County, S.C., school system which made headlines during the summer of 2020 when it revealed that it had been trying to recover nearly 5,000 of the more than 58,000 Chromebooks that were distributed to students during that school year.

    Another example comes from the Chicago Public School District. The district reported that computers and other devices that amount to at least 8% of the Chicago Public Schools’ “technology assets” had been listed as “lost” during the pandemic. Also, the district said it had depended on its schools in the district to take a regular inventory, but that the process continues to be time-consuming and inconsistent as only 35% of Chicago’s 500 district-run schools have a technology coordinator on staff.

    Similarly, St. Francis Independent School District located in Minneapolis, which encompasses more than 700 employees and 4000 students from kindergarten to senior high had relied completely on Excel spreadsheets for IT asset management processes. This manual asset tracking system was creating a lot of holes: things were getting missed, and the data was far from accurate. If a Chromebook was checked out of the school by a student or teacher, someone from the IT team had to update spreadsheet-based records with the person’s name, their ID number, the device number, and the school location. This was all done manually, and as a result the team wasn’t able to consistently track the devices they managed.

    This is where an effective IT Asset Management (ITAM) solution becomes indispensable and why an ITAM in K-12 schools should be highly considered.

    Unlocking the Power of IT Asset Management

    IT Asset Management in K-12 schools is not merely about tracking and cataloging hardware and software components (although this certainly helps). It is a strategic approach that empowers educational institutions to maximize the potential of their technology investments and drive positive outcomes. Here’s why ITAM should be a priority for every forward-thinking school:

    Cost Optimization

    An effective ITAM solution enables schools to streamline their technology budget by accurately tracking hardware and software assets. By identifying underutilized resources and avoiding unnecessary purchases, schools can allocate their limited funds more efficiently and invest in areas that directly impact students’ learning experiences.

    Enhanced Learning Experiences

    ITAM plays a pivotal role in ensuring that educational institutions have the necessary tools and software licenses to support innovative teaching methods. By maintaining an up-to-date inventory of IT assets, schools can ensure seamless access to educational resources, empowering educators to deliver immersive and personalized learning experiences.

    Efficiency in Operations

    Managing a vast array of IT assets is a complex undertaking. An ITAM solution simplifies the process by automating asset discovery, tracking warranties, and managing software licenses. This streamlines administrative tasks, reduces manual errors, and frees up valuable staff time to focus on core educational objectives.

    Scalability

    An ITAM solution should be scalable to accommodate the evolving needs of a growing school. It should offer flexible licensing models that align with budgetary constraints and provide options for expansion as technology demands increase.

    Customization and Reporting

    An ideal ITAM solution for K-12 schools should offer customizable reporting capabilities, allowing educational institutions to generate insights that align with their specific goals and requirements. The ability to create detailed reports on asset utilization, maintenance history, and license compliance is crucial for effective decision-making.

    Conclusion

    As technology continues to revolutionize education, K-12 schools must harness the power of IT Asset Management to optimize their digital resources. By implementing a comprehensive ITAM solution tailored to the needs of educational institutions, schools can unlock cost efficiencies, enhance learning experiences, ensure data security, and streamline operations. And, most importantly, schools and their IT staff can keep track of all those Chromebooks and other devices so there is no need to put out an All Points Bulletin (APB) on missing devices every year.



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  • Balancing Freedom and Control with Classroom Technology

    Balancing Freedom and Control with Classroom Technology


    Feb 4
    2025

    Balancing Freedom and Control with Classroom Technology

    Al Kingsley

    By Al Kingsley, CEO, NetSupport.

    Teachers know that giving students more freedom — by enabling greater choice and agency — unlocks engagement and better outcomes. Decades of research backs this idea up. Still, there’s value to structure in a classroom.

    How then, can teachers balance maintaining a level of control that steers productive learning with giving students the freedom they need to thrive? Setting clear boundaries and leveraging technology effectively are the keys. 

    The Value of Limiting Choice

    Technology is often thought of as a tool that can help open more choice for students. Whether it’s choosing research topics that fit their interests, providing options to engage in educational content to meet different learning styles, or even giving students ways to master topics at their own pace.

    Research on choice, however, shows that too many options can be counterproductive. People are more likely to make decisions, and avoid “analysis paralysis,” when there are fewer options. The magic number, the reports say, is to offer less than six choices. 

    As teachers continue to embrace allowing students more classroom freedom, using technology to offer a set of choices rather than limitless options can be effective. 

    Adding Alternatives for Answering Questions

    Class participation is an easy way to add greater freedom for students without overwhelming them with choices, especially by using technology. For example, if teachers want all students to participate in a classroom discussion they can ask for responses to questions using a computer-based poll and then ask students who feel comfortable to share their answers out loud.

    An alternative option is to adopt a platform with a classroom chat feature. Teachers who use classroom.cloud report that using the solution’s chat feature allows students who might be more self-conscious or shy to speak up. By typing their response, or even discreetly asking a question, students can engage more fully in classroom activities. 

    Adding Guardrails to Set Students Up for Success

    Many approaches that grant students greater freedoms are based on self-directed learning. Students might be able to choose the final format of a project or decide between learning about a topic by reading or watching a video about it.

    Likewise, offer a game like a web-based scavenger hunt. Such activities require students to use computers and tablets with internet access, opening the door to a variety of explorations, as well as distractions. 

    Just as teachers can use technology to increase options for learning, they can also use it to add guardrails that size down the vast world of the internet to something not quite so overwhelming (or tempting).

    Determining the websites and applications students can access by creating a list of “allowed” and “restricted” content ensures students only access relevant and appropriate resources during class. This way, they will stay on task and work more efficiently. 

    IT directors who have adopted classroom.cloud ease the burden of managing such a list off teachers’ plates. Instead of taking up teachers’ time to create and manage the lists, IT leaders work with educators to identify sites and apps and then set the restrictions and allowances. Other control options needed include different permissions for specific school buildings within a district. 

    Tools that enable simultaneous screen sharing as well as a lock screen feature can also help in setting up appropriate guardrails.

    When teachers can manage students’ screens with a single click, it becomes easier to bring everyone together after a period of working independently or redirect students who may have gone off track. 

    Provide Support Anytime, Anywhere

    Many classrooms have continued to embrace learn anytime, anywhere environments. Students are learning remotely, in person and in hybrid classrooms. No matter where kids are learning, they deserve the same level of help.

    The right technology can enable students to maintain freedom in where and how they learn while still getting the support they need. This goes beyond live-streamed instruction or watching videos asynchronously. Teachers can use technology, like classroom.cloud, to support and engage with students in the very moment they are learning.

    When teachers use technology they have an immense opportunity to continue fostering classroom environments that are engaging and anchored in choice. By considering how the same tools can create structure, educators can strike the balance to help students avoid feeling overwhelmed and keep them focused on growing and learning.



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