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Chris Quintana

@chrisquintana.bsky.social
1.6K followers 143 following 117 posts

USA TODAY reporter interested higher ed and what you know. Runner, New Mexican, state school grad, fan of phone calls. Email: cquintana@usatoday.com Signal: 202-308-9021

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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Duquesne VP of enrollment management says university rescinded 16 of ~13,000 applications tied to "improper use of AI." community.triblive.com/c/bridgevill...
community.triblive.com
Ghost students and fraud squads: Colleges pivoting admissions process in age of AI
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Florida loves the Classic Learning Test, an ACT/SAT competitor. It’s not about college applications though. High school leaders use it to pass students who failed the state’s exit exams. Grad rates are up, but some educators ask if that's good, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
usatoday.com
Hegseth’s ‘gold standard’ college exam tests middle-school math
Held up as a new route to college admissions, the Classic Learning Test has instead become a remedial high-school graduation test in Florida.
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USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 30/07/2026
Held up as a new route to college admissions, the Classic Learning Test has instead become a remedial high-school graduation test in Florida.
bit.ly
Hegseth’s ‘gold standard’ college exam tests middle-school math
Held up as a new route to college admissions, the Classic Learning Test has instead become a remedial high-school graduation test in Florida.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Florida loves the Classic Learning Test, an ACT/SAT competitor. It’s not about college applications though. High school leaders use it to pass students who failed the state’s exit exams. Grad rates are up, but some educators ask if that's good, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
usatoday.com
Hegseth’s ‘gold standard’ college exam tests middle-school math
Held up as a new route to college admissions, the Classic Learning Test has instead become a remedial high-school graduation test in Florida.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Another professor fired for comments about Charlie Kirk is poised for a payout, this time $1.9M from University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The prof, Tamar Shirinian, won't return to campus: www.knoxnews.com/story/news/e... via Keenan Thomas
knoxnews.com
University of Tennessee to pay $1.9M to professor fired over Charlie Kirk comment
The cultural anthropology assistant professor will not return to the University of Tennessee faculty.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Colleges try to divert end-of-semester waste, but dumpsters are still full www.marketplace.org/story/2026/0...
marketplace.org
Colleges try to divert end-of-semester waste, but dumpsters are still full
One man’s dorm-moveout trash is another man’s treasure.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Security incident hits Canvas as finals loom for students across US www.usatoday.com/story/news/e... via Thao Nguyen
usatoday.com
Security incident hits Canvas as finals loom for students across US
Colleges and universities across the United States alerted on May 7 that Canvas had reported a security incident and was experiencing an outage.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
How a University’s Censorship Conference Got Censored www.404media.co/how-a-univer...
404media.co
How a University’s Censorship Conference Got Censored
Presenters say that Weber State University’s legal team adopted a narrow construction of a state law designed to withhold funding from public institutions suspected of practicing DEI.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Big news in the world of higher ed news, Inside Higher Ed will require a subscription for its, "news, analyses and deep dives." Other parts of the pub remain free and readers will get 3 free stories monthly, but still big shift: www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
insidehighered.com
Inside Higher Ed’s Model Is Changing. Our Journalism Is Not.
IHE’s new subscription plan will support the independent and robust journalism the higher education sector depends on and deserves.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
University of Michigan's president-elect Kent Syverud has brain cancer, will not take up presidency freep.com/story/news/education/2026/04/15/u-ms-new-president-diagnosed-with-brain-cancer/89622673007/
freep.com
University of Michigan's new president Kent Syverud has brain cancer
Syracuse University President Kent Syverud has been diagnosed with brain cancer. He was set to take over as University of Michigan president in May.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Clemson students reflect on the impact of fired professor, Melvin Villaver, who shared critical comments about Charlie Kirk following the speaker's death. Piece shows how a professor's presence extends beyond the classroom: thetigercu.com/28514/news/v...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
After Charlie Kirk's death, a wave of universities fired or censured academics for social media posts tied to the conservative speaker and frequent college critic. Months later, some professors are returning. And one is $500k richer, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Education Department delays plan to garnish wages on borrowers behind on payments: www.ed.gov/about/news/p...
ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education Delays Involuntary Collections Amid Ongoing Student Loan Repayment Improvements
ED announced that it will delay the implementation of involuntary collections on federal student loans, including Administrative Wage Garnishment and the Treasury Offset Program, to enable the Departm...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
After Charlie Kirk's death, a wave of universities fired or censured academics for social media posts tied to the conservative speaker and frequent college critic. Months later, some professors are returning. And one is $500k richer, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Thrilled to join @vox.com's Today, Explained podcast with host Noel King to talk student loans, wage garnishments and what to expect for federal lending in the new year! Take a listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/7DK9...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Thrilled to join @vox.com's Today, Explained podcast with host Noel King to talk student loans, wage garnishments and what to expect for federal lending in the new year! Take a listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/7DK9...
