Matthew Kirschenbaum
@mkirschenbaum.bsky.social
Critical tech and AI. Cats, letterpress printing, tabletop gaming.
Distinguished University Professor at UMD; come January, Commonwealth Professor at UVA.
I am speaking only for myself and as a private citizen here. Being a dick gets you blocked.
Distinguished University Professor at UMD; come January, Commonwealth Professor at UVA.
I am speaking only for myself and as a private citizen here. Being a dick gets you blocked.
Pinned
Wanted to share here that I have accepted an endowed chair offer from my Alma mater, the University of Virginia, where (after 25 wonderful years at UMD) I will be starting in January as Commonwealth Professor of Artificial Intelligence and English.
When you make a dumb grammatical typo in an email to a new colleague and you instantly assume they will a.) notice, and b.) wonder what bubblegum machine you got your degree from and how they ever went so wrong as to hire you.
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
When you make a dumb grammatical typo in an email to a new colleague and you instantly assume they will a.) notice, and b.) wonder what bubblegum machine you got your degree from and how they ever went so wrong as to hire you.
There could be an interesting debate here (we are both participants in the same @chronicle.com forum). We agree I think on the severity of the threat to education. We disagree perhaps on how materially manifest that threat already is and its ultimate socio-political framing (and consequent remedy).
November 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
There could be an interesting debate here (we are both participants in the same @chronicle.com forum). We agree I think on the severity of the threat to education. We disagree perhaps on how materially manifest that threat already is and its ultimate socio-political framing (and consequent remedy).
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
You do not need AI to "punch up" your email. Just send it and move on with your life, Dostoevsky.
November 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
You do not need AI to "punch up" your email. Just send it and move on with your life, Dostoevsky.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
They're destroying American higher ed and CELEBRATING IT.
It's obscene.
It's obscene.
The White House just blasted this out under the headline "Good News You May Have Missed"
November 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM
They're destroying American higher ed and CELEBRATING IT.
It's obscene.
It's obscene.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
Teaching post-doc position in UVa’s College, renewable for up to three years total. Apply!
Post-doctoral Research Associate and Lecturer - Engagements, College of Arts & Sciences in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America | Research at University of Virginia
Apply for Post-doctoral Research Associate and Lecturer - Engagements, College of Arts & Sciences job with University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America. Research at Un...
jobs.virginia.edu
November 20, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Teaching post-doc position in UVa’s College, renewable for up to three years total. Apply!
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
My state senator, @creighdeeds.bsky.social, could not get answers from the University of Virginia (which he represents) about the ousting of President Jim Ryan, so he FOIAed them, for which they charged him $4,500 and took one month and four days to respond (five days are allowed by law).
State Sen. Creigh Deeds received his FOIA requests from U.Va. — here’s what we learned
After submitting a six-section Freedom of Information Act Request to the University Sept. 18, State Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, received 284 pages of records Oct. 29, pertaining to former Un...
www.cavalierdaily.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:44 AM
My state senator, @creighdeeds.bsky.social, could not get answers from the University of Virginia (which he represents) about the ousting of President Jim Ryan, so he FOIAed them, for which they charged him $4,500 and took one month and four days to respond (five days are allowed by law).
Where we are.
The White House just blasted this out under the headline "Good News You May Have Missed"
November 19, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Where we are.
I’m not sure Human Narratives is it, but I’ve thought for a while now the problem with Departments of English Literature is twofold: English and Literature. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/n...
At This College, the English Dept. Is Out. ‘Human Narratives’ Is In.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I’m not sure Human Narratives is it, but I’ve thought for a while now the problem with Departments of English Literature is twofold: English and Literature. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/n...
I’m just a simple country lawyer but I imagine this is frowned upon.
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 19, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I’m just a simple country lawyer but I imagine this is frowned upon.
An exchange with a friend leads me to say: simply knowing you are being read is perhaps the one still irreducible pleasure of writing and scholarship.
November 19, 2025 at 2:49 PM
An exchange with a friend leads me to say: simply knowing you are being read is perhaps the one still irreducible pleasure of writing and scholarship.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt relief you forgot to run the dishwasher the night before so you don’t have to put away the dishes first thing in the morning.
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt relief you forgot to run the dishwasher the night before so you don’t have to put away the dishes first thing in the morning.
👀
Put writing high quality literary text on the list of things that AIs used to not be able to do but now can do
With fine-tuning, now outperforming MFA-trained expert writers at emulating award-winning authors when rated blindly by MFA-trained experts papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
With fine-tuning, now outperforming MFA-trained expert writers at emulating award-winning authors when rated blindly by MFA-trained experts papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 19, 2025 at 1:44 PM
👀
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
Please note: none of these are university presses. Thank you.
"academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it... The dominant four collectively generated... $12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024."
November 19, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Please note: none of these are university presses. Thank you.
Something I enjoy is when I’m trying to purchase from a website but the vendor won’t take my money unless I log in to a legacy account I created years before but of course I don’t have the right password so I first have to reset the password and then log back in before completing the transaction.
