npr--2020-12-17--'Losing A Generation': Fall College Enrollment Plummets For First-Year Students

All throughout high school , Brian Williams planned to go to college .
But as the pandemic eroded the final moments of his senior year , the Stafford , Texas , student began to second guess that plan .
`` I 'm terrible at online school , '' Williams says .
He was barely interested in logging on for his final weeks of high school ; being online for his first semester at Houston Community College felt unbearable .
`` I know what works best for me , and doing stuff on the computer does n't really stimulate me in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Paying for college was always going to be hard , but it was even harder to justify the expense during a pandemic .
`` We had no money for it , '' he says , `` and I 'm not trying to go into debt and pay that for the rest of my life . ''
He wondered if college in 2020 was `` really worth it . ''
So he postponed , and instead got a job at Jimmy John 's so he could start saving up .
Williams is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who decided to put off higher education this year .
According to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse , undergraduate enrollment this fall declined by 3.6 % from the fall of 2019 .
That 's more than 560,000 students , and twice the rate of enrollment decline seen last year .
Most of that decline occurred at community colleges , where enrollment fell by more than 10 % , or over 544,000 students .
`` To see this level of decline all at once is so sudden and so dramatic , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research center at the National Student Clearinghouse .
`` It 's completely unprecedented . ''
Students attending college for the first time represent one of the largest groups missing from college classes this fall , Shapiro says .
For students who graduated from high school in the class of 2020 , the number of graduates enrolling in college are down by 21.7 % compared with last year , based on preliminary data .
For graduates at high-poverty high schools there was a 32.6 % decline in attending college , compared with a 16.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` That 's a lot of individuals whose lives are on hold , whose career and educational aspirations are suspended , '' says Shapiro .
`` You can almost think of this as an entire generation that will enter adulthood with lower education , lower skills , less employability , ultimately lower productivity . ''
Shapiro says the pandemic is largely to blame for this year 's drastic declines , but it 's also true that college-going has been on a decade-long downward trend .
College enrollment nationwide fell 11 % between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fewer people going to college and getting a degree spells trouble for individual families , for communities and for the U.S. economy as a whole .
`` There is a much larger implication here for the country , '' says Angel Pérez , who oversees the National Association for College Admission Counseling .
`` The fact is if we lose an entire generation of young people in the pipeline to college , that will have an impact on our tax base .
It will have an impact on an educated citizenry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer tuition dollars , which translates to a drop in revenue at a time when college budgets were already strained because of the pandemic .
Now , colleges have begun to tighten their belts .
In October , Ithaca College , a private college in upstate New York , announced plans to cut about 130 faculty positions to deal with falling enrollment .
That 's in addition to pandemic-related cuts the college made in April .
Across the country institutions have announced furloughs and layoffs ; they 've cancelled sports , majors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities have suspended admissions to their Ph.D. programs , The Chronicle of Higher Education found .
`` To be blunt , we are in a very bad financial time for higher education , and the most unfortunate part is I do n't see that we have sort of reached the bottom yet , '' says Dominique Baker , a professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University in Dallas .
`` What determines how bad this eventually gets are things like what is the federal government doing ?
How much funding does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How much funding does the federal government give out to individual higher education institutions to help them ? ''
she says .
`` If we 're not seeing a significant investment in higher education , this is going to become much more widespread . ''
Without federal or state money , colleges may look to increase tuition to offset budget shortfalls .
In Florida , there 's talk of raising tuition at public institutions for the first time in several years .
Even after the pandemic is over , colleges wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still facing a demographic cliff : The number of U.S. high school graduates is expected to peak by 2025 , buoyed by non-white students , then decline through the end of 2037 , according to projections by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education .
In other words , the pool of eligible college students is shrinking .
`` Historically , when colleges and universities had financial challenges , the answer was always to go to the chief enrollment officer and say , 'Bring us more students , '' Pérez explains .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are two bright spots in the new fall enrollment numbers : There were increases in enrollment at graduate schools — mainly in short-term certificate and masters programs , Shapiro says — and enrollment went up at for-profit colleges , many of which had previous experience with online learning , so were well positioned to take on students during the pandemic .
For-profit colleges have lower graduation rates compared to public colleges , federal data shows .
They tend to enroll the same types of students that go to community colleges , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also spend more on advertising , a factor that may have enticed students uncertain about what college would look like at brick-and-mortar institutions .
Baker worries for-profits may have scooped up students who would otherwise have enrolled in community colleges .
`` Community colleges do not have the money to market themselves in the way that a for-profit institution does , '' she says .
`` They 're just less nimble . ''
At community colleges , the financial situation is also less fixable .
Budgets are already tight , and raising tuition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : to be an affordable , open-access institution .
`` Community colleges are an area of higher education that our country , and often states , have systematically underfunded , '' Baker says .
At the same time , she explains , `` they do the lion 's share of educating students in the United States . ''
Low-income students are more likely to attend community colleges , as are non-white students .
Baker says , when community colleges are hurting , it also hurts the students they serve .
`` The financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not an issue that is hitting all students in the same way . ''
Historically , when unemployment is high , students flock to community colleges .
Bill Pink , the president of Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan , says that 's what everyone expected to happen this year : `` 'Community colleges , you guys are going to clean up .
You guys are not going to have room for all these people ! '
That is so wrong . ''
In late September , Pink says , fall enrollment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the year before .
Pink sees a few factors influencing this drop .
The biggest is finances — he says students and their families are squeezed right now , despite the low cost of tuition at most community colleges .
The other thing holding people back is the idea of learning online .
`` Students say : 'You know what ?
Instead of trying to navigate online learning that I 'm not really accustomed to , I 'm just going to sit it out .
I 'm just going to work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a semester off , ' '' Pink explains .
That 's what Riley Borup decided this spring .
He 's in his late 20s , and after working as a plumber for his father for several years , he decided to enroll at Everett Community College , 40 minutes north of Seattle , to study engineering .
In March , he was learning about circuit boards and enjoying it ; but when classes shifted to virtual , it did n't take long for Borup to decide online learning was n't for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been so much easier to do in person , '' he says .
`` You do the Zoom thing and it 's like , man , I want the professor to just point this out to me in person . ''
With campus closed , his college routine was thrown into chaos .
`` I looked at college like a full time job , '' Borup says .
`` I 'd try to stay on campus for at least 40 hours a week . ''
At home , he had trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to distract him .
So Borup decided to withdraw from school , and pick up a job as a part-time garbage collector to pass the time and pay the rent .
He says there are some days when he loses faith that he 'll ever go back to school .
`` It 's definitely like an internal battle where sometimes I 'm like , ' I might just join the military , ' `` he says .
`` But then I 'm like , 'This is my goal .
I 'm going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've told a lot of people , family , friends , so it 's kind of for them . ''
Plus he adds , `` I would n't respect myself if I just dropped off .
I 've already put over a year into it , so it 's like I 'm not going to waste the last year . ''
Borup says he is `` very aware '' of the delay this break is causing — instead of getting a degree in 2023 , graduation in 2024 is more likely .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online class in the spring to see if he can ease back in .
For Catalina Cifuentes , who works to promote college access in Riverside County , east of Los Angeles , the number of students who decided not to go to college worries her .
`` It really does feel like we 're losing a generation , '' she says .
The students in her county are mostly from low-income families , and many would be the first in their family to go to college .
`` They do n't know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
`` They do n't know that research shows the longer you 're out of school , the less likely you are to return . ''
Some of her students are calling their break a `` gap year , '' but Cifuentes says it 's not the kind of gap year wealthier students might experience .
`` They 're working , and their families are getting used to that extra paycheck .
That 's going to be really hard to give up for school . ''
When she thinks back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many 2020 high school graduates did n't enroll in college this fall .
`` We were in survival mode .
We went into making sure students had food , housing , basic needs , '' she says .
`` Things like college and college applications , they take a backseat . ''
And she 's seeing the same pattern play out for this year 's high school seniors , the class of 2021 .
`` We 're trying to get them to come to class , to log on .
If it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for college conversations , this is worse .
We were in the backseat before .
Now we 're outside of the car . ''
There is data to support Cifuentes ' concerns about this year 's seniors .
As of Dec. 4 , the number of students who had filled out the federal application for student aid , or FAFSA , was down 14 % compared to the same time last year .
The drop is even more dramatic among low-income and non-white students .
Colleges , including the 23 campuses in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ application deadlines to allow more students to apply .
For her part , Cifuentes and her staff have been taking to the phones , calling students to help them with their college applications .
And she 's not giving up on the class of 2020 either .
`` I 'm really hopeful that students will go back , '' she says , `` it 's not too late . ''
Brain Williams , who decided to forgo college in Houston and is now working at Jimmy John 's , says he 's `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money . ''
He 's recently been promoted to manager , and though he 's enjoying the bigger paycheck and more responsibility , he has n't given up on the idea of getting his degree .
`` So far this year I 've really grown mentally and financially , '' he says , `` and when the time comes for college , I 'll be ready . ''
He says he plans to enroll at his local community college next fall .

