Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sean Corcoran

@seanpcorcoran.org

2.3K followers 500 following 290 posts

Professor of Public Policy and Education at Vanderbilt University, lover of opera and ice cream. Views expressed are my own.

Videos

Education 80%

Political science 5%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 13h

I'm attending No Kings's event, “NO KINGS NASHVILLE TN” - sign up now to join me! #aftvotes www.mobilize.us/aft/event/84...

NO KINGS NASHVILLE TN · AFT

**In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings.** Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Bo...

www.mobilize.us

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Patrick Dunleavy, Sean P. Corcoran

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 20h

Make your plans for #NoKings. October 18th. Free speech is action. Please join in. You'll see me at one of the events.
www.nokings.org

No Kings

As the president escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS non-violent movement continues to rise stronger. We are united once again to remind the world: America has No Kings and the power ...

www.nokings.org

190 2.9K 7.3K

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 1d

Vanderbilt would not be rejecting some "preferential" funding status. The first paragraph of the compact says universities can accept these terms or forego all of the traditional supports the federal government provides universities (student loans, grants, visa, nonprofit status).

Reposted by Sean P. Corcoran

Jonathan Gilligan @jgilligan.org · 1d

Vanderbilt AAUP press release about the Vanderbilt Faculty Senate voting overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution opposing the President's proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education as an unconstitutional & illegal infringement on rights & freedoms.

vanderbiltaaup.org/2025/10/09/v...

Vanderbilt Faculty Senate Votes Overwhelmingly to Oppose Trump Loyalty Oath

The Vanderbilt Faculty Senate overwhelmingly passed a resolution opposing President Trump’s proposed “Compact for Excellence in Higher Education.” The resolution, citing concerns …

vanderbiltaaup.org

23 70

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 1d

Dear media: *please* stop referring to this as "priority access" or "preferential funding." It is *not* like a TSA precheck or VIP line. If you read the *first paragraph* it clearly threatens all traditional federal supports for higher education (student loans, grants, visa, nonprofit status).

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 1d

Breaking news: MIT’s president turned down the Trump administration’s offer of priority access for federal funding, publicly releasing a letter that emphasized the elite university’s values.

MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding

MIT is one of the nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.

wapo.st

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 1d

If Tennessee offered a limited number of $7300 rebates on car purchases, I would be shocked if there *weren't* "overwhelming demand" for these, too... I've found that people tend to like free money www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/20...

Tennessee House speaker wants to double private school voucher program next year

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton wants to double the state’s new voucher program from 20,000 seats to 40,000. One state Democrat called the plan “fiscally reckless” as the program is already cur...

www.chalkbeat.org

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 1d

Tennessee lawmakers want to *double* the number of taxpayer funded private school vouchers next year due to "overwhelming response" this year. There are more than 165,000 private school students statewide--OF COURSE they would all like a $7300 tuition discount! www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/20...

Tennessee House speaker wants to double private school voucher program next year

www.chalkbeat.org

1 3 1

Reposted by Sean P. Corcoran, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Charles T. Mathewes

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 1d

Breaking news: MIT’s president turned down the Trump administration’s offer of priority access for federal funding, publicly releasing a letter that emphasized the elite university’s values.

MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding

MIT is one of the nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.

wapo.st

23 76 280

Reposted by Jennifer A. Richeson, Sean P. Corcoran

Lisa Fazio @lkfazio.bsky.social · 1d

Now this is a clear rejection! Thank you MIT

Josh Moody @byjoshmoody.bsky.social · 1d

MIT rejects "compact" proposed by the Trump administration.
MIT prez wrote: it "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution" and "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...

Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart

orgchart.mit.edu

1 6 35

Reposted by Sean P. Corcoran

Nashville Scene @nashvillescene.com · 3d

Vanderbilt students, faculty and professors marched on Wednesday as Chancellor Diermeier mulls funding deal with Trump administration.

Campus Crowd Demands Vanderbilt Reject Trump Deal

Students, faculty and professors marched on Wednesday as Chancellor Diermeier mulls funding deal with Trump administration

www.nashvillescene.com

9 32

Reposted by Dominique Brossard, Sean P. Corcoran

Lisa Fazio @lkfazio.bsky.social · 3d

Open-rank faculty positions in Artificial Intelligence in Education and Organizations at Vanderbilt University. The faculty will work within our new college of connected computing and one of the five departments in Peabody College (including psychology!)

jobs.chronicle.com/job/37894746...

Open-Rank Tenure Line Position in Artificial Intelligence in Education and Organizations - Nashville, Tennessee job with Peabody College of Education and Human Development | 37894746

Vanderbilt University invites applications for two open rank tenure-track faculty positions in the area of AI and Education in Organizations.

jobs.chronicle.com

7 5

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 4d

Go Aftyn!

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 4d

⚡️ NEW: State Rep. Aftyn Behn has won the Democratic Primary in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Special Election

@aftynbehn.bsky.social

Reposted by W. Andy Knight, Sean P. Corcoran

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 4d

⚡️ NEW: State Rep. Aftyn Behn has won the Democratic Primary in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Special Election

@aftynbehn.bsky.social

150 1.8K 7.5K

Reposted by Sean P. Corcoran

Rep. Aftyn Behn @aftynbehn.bsky.social · 5d

I AM HUMBLY ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE TOMORROW

15 seconds explaining why you should vote for me tomorrow in the TN-7 Democratic Primary. I'm the only candidate who is not bankrolled or backed by corporate special interests, the only woman, and the only progressive. #LetsDoThis

10 77 250

Reposted by Sean P. Corcoran

Kevin Carey @kevincarey1.bsky.social · 7d

I wrote about Trump’s new higher education “compact” for @theatlantic.com. It’s bad!