November 19, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Something I enjoy is when I’m trying to purchase from a website but the vendor won’t take my money unless I log in to a legacy account I created years before but of course I don’t have the right password so I first have to reset the password and then log back in before completing the transaction.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
🌟 Deadline to apply to be the next SHARP NEWS Editor in Chief has been extended!
👉 Apply by November 28, 2025!
Details here:
sharpweb.org/sharpnews/20...
#BookHistory #Editor #OnlinePublishing #EditorOpportunity #Academic #SHARP #Bookishness #BookCommunity
👉 Apply by November 28, 2025!
Details here:
sharpweb.org/sharpnews/20...
#BookHistory #Editor #OnlinePublishing #EditorOpportunity #Academic #SHARP #Bookishness #BookCommunity
November 18, 2025 at 2:14 PM
🌟 Deadline to apply to be the next SHARP NEWS Editor in Chief has been extended!
👉 Apply by November 28, 2025!
Details here:
sharpweb.org/sharpnews/20...
#BookHistory #Editor #OnlinePublishing #EditorOpportunity #Academic #SHARP #Bookishness #BookCommunity
👉 Apply by November 28, 2025!
Details here:
sharpweb.org/sharpnews/20...
#BookHistory #Editor #OnlinePublishing #EditorOpportunity #Academic #SHARP #Bookishness #BookCommunity
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Just the president of the United States rationalizing that a Washington Post reporter was basically asking to be murdered and cut to pieces with a bone saw because of his reporting.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
As he sits next to the thug who ordered it.
Enjoying @titachico.bsky.social and @zugenia.bsky.social in conversation here at @umdenglish.bsky.social about their new books, on wonder and wit.
November 18, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Enjoying @titachico.bsky.social and @zugenia.bsky.social in conversation here at @umdenglish.bsky.social about their new books, on wonder and wit.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
Quiet, Piggy.
Mike Johnson's final words during a press conference where he announces the Epstein coverup will not only continue but deepen: "They're trying to attack President Trump. That's it."
November 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Quiet, Piggy.
He’s in there.
Mike Johnson expresses concern that requiring the Epstein files to come out "could ruin the reputations of completely innocent people, such as those who may just have known Epstein but knew nothing of his crimes or whose names he exploited and used to try to get close to his intended victims."
November 18, 2025 at 3:38 PM
He’s in there.
Foreign students are about 40% of the graduate population at UMD.
New foreign student enrollment in the US fell 17% this fall www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
How foreign student enrollment is shifting in the U.S., in 6 charts
Foreign student enrollment in U.S. colleges has stalled, with a 17 percent decline in new students this fall after Trump policy changes, a key survey shows.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Foreign students are about 40% of the graduate population at UMD.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
Fun fact: the US sells more higher ed to China than soybeans
Trump's campaign to kill an industry where America runs a massive trade surplus is succeeding
New foreign student enrollment in the US fell 17% this fall www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
November 17, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Fun fact: the US sells more higher ed to China than soybeans
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
This leaves in place a preliminary injunction barring the Youngkin appointees from serving
The Virginia Supreme Court did not reach merits of the matter
The Court tends to be restrained in such a situation and wait for a final resolution before further ruling
The Virginia Supreme Court did not reach merits of the matter
The Court tends to be restrained in such a situation and wait for a final resolution before further ruling
November 17, 2025 at 5:01 PM
This leaves in place a preliminary injunction barring the Youngkin appointees from serving
The Virginia Supreme Court did not reach merits of the matter
The Court tends to be restrained in such a situation and wait for a final resolution before further ruling
The Virginia Supreme Court did not reach merits of the matter
The Court tends to be restrained in such a situation and wait for a final resolution before further ruling
I guess there’s really only one way to interpret this sign.
November 17, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I guess there’s really only one way to interpret this sign.
Lot of 💵🐄 programs going to be closing.
New foreign student enrollment in the US fell 17% this fall www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
How foreign student enrollment is shifting in the U.S., in 6 charts
Foreign student enrollment in U.S. colleges has stalled, with a 17 percent decline in new students this fall after Trump policy changes, a key survey shows.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Lot of 💵🐄 programs going to be closing.
Reposted by Matthew Kirschenbaum
👇
The public does not know this. They don't realize how the budget at their beloved 🏈/🏀 State U works, or that their kids won't be able to take courses/labs they need there anymore, bc they won't exist without federal $ & foreign graduate students.
Maybe someone should speak up about this stuff? 🤷♂️🧐
Maybe someone should speak up about this stuff? 🤷♂️🧐
Old Man Yells At Clouds
No one wants to hear this message. Not our university leaders. Not the media (I & colleagues have tried & failed repeatedly). Everyone just wants to pretend doing the definition of insanity is going to work this time. Sleepwalking into epic disaster.
No one wants to hear this message. Not our university leaders. Not the media (I & colleagues have tried & failed repeatedly). Everyone just wants to pretend doing the definition of insanity is going to work this time. Sleepwalking into epic disaster.
November 17, 2025 at 4:18 PM
👇