Afternoon Update: Applying to a top college? Being very rich is a key qualification, study finds.

The corporatization of creativity; small-college donor of $500 million gives $500 million more; Mich. appeals court upholds campus gun ban; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Afternoon Update Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. ADMISSIONS [Study of Top-College Admissions Data Suggests Being Very Rich Is Its Own Qualification]( The [study]( — by [Opportunity Insights]( a group of economists based at Harvard who study inequality — quantifies for the first time how much being very rich is a central factor in selective-college admissions. The study’s extraordinarily detailed data show how the colleges prefer the wealthiest applicants, even among those with similar test scores. The result is the clearest picture yet of how America’s elite colleges perpetuate the intergenerational transfer of wealth and opportunity. (The New York Times) ADVERTISEMENT THE REVIEW | ESSAY [The Corporatization of Creativity]( By Charlie Tyson [STORY IMAGE]( Our ways of thinking about thinking are a product of postwar business culture. THE REVIEW [Scientism, Covid, and the Crisis of Expertise]( By Len Gutkin [STORY IMAGE]( Science runs into trouble. PHILANTHROPY [Donor of $500 Million to McPherson College Pledges $500 Million More]( The small liberal-arts college in Kansas made headlines last year when it [received a $500-million pledge]( contingent on its raising $250 million more. After it raised that amount, the anonymous donor pledged an additional $500 million. The planned donations will [sextuple the size of the endowment](. (Kansas Reflector, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, college statement) CAMPUS SAFETY [U. of Michigan’s Gun Ban Is Upheld by State’s Court of Appeals]( Banning firearms on campus, a policy in force at public universities across the state, does not violate the Second Amendment, a panel of judges ruled on Friday, just [five months after]( a gunman [killed three students]( and [wounded five others]( at [Michigan State University](. The state’s Supreme Court could consider an appeal of the case. (Bridge Michigan, The Chronicle) LEADERSHIP [Thomas Jefferson U. President Who Liked Controversial Tweets Resigns]( Mark Tykocinski will remain a full professor at the Pennsylvania university but stepped down as president, after just a year in office, and as interim medical dean. He drew criticism this spring for using his presidential Twitter account to like tweets attacking Covid-19 vaccines and gender-reassignment surgery for children. He later apologized. (The Philadelphia Inquirer) INTERNATIONAL [American Anthropological Association Votes to Boycott Israeli Academic Institutions]( The resolution passed 71 percent to 29 percent, but just 37 percent of the group’s members voted. Its president said the boycott would, among other things, “draw attention to the disproportionate suffering of the Palestinian people as a result of the occupation.” Critics of the boycott, which generally covers AAA activities but not the behavior of members, threatened legal action. (Inside Higher Ed) COLLECTIONS [85-Day Sit-In at UC-Berkeley’s Anthropology Library Yields Partial Victory]( The [protest]( followed the University of California campus’s announced plan to close the library (and two others) to save money. Now the space and 40 percent of its books will be preserved, but its staffing will come from the anthropology department. (San Francisco Chronicle, The Chronicle) TENURE [Professor Accepts $100,000 to End Lawsuit Alleging Paternity-Leave Bias]( The South Dakota Board of Regents and two officials will pay the money to resolve a Northern State University professor’s allegations that he was denied tenure because he took time off when his child was born. (Bloomberg Law) ATHLETICS [Florida A&M Suspends Football Activities After Release of Rap Video Shot in Locker Room]( The university is investigating who allowed the athletic facility to be used to film the music video, which featured some of the team’s players. The head coach, Willie R. Simmons, said that “the video contained graphic language that is not consistent with Florida A&M’s core values, principles, and beliefs.” He also said the video may violate A&M’s licensing and branding agreements. (NBC News) THE NAME GAME [Colonial Athletic Association Changes Name to Coastal Athletic Association]( The new name, the conference said in a news release, reflects its recent expansion, with 14 members spanning nine Atlantic states from Massachusetts to South Carolina. The conference’s football arm embraces 15 institutions in 10 states. EVENTS [Browse Upcoming and On-Demand Virtual Events]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join a discussion with national experts and leading practitioners on how to navigate an uncertain future and what new ideas your institution can pursue. NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. UPCOMING PROGRAM [The Chronicle's Bootcamp for Future Faculty Leaders] [Join us in September]( for a professional development program tailored to the needs of midcareer faculty. 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