Data Privacy, App Bans, and Keeping Up with the College-Bound – Edu News for January 2025
This week in education news headlines, we cover:
- Australia has banned teenagers under 16 from using social media apps, with a one-year grace period for platforms to implement age verification measures.
- Disgraced college admissions advisor Rick Singer tries to stage a comeback with a new consulting venture.
- To boost incoming class sizes in a difficult economy, institutions like the University of Providence adopt direct admissions to streamline enrollment and promote diversity.
- A major data breach at K–12 software provider PowerSchool has affected numerous districts, emphasizing the growing need for robust cybersecurity and transparent safety protocols in schools.
- Higher education faces shifts as Boston University suspends humanities PhD admissions due to budget pressures, while Purdue University introduces the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program to revitalize cross-disciplinary learning.
Sources & Resources:
Rick Singer Varsity Blues Scandal -ABC News
‘Operation Varsity Blues’ and the world of US college admissions – The Boar
William Singer, the Man in the Middle of the College Bribery Scandal – The New York Times
Admissions to Humanities and Social Science PhD Programs Suspended at Boston University
BU suspends admissions to humanities, other Ph.D. programs
BU suspends PhD admissions in humanities fields next academic year | WBUR News
Purdue program works to revive liberal arts as key part of the college experience | PBS News
Cornerstone – College of Liberal Arts – Purdue University
The Teagle Foundation Press Release
MTA installs turnstile ‘spikes’ at NYC subway station | FOX 5 New York
Murray McCory, 80, Dies; JanSport Founder Created the School Backpack – The New York Times
School districts across central Ohio hit by nationwide data breach
PowerSchool data breach: What to know, how students are impacted
PowerSchool data breach hits many central Ohio school districts
PowerSchool Reportedly Pays Ransom to Prevent Student Data Leak Infosecurity Magazine
Australian states back national plan to ban children younger than 16 from social media | AP News
Australian social media ban on under-16s approved by parliament
How will Australia’s under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law’s enforcer : NPR
The Anxious Generation Out Now. Order the Book.
This new admissions system changes how students get into college — and helps schools find prospects
University of Providence offers direct admission to GFPS students