Author | Lightnews

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Sep 9

I guess I know when I was writing college/scholarship letters of rec for my UB students, I really worked hard to finesse those.

1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Aug 12

This is not normal democratic behavior.

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · Aug 12

BREAKING WSJ:

The Trump White House plans to conduct a far-reaching review of Smithsonian museum exhibitions, materials and operations ahead of America's 250th anniversary to ensure the museums align with "Trump's interpretation of American history." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Exclusive | White House to Vet Smithsonian Museums to Fit Trump’s Historical Vision

Top White House officials will scrutinize exhibitions, internal processes, collections and artist grants ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

www.wsj.com

1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Aug 6

I hate Nvivo with all of my soul, and I have to say it here b/c my husband is tired of me talking about it at home.

1 2

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Jun 27

It's starting to crash on my PC now too 💀 But the primary issue we were dealing with was a problem for the mac but was fixed on the last update.

Reposted by Lauren M. Shook, PhD

AERA @aeraedresearch.bsky.social · Jun 26

AERA member @bakerdphd.bsky.social details the Department of Education’s unprecedented delay in reporting key education data, via @brookings.edu. www.brookings.edu/articles/the...

The U.S. Department of Education is far behind on producing key statistics | Brookings

Federal education data releases have slowed dramatically, with major gaps in the 2024 Digest and Condition of Education report.

www.brookings.edu

7 14

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Jun 10

🎤 Speakers from @thirdway.bsky.social @sloanfoundation.bsky.social @penamerica.bsky.social & our insightful colleague Heather McCambly

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Jun 10

How is #highered navigating new limits on public funding?
Join us June 11 (11 AM–12:30 PM MDT) for “Navigating Constraints to Federal and State Funding”
🔗 ashe.ws/events/presi...
#Edpolicy #ASHE

Constraints and Restrictions to Federal and State Funding - Association for the Study of Higher Education

ashe.ws

1 1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · May 17

#Research funding cuts don't just hurt the elite. These cuts affect institutions like #HSIs that mostly serve low-income, first-generation students. I'm proud of our participants and hope we can rebuild support for their critical work.

Screenshot of LinkedIn post from Anne-Marie Nuñez. It reads, "Amid NSF grant terminations, we can share our NSF stories, and a picture is worth 1000 words. Shortly after our intergenerational, bilingual research team (pictured below) visited Puerto Rican HSIs to study STEM and computing education excellence and innovation, a comedian called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage.” Soon after that, one of these institutions called themselves an “island of champions,” winning national prizes in computing research competitions. Our work centers voices of overlooked institutions, understudied organizational strategies, and islands of excellence and innovation. The value of that work will not go away, even if the funding does. #NSF75 #SaveNSF #HSIs"

Photo of members of the research team, including Lauren, at one of their research sites in Puerto Rico.

4

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · May 6

As the semester closes out, just want to share gratitude for the students in my policy analysis class this spring. These students have been the bright spot of my week- they’re kind, creative, and passionate about making education better for our communities

1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · May 5

Used Atlas.ti for my diss and loved it! I haven't used its team functions, though.

1 1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · May 5

An update - the whole problem with Nvivo was the macs. We switched to PCs and the crashing/admin issues stopped.

1 1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Apr 27

Missed our girl Lizeth Lizárraga Dueñas, but sincerely loved our panel today. Enjoyed engaging with early career scholars meeting the times with clarity of purpose.

1

Reposted by Lauren M. Shook, PhD

Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · Apr 24

They are segregationist and this will be open season for discrimination.

“the Attorney General shall initiate appropriate action to repeal or amend the implementing regulations for Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for all agencies to the extent they contemplate disparate-impact liability”

achukilissa @achukilissa.bsky.social · Apr 23

My god. He’s gone after the Civil Rights Act!!!!

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. A

www.whitehouse.gov

47 740 1.8K

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Apr 23

Thrilled to have this paper out!

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · Apr 23

Our EEPA paper on the media's role in shaping our understanding of student loans, race, and racism is here! Email me if you don't have access & want a copy.

