Princeton University expanded its employee health program to include coverage for gender reassignment surgery starting July 1, The Daily Princetonian reported. Princeton already provides coverage for hormone therapy prescription medications and mental health counseling. At least 36 other institutions, including a number of Ivy League universities, already offer coverage for the procedure, which is also known as gender confirmation surgery. Princeton has not amended the student health plan yet, though discussion is ongoing. Some Princeton students expressed dissatisfaction with the University's decision not to extend coverage to students but viewed the policy change as a sign of progress. Dartmouth is currently considering expanding student health care coverage to include gender reassignment surgery.
The latest version of a bill requiring universities to disclose information about graduates' outcomes and salaries was introduced in Congress on May 9, according to Inside Higher Ed. Like its 2012 predecessor, Student Right to Know Before You Go Act, this bill would require institutions of higher education to gather and report more data such as salaries by major, graduation rates and the success of those receiving Pell Grants. Both Democrats and Republicans sponsoring the bill are also advocating for a federal "unit record" database managed by the Education Department that follows students' outcomes after college. While most of Congress applauds the move toward transparency, some Republican members remain vehemently opposed. Lobbyists expressed doubt that any legislative action implementing the database would pass in the near future, particularly without overwhelming bipartisan support, Inside Higher Ed reported.
SAT exams were canceled across South Korea on May 4 following allegations of widespread cheating in test prep centers, according to The Wall Street Journal. This marks the first nationwide cancellation of SAT tests in the world for suspected cheating. Many students are scrambling to take the test in other countries this summer, and at least 10 test center staff members have been banned from leaving the country as Seoul prosecutors investigate the case, and the Seoul education department has begun a separate case. The scandal highlights a national academic environment that has been marred by a string of high-profile incidents involving plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Academics in South Korea are "ultra-competitive" due to strong correlations between high marks on exams and overall success, The Wall Street Journal reported.