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Davis Winkie @winkie.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
NEW @usatoday.com PROJECT: The U.S. has 450 nuclear missile silos. And they exist, in part, to be destroyed. What would happen if they were? The Nuclear Sponge is a five-part project informing readers about the strategic debate and costs of modernizing the land leg of America’s nuclear triad.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Hey Ed policy wonks, new #Naciqi members just announced, from ED news release
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
They went to jail for minor crimes. Sepsis was a death sentence. Short jail stays for minor crimes turn deadly when filth and a lack of care let infections run out of control, a USA TODAY investigation found. www.usatoday.com/story/news/i... via Austin Fast
usatoday.com
Sepsis is 'very treatable.' For inmates, it's often a death sentence.
Short jail stays for minor crimes turn deadly when filth and a lack of care let infections run out of control, a USA TODAY investigation found.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
I am fascinated by the far-reaching effects of the AWS outage earlier this week and feeling grateful my bed is dumb: www.404media.co/the-aws-outa...
404media.co
The AWS Outage Bricked People’s $2,700 Smartbeds
When Amazon Web Services went offline, people lost control of their cloud-connected smart beds, getting stuck in reclined positions or roasting with the heat turned all the way up.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
MrBeast, the world’s most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced a credentialing program back in 2022. It was supposed to debut in 6-12 months, but nearly 3 years later there’s no sign of it. What happened? I tried to find out: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
usatoday.com
What happened to MrBeast's East Carolina University academic program? No one will say
In 2022, MrBeast, the most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced an academic program. Years later it stalled without reason.
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Adam Harris @adamhsays.com · 12/10/2025
what happens when the “move fast and break things” ideology collides with higher ed. great story from @chrisquintana.bsky.social: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
usatoday.com
What happened to MrBeast's East Carolina University academic program? No one will say
In 2022, MrBeast, the most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced an academic program. Years later it stalled without reason.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
MrBeast, the world’s most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced a credentialing program back in 2022. It was supposed to debut in 6-12 months, but nearly 3 years later there’s no sign of it. What happened? I tried to find out: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
usatoday.com
What happened to MrBeast's East Carolina University academic program? No one will say
In 2022, MrBeast, the most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced an academic program. Years later it stalled without reason.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
I sat down with the Ohio State President, Ted Carter, for a wide ranging discussion that included why the university banned chalking on sidewalks and why he doesn't feel targeted by the Trump administration even while facing federal inquires: www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
usatoday.com
How Ohio State's president is navigating an ever-changing higher education landscape
In an interview with USA TODAY, the Ohio State University President Ted Carter says he doesn’t feel targeted by the federal government.
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BrieAnna Frank @brieannafrank.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Pres. Trump says the Smithsonian Institution is too "woke." My colleagues + I went to several museums + interviewed visitors to assess his concerns. Here's what we found: www.usatoday.com/story/news/p... @chrisquintana.bsky.social @stephenbeard.bsky.social @duanegang.bsky.social @usatoday.com
usatoday.com
Trump says the Smithsonian is too woke. We visited five of its museums to find out
On Aug. 12, the Trump administration announced a review of the Smithsonian, starting with eight of its most-visited and high-profile museums.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
A question for the academics, I am looking for folks who can speak, on-record or background, about developing a certificate program for a university as a third party. I am looking for sources on either side of this equation. DMs are open and I am @ cquintana@usatoday.com, thanks!
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Liberty University is facing a second lawsuit accusing it of mishandling sexual assault cases, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...
usatoday.com
Liberty University faces second lawsuit accusing it of mishandling sexual assault cases
An ex-employee alleged she faced workplace discrimination in addition to retaliation for working with Education Department investigators.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
It was the Senate's last vote on Friday night, but Trump's pick to oversee higher ed was confirmed in a 50-45 vote. More on Nicholas Kent, his time working with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and his ties to for-profit colleges here: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
usatoday.com
Senate confirms Trump's pick to oversee higher ed, a man tied to for-profit colleges
The under secretary at the Department of Education oversees billions in federal financial aid.
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Duane Gang @duanegang.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
The Trump administration is seeking to dramatically reshape higher education across the U.S. For @usatoday.com, @chrisquintana.bsky.social takes a deep dive looking at the man Trump wants leading the charge. www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...
usatoday.com
Trump is seeking to reshape higher education. Meet the man he wants leading the charge.
Trump's pick to oversee higher ed was a vice president for a company that paid $13 million to settle accusations it defrauded the student aid system.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
Meet the man President Trump wants in charge of higher ed policy. He worked for Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a for-profit college trade group, and a company that paid the gov $13 million to settle accusations of gaming the financial aid system, my latest: www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Varsity Blues mastermind Rick Singer can advise aspiring college students, but only if he prominently displays the following disclosure on his website per a district judge. No sign of Singer or the disclosure on the home page of his new biz, ID Future Stars as of today:
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BrieAnna Frank @brieannafrank.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Smoky Hills @pbs.org is a rural station that sits in the heart of Kansas wheat country. It's among the places that advocates fear could be hardest hit if the Senate votes to claw back $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. My latest for @usatoday.com:
usatoday.com
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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 16/07/2025
New Lumina/Gallup survey data show a slight uptick in the share of respondents who have confidence in higher education, with Republicans giving much more support to community colleges than four-year institutions. It's a rare bit of good news for the sector. news.gallup.com/poll/692519/...