'Losing A Generation': Fall College Enrollment Plummets For 1st-Year Students
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Dalton for NPR Scott Dalton for NPR
All throughout high school, Brian Williams planned to go to college. But as the pandemic eroded the final moments of his senior year, the Stafford, Texas, student began to second-guess that plan.
"I'm terrible at online school," Williams says. He was barely interested in logging on for his final weeks of high school; being online for his first semester at Houston Community College felt unbearable.
"I know what works best for me, and doing stuff on the computer doesn't really stimulate me in the same way an actual class would."
Paying for college was always going to be hard, but it was even harder to justify the expense during a pandemic. "We had no money for it," he says, "and I'm not trying to go into debt and pay that for the rest of my life."
He wondered if college in 2020 was "really worth it." So he postponed and instead got a job at Jimmy John's so he could start saving up.
Williams is one of hundreds of thousands of students who decided to put off higher education this year. According to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse, undergraduate enrollment this fall declined by 3.6% from the fall of 2019. That's more than 560,000 students and twice the rate of enrollment decline seen last year. Most of that decline occurred at community colleges, where enrollment fell by more than 10%, or more than 544,000 students.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Dalton for NPR Scott Dalton for NPR
"To see this level of decline all at once is so sudden and so dramatic," says Doug Shapiro, who leads the research center at the National Student Clearinghouse. "It's completely unprecedented."
Students attending college for the first time represent one of the largest groups missing from college classes this fall, Shapiro says. For students who graduated from high school in the class of 2020, the number of graduates enrolling in college is down by 21.7% compared with last year, based on preliminary data. For graduates at high-poverty high schools there was a 32.6% decline in attending college, compared with a 16.4% decline for graduates of low-poverty schools.
"That's a lot of individuals whose lives are on hold, whose career and educational aspirations are suspended," says Shapiro. "You can almost think of this as an entire generation that will enter adulthood with lower education, lower skills, less employability, ultimately lower productivity."
Shapiro says the pandemic is largely to blame for this year's drastic declines, but it's also true that attending college has been on a decade-long downward trend. College enrollment nationwide fell 11% between 2011 and 2019, the Clearinghouse found.
Loading...
Fewer people going to college and getting a degree spells trouble for individual families, for communities and for the U.S. economy as a whole.
"There is a much larger implication here for the country," says Angel Pérez, who oversees the National Association for College Admission Counseling. "The fact is if we lose an entire generation of young people in the pipeline to college, that will have an impact on our tax base. It will have an impact on an educated citizenry."
"A very bad financial time"
For colleges, lower enrollment means fewer tuition dollars, which translates to a drop in revenue at a time when college budgets were already strained because of the pandemic.
Now, colleges have begun to tighten their belts. In October, Ithaca College, a private college in upstate New York, announced plans to cut about 130 faculty positions to deal with falling enrollment. That's in addition to pandemic-related cuts the college made in April. Across the country institutions have announced furloughs and layoffs; they've canceled sports, majors and even entire departments. More than 50 universities have suspended admissions to their Ph.D. programs, The Chronicle of Higher Education found.
"To be blunt, we are in a very bad financial time for higher education, and the most unfortunate part is I don't see that we have sort of reached the bottom yet," says Dominique Baker, a professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
"What determines how bad this eventually gets are things like what is the federal government doing? How much funding does the federal government give out to states? How much funding does the federal government give out to individual higher education institutions to help them?" she says. "If we're not seeing a significant investment in higher education, this is going to become much more widespread."
Without federal or state money, colleges may look to increase tuition to offset budget shortfalls. In Florida, there's talk of raising tuition at public institutions for the first time in several years.
Even after the pandemic is over, colleges won't be out of the woods. They're still facing a demographic cliff. The number of U.S. high school graduates is expected to peak by 2025, buoyed by nonwhite students, then decline through the end of 2037, according to projections by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. In other words, the pool of eligible college students is shrinking.
"Historically, when colleges and universities had financial challenges, the answer was always to go to the chief enrollment officer and say, 'Bring us more students," Pérez explains. "That option no longer exists."
There are two bright spots in the new fall enrollment numbers: There were increases in enrollment at graduate schools — mainly in short-term certificate and master's programs, Shapiro says — and enrollment went up at for-profit colleges, many of which had previous experience with online learning, so were well-positioned to take on students during the pandemic.
For-profit colleges have lower graduation rates compared to public colleges, federal data shows. They tend to enroll the same types of students that go to community colleges, though tuition is often much higher. For-profits also spend more on advertising, a factor that may have enticed students uncertain about what college would look like at brick-and-mortar institutions. Baker worries that for-profits may have scooped up students who would otherwise have enrolled in community colleges.
