I’ve been counting down the days until I got to write this issue of The Quad because I have two exciting things to share.

The first is that our new higher ed reporter and Quad co-author is none other than Korie Dean. You probably already know her since she has been covering higher ed for The News & Observer. I told Korie and Emily this was like Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, but neither knew what I was talking about.

Korie starts on Tuesday, and since my baby is due on Monday we will be taking next week off from The Quad. But we (well, Korie and Emily most likely!) will be back in your inbox on the 23rd.)

The second is a story I’ve basically been working on since I started here, while desperately trying to keep up with the rapid developments: Figuring out what is going on behind the scenes at the School of Civic Life and Leadership. The story has big philosophical disagreements, fights about academic bureaucracy, and previously unreported connections to a billionaire donor.

This week’s college count: 4

— Matt Hartman […]

Matt Hartman is a higher education reporter for The Assembly and co-anchor of our weekly higher education newsletter, The Quad. He was previously a longtime freelance journalist and spent nearly a decade working in higher ed communications before joining The Assembly in 2024.