The short Labor Day weekend got the best of me so here’s a double — and yet somehow still abbreviated — Alma Matters for your week!

You’ve probably noticed an uptick in stories about high school and college journalism under duress: the suspension of a California high school adviser, a nosy politician in Missouri and a sad closure in Nebraska. CJR had a thoughtful morning newsletter rounding up the issues, but some highlights:

• From Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (yes, that Daniel Pearl, and the irony isn’t lost): L.A. student journalists reported on an unvaccinated librarian. Now their advisor faces suspension (LA Times).  The Student Press Law Center doesn’t like it.
• In Nebraska, a paper is shuttered, and The New York Times has thoughts: “Student Journalists Reveal a Changing World. Let Them.”
• But what’s happening in Missouri is the one that’s going to keep me up at night: “AG Schmitt using Sunshine Law to seek Missourian, MU journalism school records” (Columbia Missourian). PEN America doesn’t like: “Missouri Attorney General’s Request for Journalism Professors’ Emails is a Brazen Attack on Academic Freedom.”

Must read! “We need to teach student journalists about on-the-job harassment” (Poynter)

I love Caitlin Dickerson’s journalism. This piece landed like a bomb. Here’s a Q&A with her via The Objective, in which she talks a bit about how she got her start  — but the whole thing is interesting.

It looks like Oberlin’s long fight is at an end, with an outcome that can’t thrill the college or First Amendment advocates.

Meanwhile, Carnegie Mellon has a First Amendment/academic freedom situation on its hands.

Heck yeah! “Federal judge halts Arizona ban on filming police within 8 feet”

For your students who know they want a career in social media but also love serious journalism: “Planet Money’s Jack Corbett Explains His TikTok Strategy.”

First-of-its-kind news program coming out of Berkeley: “State funds Berkeley Journalism $25 million to strengthen California’s local news coverage.”

As a Joshua Johnson fan, I do love this from NBCU Academy: “Starting your podcast”

This is encouraging for those of us who wish we could get more transparency around university foundations: “Judge sides with newspaper in KSU Foundation open records appeal.”

Here’s a great resource for your classroom on teaching about when and where you can film police from our friends at First Amendment Watch at NYU: “Teacher and Citizen Guides: Recording Video and Audio of Police Officers.” (This resource requires you to fill out a brief registration, but it’s worth the extra few seconds.)

Wow. “How Murdered Journalist Jeff German’s Colleagues Hunted Down His Alleged Killer.” If you’re interested in this story, CJR has a ton of background and context from its daily newsletter and this piece. Here’s German’s paper’s coverage.

Anything like this happening where you are? “A University Asked for Faculty and Staff Volunteers at Dining Halls. The Union Said No.”

A good get for Boston University: “Brian McGrory to step down as Globe editor” (Boston Globe)

Two Poynter opportunities for interested professors:

• If you or your students live near Tampa Bay, Poynter is hosting Associated Press Executive Editor Julie Pace on Tuesday, Oct. 11, for a behind-the-scenes conversation. Get tickets here — perhaps your department would pay for this event?
• Who likes free stuff? (Who doesn’t?!) We’ve got 100 free passes courtesy of YouTube for educators and students to virtually attend Poynter and PolitiFact’s second annual United Facts of America, Sept. 27-29. These three fact-filled days will bring enlightening discussions with some of our nation’s top experts in media, politics, technology and counterintelligence. Get context and clarity on America’s most pressing issues leading up to the midterm elections like inflation, privacy, climate change, misinformation and more. Click here to grab your ticket — use code FREEUFA100 at checkout. And if those are gone, you can still get 50% off with the code EDUCATION. Tickets are normally $50 so this is a great deal. (And again, might your department pay for this?)

Headlines about higher ed

• Princeton to eliminate student contribution, cover entire cost for families making up to $100K (The Princetonian
• Inside the Academic-Freedom Crisis That Roiled Florida’s Flagship (Chronicle of Higher Education)
• Rolling Stone, NYU and YellowBrick are Partnering to Teach ‘Modern Journalism’ (Rolling Stone)

Great journalism to share with your students

• “Lies, Politics and Democracy” (PBS “Frontline” — make sure you have a station chosen or you might get an error message)
• The Humiliating History of the TSA (The Verge) (Read it for the lead!)
• The oldest government in history | America’s gerontocracy is disconnecting Congress from the rest of the country, an Insider data analysis reveals (Insider)

This week’s Professor’s Press Pass

I’m adding case studies as fast as they enter my news feed in this new and improved presentation. The latest: Getting emotional while covering the news is hardly a new phenomenon, but two recent examples give us an opportunity to talk about what journalists can do when emotions overtake them on the job.

I recently took a look at the subscribers for this product, and I’m so flattered and happy that so many of you are investing in this resource. If you haven’t yet, sign up here, and if you have any feedback, please know I would absolutely love to hear it!

One last thing

As someone who’s made a career out of advising younger generations, I’m a little obsessed with this song.

Resources for educators

• Help your students up their digital media literacy game with this new course from MediaWise’s Campus Correspondents on spotting and stopping the spread of misinformation. It’s free.
• Get access to a growing library of case studies — Professor’s Press Pass.
• United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking (Virtual event) — Sept. 27-29. Get tickets.