Matt Hartman
@themhartman.bsky.social
Higher ed reporter at the assembly. bylines at the new republic, the ringer, jacobin. live crabs stay humble.
unc has hired the same external lawyers to investigate its football program as they did to investigate its civics school. we're still suing to get the report from that civics investigation www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
UNC-Chapel Hill Retains Law Firm to Investigate Football Program
The university has hired the same team that produced a confidential report into its civics school earlier this year.
theassemblync.com
Great story by @themhartman.bsky.social on a topic I've long been obsessed with: Why are so many of the movers and shakers in conservative politics right now Duke alumni? www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
Dukes in Trump’s Court
Duke University alumni have played high-profile roles in the Trump administration. A 2000s culture clash helps explain why.
theassemblync.com
in one decade, duke enrolled stephen miller, richard spencer, the doj lawyer trying to end birthright citizenship, the lawyer in charge of trump's immigration cases, a trump speechwriter fired for going to a white supremacist event, and more www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
Dukes in Trump’s Court
Duke University alumni have played high-profile roles in the Trump administration. A 2000s culture clash helps explain why.
theassemblync.com
i've got a twofer today, so if you don't want to read about ebida and funding restrictions, you can just read all the embarrassing things i learned about lee roberts' childhood from the book his parents wrote in 2000 and a 1990 n&o profile www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
The Life of Young Lee Roberts
We learned a lot about the UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor by reading what his journalist parents wrote about him. Some of it may even be helpful.
theassemblync.com
Matt Hartman@themhartman.bsky.social · 4w agohoward bunsis has accused dozens of universities of falsely claiming financial precarity to justify cutting budgets. administrators accuse him of just telling professors what they want to hear. @mzahneis.bsky.social and i dug into the disagreement www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
howard bunsis has accused dozens of universities of falsely claiming financial precarity to justify cutting budgets. administrators accuse him of just telling professors what they want to hear. @mzahneis.bsky.social and i dug into the disagreement www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
The Faculty’s Numbers Man
The accounting professor has conducted analyses of more than 100 colleges’ finances. He often concludes that campuses are on more stable ground than administrators claim.
theassemblync.com
I was at a red light behind a bus, a car with a flat tire pulled up next to me and stopped on the double yellow, the driver got out and tried to steal the bus's license plate. The light turned green, so he gave up and drove away
the manhattan institute is coming for lee roberts for not cracking down harder on liberal policies and personnel at unc www.city-journal.org/article/univ...
Higher-Education Reform Is Under Threat at UNC Chapel Hill
Questionable course requirements and troubling new hires show that DEI and social-justice activism are alive and well in Tar Heel country.
city-journal.org
whenever you see @jeffreybillman.bsky.social's name with "part 1," buckle up and start reading www.theassemblync.com/news/investi...
What’s in My Weed?
Our investigation found many hemp products for sale don’t have the THC levels they claim—but do contain bacteria and other contaminants.
theassemblync.com
Shout out @joeovies.bsky.social and giglio for not settling for the Yahoo aggregation when talking about my reporting youtu.be/DgmhFQovBsA?...
Sorsby Gambling Injunction | NC State & LSU Still Fighting Over Wade | Scheyer To NBA Rumors?
YouTube video by OVIES & GIGLIO
youtu.be
incredible work from @writingthings.bsky.social here indyweek.com/news/durham-...
How $4 Billion Came Off Durham’s Tax Rolls Last Year, Mostly Benefiting Corporate Landlords—and Blowing a Hole in the City Budget
Landlords and national companies won billions in property tax appeals. City leadership, banking on the revenue, didn’t know until April.
indyweek.com
Jordon Hudson would really like information about UNC's communications with reporters, including me www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
Jordon Hudson Celebrates Her ‘BANniversary’ With More UNC-CH Records Requests
Public records show that Jordon Hudson, who is dating Bill Belichick, wants information on the university’s communications with reporters.
theassemblync.com
This story is absolutely incredible indyweek.com/news/inside-...
