News and updates

Here’s a selection of articles the Federal Relations team is enjoying this week.

Not So Credible Any More – On Thursday, the Education Department  moved to shut down the nation’s largest accreditor of for-profit colleges, which had stood watch as failing institutions like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute teetered on a pileup of fraud investigations. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools — known as ACICS — is one of a few dozen different organizations charged with maintaining standards and quality at the country’s more than 5,400 higher education institutions. Read more in The New York Times. 

Police Brutality – Since the August 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, police in America have been under heightened scrutiny. The Black Lives Matter protests in particular have shined a light on what many see as a systemic emphasis on excessive use of force by police, particularly on racial and ethnic minorities. Vox has 9 things you should know about US police and shootings. 

Charlotte and Candidates – Charlotte experiences continued unrest from Keith Scott’s killing. As polls in North Carolina are in a dead heat, both nominees seized on the fatal shooting in ways meant to appeal to core supporters. Read more in The New York Times. 

This Really Happened – Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC), a white American male born in 1948, the lawmaker says he understands the motivations of young, African American protesters better than they do. When speaking about Charlotte, he said to BBC Newsmaker “They hate white people, because white people are successful and they’re not.” Read about it and see it at The Washington Post.

Maybe It’s Not So Bad – Clinton has had one of the worst months yet, but this maybe the best thing for her campaign. Read more in Politico. 

Winning Where It Counts – Polls may be tightening, but Clinton is winning in states where she needs to, and where the electoral college votes are. Read more at the 538.

President Trump – Looking at Trump’s campaign shows a glimpse of what at Trump Presidency would be like. Read more in The New Yorker. 

Trump Ed Plan – Speaking in Chester Township, PA this week Trump said that under his administration, universities would have to lower tuition and student debt if they want federal tax breaks. Watch it at The Washington Post. 

College, Yes. Degree, No – More Americans are attending college than ever before — nearly 90 percent of millennials who graduate from high school attend college within eight years. But a far smaller proportion of Americans actually have a college degree: only 40 percent of students complete a bachelor’s degree in four years and 60 percent graduate in six years. At two-year colleges, 29 percent of students graduate in three years. Read more at Inside Higher Education. 

Sleeping Beast – Oklahoma is actually full of fault lines — over 900, but the recent boom in oil fracking has made the infrequently moving faults very active.. Before 2008, Oklahoma had maybe a couple of earthquakes of magnitude 3 or greater each year. Read more at the 538. 

Now What? – In a unique-to-DC job hazard, what do you do if your boss loses in the primary? Read more in Roll Call.

Leaf Peepers – We’ve just passed the autumnal equinox, which means several things, including Fall is nearly here! That means colored leaves! How can you determine peak fall foliage? There’s now an interactive map for that. See it at Smokymoutains.com.

You can now see your Patronus, thank you Pottermore.