"Community colleges do not have the money to market themselves in the way that a for-profit institution does," she says. "They're just less nimble."
A shock for community colleges
At community colleges, the financial situation is also less fixable. Budgets are already tight, and raising tuition goes against the core of their mission: to be an affordable, open-access institution.
"Community colleges are an area of higher education that our country, and often states, have systematically underfunded," Baker says. At the same time, she explains, "they do the lion's share of educating students in the United States."
Low-income students are more likely to attend community colleges, as are nonwhite students. Baker says that when community colleges are hurting, it also hurts the students they serve.
"The financial situation, the enrollment situation, this is not an issue that is hitting all students in the same way," Baker says.
Historically, students flock to community colleges when unemployment is high. Bill Pink, the president of Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, says that's what everyone expected to happen this year: " 'Community colleges, you guys are going to clean up. You guys are not going to have room for all these people!' That is so wrong."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jovelle Tamayo for NPR Jovelle Tamayo for NPR
In late September, Pink says, fall enrollment at GRCC was down about 9% from the year before. Pink sees a few factors influencing this drop. The biggest is finances — he says students and their families are squeezed right now, despite the low cost of tuition at most community colleges.
The other thing holding people back is the idea of learning online.
"Students say: 'You know what? Instead of trying to navigate online learning that I'm not really accustomed to, I'm just going to sit it out. I'm just going to work. I'm going to take a year or a semester off,'" Pink explains.
That's what Riley Borup decided this spring. He's in his late 20s, and after working as a plumber for his father for several years, he decided to enroll at Everett Community College, 40 minutes north of Seattle, to study engineering. In March, he was learning about circuit boards and enjoying it, but when classes shifted to virtual, it didn't take long for Borup to decide online learning wasn't for him.
"The circuit board, it would have been so much easier to do in person," he says. "You do the Zoom thing and it's like, man, I want the professor to just point this out to me in person."
With campus closed, his college routine was thrown into chaos.
"I looked at college like a full-time job," Borup says. "I'd try to stay on campus for at least 40 hours a week." At home, he had trouble focusing. There were dogs and roommates to distract him. So Borup decided to withdraw from school and pick up a job as a part-time garbage collector to pass the time and pay the rent.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jovelle Tamayo for NPR Jovelle Tamayo for NPR
He says there are some days when he loses faith that he'll ever go back to school. "It's definitely like an internal battle where sometimes I'm like, 'I might just join the military,' " he says. "But then I'm like, 'This is my goal. I'm going to stick with it.' And I've told a lot of people, family, friends, so it's kind of for them."
Plus, he adds, "I wouldn't respect myself if I just dropped off. I've already put over a year into it, so it's like I'm not going to waste the last year."
Borup says he is "very aware" of the delay this break is causing — instead of getting a degree in 2023, graduation in 2024 is more likely. The plan for now is to take one online class in the spring to see if he can ease back in.
Losing a generation
For Catalina Cifuentes, who works to promote college access in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, the number of students who decided not to go to college worries her. "It really does feel like we're losing a generation," she says.
The students in her county are mostly from low-income families, and many would be the first in their family to go to college. "They don't know what they don't know," she says. "They don't know that research shows the longer you're out of school, the less likely you are to return."
Some of her students are calling their break a "gap year," but Cifuentes says it's not the kind of gap year wealthier students might experience. "They're working, and their families are getting used to that extra paycheck. That's going to be really hard to give up for school."
When she thinks back to the spring, Cifuentes isn't surprised so many 2020 high school graduates didn't enroll in college this fall.
"We were in survival mode. We went into making sure students had food, housing, basic needs," she says. "Things like college and college applications, they take a backseat."
And she's seeing the same pattern play out for this year's high school seniors, the class of 2021. "We're trying to get them to come to class, to log on. If it was bad in the spring and summer for college conversations, this is worse. We were in the back seat before. Now we're outside of the car."
There is data to support Cifuentes' concerns about this year's seniors. As of Dec. 4, the number of students who had filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, was down 14% compared with the same time last year. The drop is even more dramatic among low-income and nonwhite students. Colleges, including the 23 campuses in the California State system, pushed back their application deadlines to allow more students to apply.
For her part, Cifuentes and her staff have been taking to the phones, calling students to help them with their college applications. And she's not giving up on the class of 2020 either. "I'm really hopeful that students will go back," she says. "It's not too late."
Brian Williams, who decided to forgo college in Houston and is now working at Jimmy John's, says he's "working long hours and saving a lot of money." He's recently been promoted to manager, and though he's enjoying the bigger paycheck and more responsibility, he hasn't given up on the idea of getting his degree.
"So far this year I've really grown mentally and financially," he says, "and when the time comes for college, I'll be ready."
He says he plans to enroll at his local community college next fall.
Education Desk intern Marco Treviño contributed to this report.