Inside Outlanders, Raleigh’s Self-Governed Homeless Community
Outlanders has a mayor, a charter, and a tight-knit community. As Raleigh pushes to end unsheltered homelessness, the camp could serve as a model for helping people get back on their feet—or be cleare...
indyweek.com
A brief list of stories my wife made up for our daughter that my daughter then expected me to know: - Willie, the sentient cajun washcloth cursed by a voodoo practitioner - toeseph, the toe ring obsessed man who lost the ring my daughter found on the ground (which is actually a key ring)
vic strandberg just retired after 60 (!!) years on duke's faculty. i asked him about what changed over his career and i had a great time www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
A 60-Year Duke Professor on Literature, Grade Inflation, and Whether Academia Will Survive
Victor Strandberg is retiring at age 91. The English professor reflects on what’s changed—including Blue Devils basketball—and what comes next for him.
theassemblync.com
I had lots of these questions, but the dth beat me to answering them and did an incredible job www.dailytarheel.com/article/inve...
School of Civic Life and Leadership's student enrollment is growing, but at what cost?
The newly-independent school's student enrollment has grown significantly since 2024. But given the school's extensive scholarship offerings to students who live in SCiLL's residential learning commun...
dailytarheel.com
a small group of conservatives have taken over the neh, and two of them were classmates at duke. i've got a new story out in partnership with @chronicle.com about how it happened and what it means www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
How Two Duke Alumni Helped Conservatives Take Over the NEH
The Trump administration fired most of the National Endowment for the Humanities' advisory board. Two Duke-trained political theorists are now key leaders.
theassemblync.com
Have all y'all really just been walking this earth knowing geese are packing like this?
in which i try, once again, to pierce the veil of the unc school of civic life and leadership investigation www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
UNC-CH Civics School Report Spurs Recriminations and Resolutions
The university hasn't released its findings on the School of Civic Life and Leadership. At a faculty meeting, one professor claimed to have information.
theassemblync.com
My 3 year old likes to pretend to read adult books, but without fail she picks up lazlo krasznahorkai first so I'm preparing for the most condescending teen years now
My life for whichever podcast can actually get Daniel Levy to talk about spurs right now
BREAKING: UNC-Chapel Hill and former provost Chris Clemens have settled their lawsuit in a stalemate. Neither side admits fault or wins any money, and each will pay its own legal fees. www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
Former UNC-Chapel Hill Provost Settles Lawsuit With University
Chris Clemens alleged the board violated open meetings and public records laws, but both sides said they resolved the dispute with neither paying any penalty.
theassemblync.com
If you've got questions about nc higher ed, I'm doing a text q&a at 1
The Assembly@theassemblync.bsky.social · 4mo ago📳We’re trying out something new at The Assembly… Our All-Access Members can now text our reporters directly! We’ll be holding a weekly Q&A with an Assembly reporter each Wednesday afternoon. Our first Q&A is today with higher ed reporter @themhartman.bsky.social.
the dahdals fled syria after they witnessed a major bombing. the parents had to start their college education over again. now, the father has a bachelor's, the mother a phd, one son is an elon trustee, and and another is racking up awards www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
In Search of Lost Education
A Syrian family’s commitment to education never wavered, even when civil war forced them to flee. They found what they were looking for in North Carolina.
theassemblync.com
unc has concluded it's investigation into the school of civic life and leadership and it's standing behind jed atkins as dean. beyond that, we didn't learn anything specific about what they found or what they're doing about it www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
UNC-Chapel Hill Concludes Civics School Investigation, Won’t Release Findings
A law firm's external investigation into UNC-CH's civics school is complete, but the university won't provide details.
theassemblync.com
for 15 years, phil berger has tightened control over nc colleges. he's also spent widely to channel economic development projects through them. if he actually loses, the control probably isn't going anywhere. will the spending? www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...
How Phil Berger Shaped North Carolina’s Universities
With controversial funding decisions and emboldened governing boards, the powerful state senator has transformed North Carolina’s public colleges and universities.
theassemblync.com
NSF Update (Awards through 2/27/26) Directorates to follow 1/10
