it's a shame that a few valid criticisms of higher ed culture are buried in so much seething resentment and incuriosity. are people really "tack[ing] pronouns onto email signature with the righteous zeal of Martin Luther hammering his 95 theses" or are they just doing something that takes 10 seconds

Questions for unionized workers in higher ed: -Has your union done an info session/webinar/etc. about the federal rule changes for F-1 and J-1 visa-holders at universities? -Would you be interested in your union doing something like this, if they haven't?

The word 'hallucinated' is inappropriate. A more appropriate word would be 'fabricated'. A senior judge accused the Home Office of relying on *fabricated information* to refuse an asylum claim

Senthorun S. Raj@senthorun.bsky.social · 2w ago

“A senior judge has accused the Home Office of relying on ‘AI hallucinated’ information to refuse an asylum claim.” It’s disturbing to see how governments use “artificial intelligence” to make decisions about a person’s right to safety.

Tufts: *shuts down its reentry program for incarcerated folks* Also Tufts: *puts a bunch of resources into developing an "AI Fellowship" for faculty* When institutions show you who they are, believe them.

This company is offering its product to journals for free—which means it's getting something it wants in return. (Hint: the opportunity to steal academics' work to use as training data for its product without compensating that work's creators)

jon ben-menachem@jbenmenachem.com · yesterday

Wow, economists are institutionalizing AI as a first stage in journal review? www.refine.ink/blog/economi...

so how’s the AI industry’s public relations strategy centered upon terrorizing and threatening normal people going for them these days

The New Yorker@newyorker.com · yesterday

As Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s newly elected Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, put it, “People really effing hate data centers.” www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Unions could really stand to stop shitting the bed on this!

skateintraffic@skateintraffic.bsky.social · yesterday

also, a lot of large unions involved in building data centers are pro-AI

It's remarkable how many people read "you're overworked and the solution to that is a union, not AI" and hear "unions need to solve all the issues that come with AI." These are not the same statement.

If you have so much work to do that you feel you need AI in order to get it all done: you don't. You need a union.

using generative AI to create an ad for your small business tells me several things about you as a small business owner, all of which leave me much more disinclined to patronize your business than i would've been if i didn't see the ad.

Aftermath@aftermath.site · 4d ago

Hello local business, your AI ads are costing you customers: aftermath.site/ai-poster-ad-f...

today I learned that some political scientists refer to voter suppression and structural racism in voting as "racially polarized voting" and I am so sorry to y'all on behalf of my former discipline

My kingdom for the drivers of Boston to learn what a lane is and how to stay in it.

Surprise! Noted transphobe is also ableist! (not a surprise)

Nick Barlow@nickbwalking.bsky.social · 5d ago

In a move that will surprise absolutely no one who's been paying attention, Stock has decided that women with disabilities are suffering from "social contagion"

Randi Weingarten continues to be an embarrassment to the labor movement.

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 6d ago

“Teaching educators about AI is a ‘moral imperative’, said Randi Weingarten, the AFT president.” “And without outside funding, it was a choice between taking big tech’s money or doing nothing, she said.”

At the Medford City Council tonight while they discuss a resolution in solidarity with the Tufts international grad worker withdrawn from her program after she blew the whistle on unpaid labor. This isn't rocket science: Tufts must do the right thing and reverse its retaliatory actions.

My landlord came by to install new smoke detectors and tell me he's raising the rent and the new smoke detectors have already started tormenting me with the "low battery" chirp so I guess I wasn't excited enough about the rent increase.

You can't be a partner. This administration doesn't take partners, only subjects. That's the whole point

Megan Zahneis@mzahneis.bsky.social · last wk.

The presidents of WashU, Arizona State, Kansas, and Johns Hopkins, in concert with the Association of American Universities, helped draft a new version of last year's White House compact. “We’d much rather be a partner than play the guessing game as we have been,” Kansas' president told Bloomberg.

ICE has killed another person.

El Salvadoran Man Held by ICE at Delaney Hall Dies, Family Says

The detainee had an extensive medical history, including epilepsy, according to a lawsuit. He had complained about his face and hand going numb just before his death, his mother said.

thecityreporter.nyc

I wrote about this a loooong time ago because fucking white supremacists keep trying to steal something I love and while they can't have it I also wanted to be more knowledgeable about what I might (unwillingly) be telegraphing, so. In case helpful. annameier.substack.com/p/i-painted-...

prince egregious, heir apparent@sonofahurricane.bsky.social · last wk.

If you’re working in community relations for cops perhaps cover up rune tattoos because it’s not helping the community if I have to Google them (but thanks to @annameier.bsky.social’s blog post I am more knowledgeable on the topic!)

401! Y'all are the best. Only four more to 405. 😉

Anna Meier@annameier.bsky.social · last wk.

We only need five more signatures to get to 400 on our solidarity petition. If you're an academic, Boston-area resident, or anyone who supports international workers facing exploitation and retaliation from their bosses, you can sign. Thank you!

We only need five more signatures to get to 400 on our solidarity petition. If you're an academic, Boston-area resident, or anyone who supports international workers facing exploitation and retaliation from their bosses, you can sign. Thank you!

My heart is full. Our community showed up. The fight's not over but it's easier knowing how many people are outraged and want justice for an international grad worker. You can help by signing the petition: act.seiu.org/a/tufts-comm...

In an hour! The rain has stopped! Let's gooooooooo

Somerville PD: We hear you're holding a rally tomorrow. Me: Yes. Somerville PD: We think there will be a thousand people there. Better not disappoint the police. 😉 See you tomorrow (Thursday) at 6.

Anna Meier@annameier.bsky.social · 2w ago

If you're in the Boston area, you're also very welcome at our rally tomorrow. 6 pm, Powder House Park, Somerville. Screaming feels good! It is warranted! Come scream! (on the side of the park facing the traffic circle)

We've hit 265 signatures in a week on this petition in support of an international grad worker facing retaliation at Tufts for protected union activity. We want to hit 500 by this time next week. Can you help by signing? All allies/people with basic decency welcome.

*smashes repost button*

The Fig Economy@figgityfigs.bsky.social · 2w ago

One of my Crank Theories of Everything, at least of Everything in the Recent Past, is that we are dealing (badly) with COVID trauma we’d mostly prefer to pretend never happened.

I don't think that you can (or should) write about this subject without heavily emphasizing the fact the people in charge of how this technology evolves enthusiastically supported fascists who dismantled much of the federal regulatory and public protection apparatus

Opinion | The Environmental Case Against Data Centers Is Misguided

Our animosity toward data centers is really more about our anxieties about A.I.

nytimes.com

First thoughts: Hmm, this sounds like an ad for AI, but let's reserve judgment. Article: "The faculty that it [AI] is going to put out of a job are those that continue to resist and don’t experiment." Nope, this is an ad for AI.

Inside Higher Ed @insidehighered.com · 2w ago

Why One Professor Abandoned the AI Resistance Scott Latham has embraced the new technology and shifted his focus to measuring the AI readiness of colleges and universities. https://bit.ly/3S0WTfh #EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd

Greater Boston, will I see you Thursday? Come stand with an international grad worker who will have to leave the country unless Tufts does right by her. Whether you can make it or not, sign this petition to further show your support. act.seiu.org/a/tufts-comm...

“I’m contributing so much to BU,” Thind said. “It sucks that BU doesn’t want to pay it back to me.” (but is happy to pay it to external lawyers to defend a frivolous anti-worker appeal in court)