npr--2020-12-17--French President Macron Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Updated at 5:50 a.m .
ET French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the coronavirus and will quarantine for a @ @ @ @ @ announced Thursday .
Macron was tested for the virus following the onset of symptoms , @ @ @ @ @ n't immediately explain what those symptoms might include .
He will isolate himself for seven @ @ @ @ @ work remotely , his residence said .
Because of his age , Macron , 42 @ @ @ @ @ be part of the population most at-risk for severe complications from COVID-19 .
Throughout the @ @ @ @ @ the threat of the virus seriously and was always seen wearing a mask .
France @ @ @ @ @ in November and was able to reduce the infection rate from a record high of @ @ @ @ @ in a single day , down to 14,000 .
Though some restrictions have been eased @ @ @ @ @ 8 p.m. overnight curfew .
News of the president 's infection comes just weeks before @ @ @ @ @ 1.16 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine .

French President Macron Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Yoan Valat/AP Yoan Valat/AP
Updated at 5:50 a.m. ET
French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the coronavirus and will quarantine for a week, his official residence announced Thursday.
Macron was tested for the virus following the onset of symptoms, though the Élysée Palace didn't immediately explain what those symptoms might include. He will isolate himself for seven days and will continue to work remotely, his residence said.
Because of his age, Macron, 42, is not considered to be part of the population most at-risk for severe complications from COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, Macron has taken the threat of the virus seriously and was always seen wearing a mask.
France underwent a strict monthlong lockdown in November and was able to reduce the infection rate from a record high of more than 60,000 confirmed cases in a single day, down to 14,000. Though some restrictions have been eased, the country maintains an 8 p.m. overnight curfew.
News of the president's infection comes just weeks before France is set to receive 1.16 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
NPR's Paris correspondent Eleanor Beardsley contributed to this report.


npr--2020-12-17--U.S. Surpasses 3,600 Daily Coronavirus Deaths, Breaks Prior Hospitalization Record

The U.S. on Wednesday reported the highest number of new cases of the coronavirus and the most COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began .
As of 1:30 a.m. Thursday , more than 3,600 Americans died Wednesday from complications of the coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University , which is tracking coronavirus infection data .
Data from the COVID Tracking Project revealed more than 230,000 new coronavirus infections and showed 113,090 Americans were hospitalized with the virus — a number that 's been on the rise since Dec. 6 .
Revelations of yet another spike in new reported cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. began the rollout of its COVID-19 vaccination program and surpassed 300,000 deaths from the virus .
It also comes on the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday , when many Americans gathered with family and friends against health officials ' warnings .
Authorities are concerned about a similar spike following the Christmas and New Year 's holidays .
`` We are still at a dangerous and critical part of this pandemic and tens of thousands of American lives are at stake really every week , '' Adm. Brett P. Giroir , assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on CNN 's New Day Wednesday .
He reminded Americans to wear masks and to maintain social distancing .
He added , `` If you do that , we 're going to be in really good shape .
But if you do n't , we 're going to have thousands of more casualties in this country that we can avoid . ''