A summary of responses showing a slight uptick in public confidence in higher education, with community colleges doing better than four-year institutions.
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The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 03/07/2025
Exclusive: The Trump administration’s postponement of a summer meeting for a college-accreditation panel has set off alarm bells in an obscure but powerful corner of higher education.
on.wsj.com
Delayed Meeting at a Powerful College Panel Stirs Suspicions in Higher Ed
The Trump administration postponed a summer meeting for a panel set to vote on reapproving Columbia University’s accreditor.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Back to the Future turns 40 today, which gives me a great excuse to repost the movie's take on a USA TODAY front page. We're still chasing that 3 minute mile!
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Interesting piece from Governing that synthesizes many of the biggest challenges facing higher ed, including enrollment cliff, federal funding cuts, changing perception about the value of a degree and other factors. Striking open too with the closure of Fontbonne U. in St. Louis:
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
Brief update, Senate version would cap the college endowment tax at 8% instead of the House's max rate of 21%. Also, only three tax tiers now, instead of four. Religious carveout remains in place, via Senate Finance Committee: www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-ne...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
I'm heading to New Orleans this week for the Investigative Reporters and Editors conference! Will also be on a panel Thursday w/ @arionne.bsky.social and @merkolodner.bsky.social talking about some of the underreported but important higher ed stories worth chasing. Let's chat if you're there!
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Every time, via recent essay about paying off student loans fast in Biz Insider:
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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 13/06/2025
Treasury is developing new rules that would strip the tax-exempt status of colleges that are deemed to be using race in any way, aligning with the administration's executive orders. This flew under the radar yesterday with everything going on.
bloomberg.com
Treasury Weighs Rules That May End Colleges’ Tax Status Over Race Policies
The US Treasury Department is considering changing rules to revoke tax-exempt status for colleges that consider race in student admissions, scholarships and other areas — potentially threatening the f...
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
ED is pressuring Columbia's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, to take action against the school tied to the government's finding that it violated the rights of Jewish students. Accreditors are a key part of how universities get federal financial aid.
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Duane Gang @duanegang.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Today for @usatoday.com, @chrisquintana.bsky.social and @brieannafrank.bsky.social explore the religious exemption in the big college endowment tax hike included in the White House spending bill. Will every religious institution qualify? www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
usatoday.com
With a war on Harvard raging, religious colleges get big tax break in Trump spending bill
Trump's spending bill, now headed to the Senate, would exempt religious colleges from a big tax increase on endowments.
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BrieAnna Frank @brieannafrank.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake for some schools with a new endowment tax plan included in the spending bill. An exemption for religious schools est. after July 4, 1776 has the potential for First Amendment challenges. More from me/@chrisquintana.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/s6czkbhn
usatoday.com
With a war on Harvard raging, religious colleges get big tax break in Trump spending bill
Trump's spending bill, now headed to the Senate, would exempt religious colleges from a big tax increase on endowments.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Just got off a plane for EWA in St. Louis. Excited to be on a panel tomorrow at 10:45 geared toward comms professionals pitching to journalists! Plan to share some of the most off-topic pitches I've received. If you're there, let's connect!
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USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 22/05/2025
In a 4-4 vote, the court rejected a bid by the Catholic Church in Oklahoma to create the nation's first religious charter school. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself in the case, enabling the vote to end in a deadlock.
bit.ly
Supreme Court blocks creation of nation's first religious charter school
The case was a major test of the separation of church and state.
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Duane Gang @duanegang.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
This is a good example of looking deep into a nonprofit organization's tax forms. @chrisquintana.bsky.social reports on how much Liberty University paid out to ex-president Jerry Falwell Jr. to end litigation stemming from his resignation back in 2020.
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Liam Adams @liamsadams.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
My friend @chrisquintana.bsky.social continues to keep up with Liberty University drama, the latest being a discovery in tax documents of the Christian higher ed behemoth paying former president Jerry Jr. $15 million to settle litigation. www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...
usatoday.com
Liberty to pay Jerry Falwell Jr. $15M settlement following high-profile sex scandal
The university and Falwell had announced a settlement in 2024 but provided few details. A newly released tax form revealed the multi-million sum.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Liberty University and its former president Jerry Falwell Jr. settled years of legal fighting in 2024. At the time, both sides said they reached an agreement without sharing details. But newly filed tax forms reveal Falwell is set to receive roughly $15M.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
In two diff interviews this week, Ed Sec. McMahon criticized the regional accreditor model. Her predecessor, Betsy DeVos, already axed the distinction between national/regional accreditors.
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Chris Quintana @chrisquintana.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
The list of announcements on Nelnet's website keeps growing, most recent add is tied to ED restarting collections on defaulted loans:
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