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

A Deal That Would End Universities’ Independence

The free-speech provisions of the so-called compact are an exercise in contradiction.

www.theatlantic.com

1 8 12

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Paul M. Schwartz, Kate Starbird , and 3 more Martin Paul Eve, Paul M. Schwartz, Kate Starbird, Ann Bartow, Sean P. Corcoran, Susan D. Amussen

Brian Soucek @brsoucek.bsky.social · 8d

Strong statement today from UC's Academic Senate:

18 370 1.1K

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 8d

Bizarre #apple #ios26 discovery: apparently as some kind of security feature, iOS 26 adds YOU to its blocked contact list! I noticed any email sent to myself went immediately to my deleted messages in Outlook. Thought this was an Outlook problem until (1hr+ later) found this glitch!

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Joshua S. Weitz, Julie Novkov , and 3 more Anna O. Law, Joshua S. Weitz, Julie Novkov, Sean P. Corcoran, Aviel Roshwald, Karin Wulf

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 8d

Here's the assignment folks. Write op-eds for your local papers and campus newspapers too. Just. Say. No. This is a classic authoritarian move and risks the future of higher education and science and innovation in the US. Speak out today. No time to lose. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

12 340 750

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 9d

I don't get why the media is framing the "compact" as some kind of "preferential" treatment. The compact reads as if everything the fed gov routinely does for universities (student aid, grants, visas, etc) is at risk if universities *don't* sign on. What am I missing? www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

Trump Offered Universities an Invitation for a Deal. Some See a Trap.

www.nytimes.com

3 3

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Nancy Kanwisher, Janet Murray , and 1 more Lisa W. Fazio, Nancy Kanwisher, Janet Murray, Sean P. Corcoran

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 9d

This is extortion. Faculty, students, staff, alumni across the country need to get to their Presidents & Trustees today. Just say no. This blackmail only works if most everyone folds. Capitulation now means the end of American higher education for a generation. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference

www.nytimes.com

21 210 430

Reposted by Joshua Goodman, Aaron Sojourner, Scott A. Imberman , and 2 more Joshua Goodman, Aaron Sojourner, Scott A. Imberman, Dave E. Marcotte, Sean P. Corcoran

Postsecondary Education & Economics Research Center @peerresearch.bsky.social · 10d

🚨The PEER Center is hiring! We currently have two positions posted (details below). We're a #highered research center (led by @srcellini.bsky.social @jdmatsudaira.bsky.social) focused on generating actionable research for state, federal policy. Put your data skills to work for an important purpose!

1 10 6

Reposted by Diane Ravitch, James Goodwin, Sean P. Corcoran

Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 11d

What I would give for a completely honest, anonymous assessment of this appalling and ludicrous spectacle from the commanders in the room.

950 3.4K 20K

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 22d

If you have opinions about ABC's recent programming decisions, you can share them here: support.abc.com/hc/en-us/req...

Submit a request – ABC

support.abc.com

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 23d

Please join me in boycotting Nexstar Media, a gigantic company that I just learned existed yesterday

1 2

Reposted by Ryan Enos, Adam Bonica, David R. Miller , and 2 more Ryan Enos, Adam Bonica, David R. Miller, Sean P. Corcoran, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 24d

A good time to remember that a whole bunch of us are getting together to speak out against this authoritarianism -- I used to say creeping, but it's really now just a full gallop -- on October 18. Join us

www.nokings.org

No Kings

www.nokings.org

12 110 280

Reposted by Juan Cole, S. J. Holmes, Sean P. Corcoran , and 1 more Juan Cole, S. J. Holmes, Sean P. Corcoran, Southern Africa

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 25d

We need your help to make October 18 the biggest peaceful protest of the year. Please spread the word, register your local event as soon as you can, and start RSVPing for the local protests to help build momentum: www.nokings.org?SQF_SOURCE=i...

400 830 1.9K

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · 27d

Opposite pages of the NYTimes on the same day (9/6)

Headline that reads "PBS to Cut 15% of Its Staff After Losing Funding"

Headline that reads: "Musk Could Become First Trillionaire Under New Tesla Compensation Package"

Reposted by Philip Nel, Talia Schaffer, Sean P. Corcoran , and 2 more Philip Nel, Talia Schaffer, Sean P. Corcoran, Manisha Sinha, Monisha Bajaj

Shannon Watts @shannonrwatts.bsky.social · Sep 10

The problem with allowing guns everywhere is that no one is safe anywhere.

380 5.3K 25K

Reposted by Gema Zamarro, Sean P. Corcoran

AEFP @aefpweb.bsky.social · Sep 10

Join the Doctoral Student Community Group tomorrow at 2 PM ET for a panel discussion on navigating the academic job market. Gain valuable insights and practical strategies from experienced panelists. Register here: upenn.zoom.us/meetin...

5 6

Sean Corcoran @seanpcorcoran.org · Sep 9

Thanks @bsky.app!