U.S. Surpasses 3,600 Daily Coronavirus Deaths, Breaks Prior Hospitalization Record
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jae C. Hong/AP Jae C. Hong/AP
The U.S. on Wednesday reported the highest number of new cases of the coronavirus and the most COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began.
As of 1:30 a.m. Thursday, more than 3,600 Americans died Wednesday from complications of the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking coronavirus infection data.
Data from the COVID Tracking Project revealed more than 230,000 new coronavirus infections and showed 113,090 Americans were hospitalized with the virus — a number that's been on the rise since Dec. 6.
Revelations of yet another spike in new reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths comes the same week the U.S. began the rollout of its COVID-19 vaccination program and surpassed 300,000 deaths from the virus.
It also comes on the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday, when many Americans gathered with family and friends against health officials' warnings. Authorities are concerned about a similar spike following the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
"We are still at a dangerous and critical part of this pandemic and tens of thousands of American lives are at stake really every week," Adm. Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for Health and Human Services, said on CNN's New Day Wednesday. He reminded Americans to wear masks and to maintain social distancing.
He added, "If you do that, we're going to be in really good shape. But if you don't, we're going to have thousands of more casualties in this country that we can avoid."


npr--2020-12-17--Google AI Team Demands Ousted Black Researcher Be Rehired And Promoted

Members of a prestigious research unit at Google have sent a letter to the company 's chief executive demanding that ousted artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru be reinstated .
Gebru , who studies the ethics of AI and was one of the only Black research scientists at Google , says she was unexpectedly fired after a dispute over an academic paper and months of speaking out about the need for more women and people of color at the tech giant .
In a letter sent on Wednesday by members of Google 's Ethical AI team to CEO Sundar Pichai , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be re-hired and promoted , among a host of other demands , according to a copy of the note obtained by NPR that was first reported by Bloomberg .
`` Offering Timnit her position back at a higher level would go a long way to help re-establish trust and rebuild our team environment , '' reads the letter sent by Google employee Alex Hanna on behalf of the Ethical AI team , which Gebru co-led before she was forced out .
`` The removal of Timnit has had a demoralizing effect on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gebru 's termination earlier this month , more than 2,600 Googlers have signed an open letter expressing dismay over the way Gebru exited the company and asking executives for a full explanation of what prompted her dismissal .
In the letter from the AI team to Pichai , Gebru 's former colleagues ask that Megan Kacholia , a vice president at Google Research who the researchers accuse of going around the team 's direct supervisor to fire Gebru , be removed from their reporting chain .
`` We have lost confidence in Megan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying Gebru 's firing happened `` without warning rather than engaging in dialogue . ''
Google , which is owned by parent company Alphabet , Inc. , did not respond to a request for comment .
Google has previously maintained that Gebru resigned , though Gebru herself says she never voluntary agreed to leave the company .
In a company email after the episode , Pichai acknowledged that the incident `` seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google . ''
He committed to rebuilding employees ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their letter to him on Wednesday , the researchers were doubtful their work could resume in the absence of major overhauls inside the company .
Gebru helped establish Black in AI , a group that supports Black researchers in the field of artificial intelligence .
She also was the co-author of pioneering research into facial recognition technology that demonstrated how people of color and women are misidentified far more often than white faces .
The study helped convince IBM , Amazon and Microsoft to stop selling the technology to law enforcement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in the Wednesday letter that studying ways to reduce the harm of AI on marginalized groups is key to their mission .
And they worried that Google 's `` short-term interests and immediate revenue agendas '' could stand in the way of investigating sensitive areas of study .
Last month , Google abruptly asked Gebru to retract a research paper focused on the potential biases baked into an AI system that attempts to mimic human speech .
The technology helps power Google 's search engine .
Google claims the paper did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gebru did not follow the company 's internal review protocol .
However , Gebru and her supporters counter that she was being targeted because of how outspoken she was about diversity issues , a theme that was underscored in the letter .
`` Google 's short-sighted decision to fire and retaliate against a core member of the Ethical AI Team makes it clear that we need swift and structural changes if this work is to continue , and if the legitimacy of the field as a while is to persevere . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to advancing diversity , equity and inclusion among its research units , but unless more concrete and immediate action is taken , those promises are `` virtue signaling ; they are damaging , evasive , defensive and demonstrate leadership 's inability to understand how our organization is part of the problem , '' according to the letter .
The AI team members also calls for Google 's leadership to go through racial literacy training , arguing that `` the toxicity '' toward people of color on Google 's research team `` needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dean , senior vice president of Google Research , and other executives involved in Gebru 's firing need to be held accountable .
They want Dean to issue an apology to Gebru .
They also ask that Google management stop referring to her ouster as a resignation , saying such `` gaslighting '' has caused harm to Gebru and the Black community at Google .
Google has a history of striking back against employees who agitate internally for change .
Organizers of the worldwide walkouts at Google in 2018 over sexual harassment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And more recently , the National Labor Relation Board accused Google of illegally firing workers who were involved in union organizing .
This time , however , the researchers are pleading with Google not to demote , fire or otherwise punish anyone involved in supporting Gebru .
`` We know from Google 's past retaliation that they often proceed to harm and marginalize workers without outright firing them , especially those who have advocated for their colleagues , '' the researchers wrote to Pichai .