One of my fav papers for a few reasons but, most of all, it's my first paper with my husband 😍

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/...

Screenshot of the top of the article published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Title is Race below the fold: The absence of race in the news media's coverage of student loans. Written by me, Lauren Shook, Jaime Ramirez-Mendoza, and Christopher Bennett. Abstract reads: The media discourse on student loans plays a significant role in the way that policy actors conceptualize challenges and potential solutions related to student debt. This study examines language that explicitly indicates race and racism in student loan articles published in eight major newspapers from 2006 to 2021. We found that 18% of articles use any of this language, though use has accelerated since 2018. This increase appears driven by terms that denote groups of people instead of structural problems, with 8% of articles mentioning “Black” in a racialized context but less than 1% mentioning “racism.” These findings emphasize the importance of treating the media as a policy actor capable of shaping the salience of racialization in discussions about student loans.

1 4 13

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Apr 22

Honestly, I feel like they do it on purpose 💀

1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Apr 21

Is anyone else getting emails about applying for federal funding and meanwhile we're all losing our federal funding? I mean... read the room?

2

Reposted by Lauren M. Shook, PhD

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Apr 11

Adolf Hitler's “Mein Kampf” is still on U.S. Naval Academy shelves. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “Memorializing the Holocaust” are not.

An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office led to a purge of books that are critical of racism — but preserved volumes defending white power.

Who’s In and Who’s Out at the Naval Academy’s Library?

An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office resulted in a purge of books critical of racism but preserved volumes defending white power.

www.nytimes.com

490 3.9K 7.3K

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Apr 9

I'm coding through data about the impressive, though imperfect, work of #HSI administrators/faculty/staff. Today, I'm feeling the weight of losing the funding and political support for all the critical work they're doing.

1

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 26

I've been wondering what he's up to 😬

2

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 24

Last call on the ASHE Graduate Student Policy Seminar. This is a great group to be in community with as we navigate monumental educational policy changes. #highered #educationpolicy #graduatestudent www.ashe.ws/events/gsps

www.ashe.ws

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 12

In SO many meetings I'm in, someone ends up saying, "I can tell Lauren is eager to speak up." What am I doing with my face? 😅

3

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 10

Had a great time with the team engaging at #aahhe- especially celebrating our 2nd place Dissertation of the Year Awardee, Dr Edwin Pérez

2

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 8

Heard Laura Chavez-Moreno present on their new book "How Schools Make Race" at #AAHHE. A great resource for anyone interested in racialization processes in education.
hep.gse.harvard.edu/978168253922...

How Schools Make Race

Winner of a 2025 AAHHE Book of the Year Award An investigation into how schooling can enhance and hinder critical-racial consciousness through the making ...

hep.gse.harvard.edu

Reposted by Lauren M. Shook, PhD

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · Mar 4

Here Vox's explainer for just what is going on at the Department of Education which includes me saying I don't have faith in financial aid disbursement next year and, oh yea, I think we're in a constitutional crisis

www.vox.com/policy/40233...

Screenshot of the article that reads: It’s not just children. In addition to bolstering underfunded K-12 schools and protecting the rights of kids with disabilities, the department also manages the federal financial aid process for college students. “I am not certain whether or not students will be able to get financial aid next year,” Dominique Baker, a professor of education and public policy at the University of Delaware, told Vox.

Screenshot of the article that reads: While students and families are the most directly impacted by changes at the Education Department, those changes have also inspired a broader concern. Some of the programs terminated by DOGE are congressionally mandated, and if the president or Musk can simply stop them, “that means that Congress no longer actually functions,” Baker said.

“There are no longer checks and balances for the executive branch,” Baker said. “A significant part of this goes beyond education and speaks to a constitutional crisis that shapes the future of our country.”

29 630 1.8K

Lauren M. Shook, PhD @shookademia.bsky.social · Mar 4

I keep trying to tell people - we're not approaching the constitutional crisis, we're IN the crisis right now.

1 1 27