Public land‑grant research university in Westwood, Los Angeles, founded 1881
Since April and into May 2026, multiple US universities have faced commencement and campus controversies over invited speakers and events related to Israel, free speech and protest. NYU is keeping Jonathan Haidt as its Yankee Stadium commencement speaker despite student government opposition; Rutgers has rescinded an invitation to alumnus Rami Elghandour; Georgetown Law replaced Morton Schapiro after student objections; and campus groups are clashing over guest appearances and platforming.
The OUT Museum, created by Chen in San Francisco’s Chinatown, has opened with a small exhibit of Chinese queer art, as activists and artists push for broader recognition of LGBTQ+ voices in China and the diaspora. The project began in China via Kickstarter and now thrives in a city navigating policy changes around LGBTQ+ rights.
Carlo Ginzburg has died at 87. The Italian historian is remembered for The Cheese and the Worms, a microhistorical study of a 16th-century miller, which recast power dynamics and belief through inquisitorial records. His work shaped modern historiography, influence spanning postwar and postcolonial contexts.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, affecting about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, with broader implications for about 1.3 million TPS holders from 17 countries. The ruling signals potential deportations and reshapes humanitarian protections in the United States.
New research shows that laughter rhythms in humans and great apes are strikingly similar, suggesting a shared evolutionary past. Fresh recordings of children’s giggles align with decades-old ape tickling data, indicating a common ancestor and shedding light on the evolution of human speech.
CalMatters reports widespread non-compliance across 148 public campuses on annual policies, inventories and public forums for police military equipment. Some campuses publish reports late, omit details, or skip required public forums. The findings show variability in adherence and ongoing efforts to address gaps after inquiries.
The White House has removed two Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission and accepted a Republican member’s resignation, narrowing the panel ahead of the midterms. The action follows a Supreme Court ruling expanding presidential authority over independent agencies and comes amid broader moves to shape election administration. Agencies warn officials of potential prosecutions for interfering with voting and residents are urged to ensure compliance with new election rules.
House Republicans have advanced a reconciliation budget resolution that would channel roughly $60 billion to the Iran war, boost Pentagon and farm aid and include parts of President Trump’s elections package. Democrats have opposed the plan’s high spending and social riders. Separately, more than 100 House Democrats voted to withhold military aid to Israel, exposing a deep intra-party split ahead of the midterms.
The Third Circuit has ruled that New Jersey's assault-weapons ban and its large-capacity-magazine limits are unconstitutional. The decision, the first of its kind from a federal appeals court, comes as the Supreme Court weighs challenges to similar bans. New Jersey vows to review options as other states have enacted stricter controls.