Google AI Team Demands Ousted Black Researcher Be Rehired And Promoted
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Members of a prestigious research unit at Google have sent a letter to the company's chief executive demanding that ousted artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru be reinstated.
Gebru, who studies the ethics of AI and was one of the few Black research scientists at Google, says she was unexpectedly fired after a dispute over an academic paper and months of speaking out about the need for more women and people of color at the tech giant.
In a letter sent on Wednesday by members of Google's Ethical AI team to CEO Sundar Pichai, Gebru's former colleagues ask that she be rehired and promoted, among a host of other demands, according to a copy of the note obtained by NPR that was first reported by Bloomberg.
"Offering Timnit her position back at a higher level would go a long way to help re-establish trust and rebuild our team environment," reads the letter sent by Google employee Alex Hanna on behalf of the Ethical AI team, which Gebru co-led before she was forced out. "The removal of Timnit has had a demoralizing effect on the whole of our team."
Since Gebru's termination earlier this month, more than 2,600 Googlers have signed an open letter expressing dismay over the way Gebru exited the company and asking executives for a full explanation of what prompted her dismissal.
In the letter from the AI team to Pichai, Gebru's former colleagues ask that Megan Kacholia, a vice president at Google Research whom the researchers accuse of going around the team's direct supervisor to fire Gebru, be removed from their reporting chain.
"We have lost confidence in Megan Kacholia," the researchers wrote, saying Gebru's firing happened "without warning rather than engaging in dialogue."
Google, which is owned by parent company Alphabet Inc., did not respond to a request for comment.
Google has maintained that Gebru resigned, though Gebru says she never voluntarily agreed to leave the company. In a company email after the episode, Pichai acknowledged that the incident "seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google." He committed to rebuilding employees' trust and supporting independent research.
Yet in their letter to him on Wednesday, the researchers were doubtful their work could resume in the absence of major overhauls inside the company.
Gebru helped establish Black in AI, a group that supports Black researchers in the field of artificial intelligence. She also was the co-author of pioneering research into facial recognition technology that demonstrated how people of color and women are misidentified far more often than white faces. The study helped persuade IBM, Amazon and Microsoft to stop selling the technology to law enforcement.
At Google, Gebru's former team wrote in the Wednesday letter that studying ways to reduce the harm of AI on marginalized groups is key to their mission.
And they worried that Google's "short-term interests and immediate revenue agendas" could stand in the way of investigating sensitive areas of study.
Last month, Google abruptly asked Gebru to retract a research paper focused on the potential biases baked into an AI system that attempts to mimic human speech. The technology helps power Google's search engine. Google claims that the paper did not meet its bar for publication and that Gebru did not follow the company's internal review protocol.
Gebru and her supporters counter that she was being targeted because of how outspoken she was about diversity issues, a theme that was underscored in the letter.
"Google's short-sighted decision to fire and retaliate against a core member of the Ethical AI Team makes it clear that we need swift and structural changes if this work is to continue, and if the legitimacy of the field as a whole is to persevere."
The letter says Google's top brass have committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion among its research units, but unless more concrete and immediate action is taken, those promises are "virtue signaling; they are damaging, evasive, defensive and demonstrate leadership's inability to understand how our organization is part of the problem," according to the letter.
The AI team members also calls for Google's leadership to go through racial literacy training, arguing that "the toxicity" toward people of color on Google's research team "needs to stop."
They say Jeff Dean, senior vice president of Google Research, and other executives involved in Gebru's firing need to be held accountable. They want Dean to issue an apology to Gebru. They also ask that Google management stop referring to her ouster as a resignation, saying such "gaslighting" has caused harm to Gebru and the Black community at Google.
Google has a history of striking back against employees who agitate internally for change. Organizers of the worldwide walkouts at Google in 2018 over sexual harassment and other issues were fired by the company. And more recently, the National Labor Relation Board accused Google of illegally firing workers who were involved in union organizing.
This time, however, the researchers are pleading with Google not to demote, fire or otherwise punish anyone involved in supporting Gebru.
"We know from Google's past retaliation that they often proceed to harm and marginalize workers without outright firing them, especially those who have advocated for their colleagues," the researchers wrote to Pichai.


npr--2020-12-17--New Zealand Will Give Free Coronavirus Vaccines To Residents, Neighboring Nations

