Karina Cuevas

When presidents of several top Ivy League schools testified about antisemitism on their campuses during a tough hearing this winter, the president of Columbia University was traveling. Wednesday, it was her turn to appear before a House Committee. She strongly denounced antisemitism and hate speech, but some members of the committee felt she had not done nearly enough. Laura Barrón-López reports.

Scientists issued a warning due to record-breaking temperatures in 2023 which accelerated the speed of the second-largest mass coral bleaching event across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Nearly a quarter of all ocean species rely on the reefs. William Brangham discussed the global situation and what’s at stake with Julia Baum, a marine ecologist and coral reefs researcher.

The Biden administration put out new Title IX rules that will increase protections for LGBTQ+ students and change how schools handle cases of campus sexual assault. It reverses several moves made by the Trump administration. William Brangham discussed the changes with Laura Meckler of The Washington Post.

A new doping scandal has erupted involving Olympic swimmers from China. Chinese authorities and the World Anti-Doping Agency found the drug trimetazidine but cleared the swimmers and did not flag problems to Olympic officials. Several who tested positive went on to win medals, including three gold medals. Jeffrey Brown discussed the latest with Travis Tygart of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a long-awaited set of regulations regarding proposed limits on fossil-fueled power plant emissions. But these new rules could mean the end of the coal industry as a source of electricity generated in the United States. Stephanie Sy discussed these rules and the reactions to them with Jennifer Dlouhy, Bloomberg’s energy and environmental reporter.

As protests of Israel’s war in Gaza spread to campuses across the country, some see parallels between today’s demonstrations and college protests of the past. Amna Nawaz discussed that with University of Texas history professor Steven Mintz and professor and historian at the City University of New York, Angus Johnston.

Student protests over Israel’s war in Gaza and U.S. involvement continue across campuses nationwide. Even as the school year comes to an end, administrators are struggling with how to respond. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Spencer Friedland of the Emory Wheel, Aarya Mukherjee of the Daily Californian at UC-Berkeley and Neil Mehta of the Brown Daily Herald.

Hundreds of protestors have been arrested across the country as demonstrations against the war in Gaza intensify on college campuses. For a closer look at when and how police are involved in these protests, Amna Nawaz spoke with Frederick Lawrence, a distinguished lecturer at Georgetown University Law Center and Ed Davis, former commissioner of the Boston Police Department.

As protests over the war in Gaza continue on campuses, colleges are grappling with the balance of free speech, civil disobedience and concerns over student safety. We’ve heard some college officials argue arrests and crackdowns are necessary and overdue while protesters and some faculty say it’s been too harsh in some cases. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with Austin Harper of The Atlantic.

The recent ruling by New York’s highest court to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction has sent a wave of shock and disappointment through advocates of the #MeToo movement. Weinstein remains jailed for a rape conviction in Los Angeles, but the New York ruling still raises questions about justice for sexual assault survivors. Amna Nawaz discussed those concerns with Anita Hill.