New Zealand Will Give Free Coronavirus Vaccines To Residents , Neighboring Nations New Zealand has advance purchased two new coronavirus vaccines from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax , giving the small island country the ability to vaccinate its 5 million residents .
Government officials also announced Thursday they will go a step further and provide free doses to its population as well as neighboring nations Tokelau , Cook Islands , Niue , Samoa , Tonga , and Tuvalu , should they want them .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during a news conference that the effort would be the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Never before has the entire globe sought to vaccinate the entire population at the same time , '' Ardern said .
`` This will be a sustained rollout over months not weeks but our pre-purchase agreements means New Zealand is well positioned to get on with it as soon as it is proven safe to do so . ''
The University of Oxford-AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines will add to New Zealand 's previously agreed upon purchases of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Janssen Pharmaceutica .
The new agreements secures access to 7.6 million doses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , and 10.72 million doses from Novavax– enough for 5.36 million people , according to the government .
Both vaccines require two doses .
Ardern said , `` Our approach allows for the possibility for some vaccines to be more suited to certain population groups or for deployment in different areas.
`` If the vaccines are proven to be safe and effective , the vaccination process is expected to begin early next year with border-control personnel and later other essential workers , with the general population getting the vaccines in the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research , Science and Innovation Megan Woods said the variety ensures `` no-one misses out , even if it means we 've purchased more than we need .
It 's an investment worth making . ''
Ardern said New Zealand is also working with Australia to support vaccination across the wider Pacific .
New Zealand has kept community spread of the virus low by keeping its borders closed — a choice that has decimated its vital tourism industry .
Government officials reminded the public that the start of COVID-19 vaccines does n't mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border lockdown .
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins called the country 's borders the first line of defense against imported cases .
He said , `` To make any decisions around borders we need to be confident that the New Zealand population is sufficiently protected . ''
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the U.S. is also taking steps to ensure all Americans have access to the COVID-19 vaccines at no cost once it becomes widely available .

New Zealand Will Give Free Coronavirus Vaccines To Residents, Neighboring Nations
Enlarge this image toggle caption Phil Walter/Getty Images Phil Walter/Getty Images
New Zealand has advance purchased two new coronavirus vaccines from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax, giving the small island country the ability to vaccinate its 5 million residents.
Government officials also announced Thursday they will go a step further and provide free doses to its population as well as neighboring nations Tokelau, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu, should they want them.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during a news conference that the effort would be the country's largest immunization rollout ever.
"Never before has the entire globe sought to vaccinate the entire population at the same time," Ardern said. "This will be a sustained rollout over months not weeks but our pre-purchase agreements means New Zealand is well positioned to get on with it as soon as it is proven safe to do so."
The University of Oxford-AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines will add to New Zealand's previously agreed upon purchases of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Janssen Pharmaceutica. The new agreements secures access to 7.6 million doses from AstraZeneca – enough for 3.8 million people, and 10.72 million doses from Novavax– enough for 5.36 million people, according to the government. Both vaccines require two doses.
Ardern said, "Our approach allows for the possibility for some vaccines to be more suited to certain population groups or for deployment in different areas. "
If the vaccines are proven to be safe and effective, the vaccination process is expected to begin early next year with border-control personnel and later other essential workers, with the general population getting the vaccines in the second half of the year.
Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Megan Woods said the variety ensures "no-one misses out, even if it means we've purchased more than we need. It's an investment worth making."
Ardern said New Zealand is also working with Australia to support vaccination across the wider Pacific.
New Zealand has kept community spread of the virus low by keeping its borders closed — a choice that has decimated its vital tourism industry.
Government officials reminded the public that the start of COVID-19 vaccines doesn't mean a quick lifting of the nation's border lockdown.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins called the country's borders the first line of defense against imported cases.
He said, "To make any decisions around borders we need to be confident that the New Zealand population is sufficiently protected."
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the U.S. is also taking steps to ensure all Americans have access to the COVID-19 vaccines at no cost once it becomes widely available.


npr--2020-12-16--Some Vials Of COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Extra Doses, Expanding Supply, FDA Says

Some Vials Of COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Extra Doses , Expanding Supply , FDA Says The Food and Drug Administration says that some of the vials of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine being distributed throughout the U.S. contain extra doses and the agency is encouraging hospitals and clinics to use the additional shots to speed up the nationwide immunization campaign .
The agency issued the guidance Wednesday after health care workers reported throwing out the excess vaccine , fearing it would be against the rules to use it .
`` At this time , given the public health emergency , FDA is advising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full dose obtainable ( the sixth , or possibly even a seventh ) from each vial , pending resolution of the issue , '' the FDA wrote in a tweet .
As health care workers prepared for the vaccine 's arrival , they expected to receive vials holding five doses .
That left many surprised by the overfilled containers .
Inoculations began in the U.S. on Monday with health care workers and the elderly being the first in line to get it .
For the medicine to be fully effective , each patient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leading health experts say that even if all goes well , the vaccine will not be available to the general public until the end of March or beginning of April .
The Pfizer-BioNTech-developed drug is the only vaccine that has been authorized for emergency use by the FDA .
Permission to use the additional portions means the limited supply could increase by up to 40 % , Politico reported .
A vaccine developed by Moderna is expected to get emergency use authorization from the FDA as early as this week .
Clinical data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pfizer injections .
`` It 's pretty unusual to have a full extra dose or more though — but it does seem to be there ! ''
Erin Fox , a pharmacist at University of Utah who monitors drug shortages , told the news outlet .
However , because there are no preservatives in the vaccines , partial doses from separate vials should n't be combined .
The agency is working with Pfizer to learn more about the issue and provide updates .
There are conflicting reports about when the U.S. is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine from Pfizer .
As NPR reported , `` Although a Pfizer board member says the government declined to buy more doses beyond the initial 100 million agreed upon in July , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told PBS Newshour that this is inaccurate . ''
Meanwhile , The New York Times reported that a second allotment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine may not be available to the U.S. until next June , given the combination of short supply and global demand .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's senior official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that half of all Americans would need to be vaccinated before seeing an impact on the spread of the virus , and that 75 % to 85 % of the population would need to be vaccinated to create herd immunity .
He predicted the U.S. could begin to see early stages of herd immunity by late spring or summer .

Some Vials Of COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Extra Doses, Expanding Supply, FDA Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
The Food and Drug Administration says that some of the vials of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine being distributed throughout the U.S. contain extra doses and the agency is encouraging hospitals and clinics to use the additional shots to speed up the nationwide immunization campaign.
The agency issued the guidance Wednesday after health care workers reported throwing out the excess vaccine, fearing it would be against the rules to use it.
"At this time, given the public health emergency, FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable (the sixth, or possibly even a seventh) from each vial, pending resolution of the issue," the FDA wrote in a tweet.
As health care workers prepared for the vaccine's arrival, they expected to receive vials holding five doses. That left many surprised by the overfilled containers.
Inoculations began in the U.S. on Monday with health care workers and the elderly being the first in line to get it. For the medicine to be fully effective, each patient requires two injections three weeks apart.
Leading health experts say that even if all goes well, the vaccine will not be available to the general public until the end of March or beginning of April.
The Pfizer-BioNTech-developed drug is the only vaccine that has been authorized for emergency use by the FDA. Permission to use the additional portions means the limited supply could increase by up to 40%, Politico reported.
A vaccine developed by Moderna is expected to get emergency use authorization from the FDA as early as this week. Clinical data shows it is nearly as effective as the Pfizer injections.
Drugmakers typically overfill vaccine vials, anticipating spills and other waste, Politico explained.
"It's pretty unusual to have a full extra dose or more though — but it does seem to be there!" Erin Fox, a pharmacist at University of Utah who monitors drug shortages, told the news outlet.
However, because there are no preservatives in the vaccines, partial doses from separate vials shouldn't be combined. The agency is working with Pfizer to learn more about the issue and provide updates.
There are conflicting reports about when the U.S. is poised to receive another batch of the medicine from Pfizer. As NPR reported, "Although a Pfizer board member says the government declined to buy more doses beyond the initial 100 million agreed upon in July, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told PBS Newshour that this is inaccurate."
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that a second allotment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine may not be available to the U.S. until next June, given the combination of short supply and global demand.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's senior official for infectious diseases, told NPR this week that half of all Americans would need to be vaccinated before seeing an impact on the spread of the virus, and that 75% to 85% of the population would need to be vaccinated to create herd immunity.
He predicted the U.S. could begin to see early stages of herd immunity by late spring or summer.


npr--2020-12-17--Ousted Black Google Researcher: 'They Wanted To Have My Presence, But Not Me Exactly'

Ousted Black Google Researcher : 'They Wanted To Have My Presence , But Not Me Exactly' '' My theory is that they had wanted me out for a while because I spoke up a lot about issues related to black people , women , and marginalization , '' Gebru said in an interview on NPR 's Morning Edition .
At Google , Gebru was the co-lead of the company 's Ethical Artificial Intelligence team , where she was able to parlay her passion for highlighting the societal effects of AI into academic papers that could shape Google 's largest products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in AI , a group formed to encourage people of color to pursue careers in artificial intelligence research .
For Google , bringing on Gebru lent credibility to the tech giant 's efforts in examining how technology can exacerbate systemic bias and discrimination .
Yet she says Google 's support for Gebru only went so far .
`` They wanted to have my presence , but not me exactly .
They wanted to have the idea of me being at Google , but not the reality of me being at Google , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her former colleagues wrote a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking that Gebru be reinstated , saying her departure has `` had a demoralizing effect on the whole of our team . ''
The researchers also asked that they not be subject to retaliation for supporting Gebru .
That fear is not unfounded .
Google has a history of demoting and firing dissenting employees .
In 2018 , tens of thousands of employees walked off the job to protest how Google handled sexual harassment cases , among other issues .
Organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More recently , the National Labor Relations Board accused Google of breaking the law by sacking employees who tried to unionize .
`` Google built this whole company up on the idea that we 'll give you free food and a free coffee and pay you well and give you comfortable bean bags to work on as long as you toe the company line , '' said William Fitzgerald , who spent a decade at Google working on communications .
Google 's official company policy is : `` if you see something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up ! ''
What the policy does not state , according to Fitzgerald , is that speaking up can also mean being shown the door .
`` Anyone who continues to challenge their power will get squashed or pushed out , and this is something that 's been happening at Google for years now and we 're only now hearing about it , '' he said .
Inside Google , women of color and other underrepresented groups who looked up to Gebru have been especially shaken , said former Google employee Ifeoma Ozoma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her identity as a Black woman and the concerns she raised around diversity as being the main driver for both the firing and the way it was done and the speed , '' Ozoma said .
Google CEO Pichai wrote to staff that he is aware the episode has `` seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google . ''
He apologized for that .
And committed to fix it .
Google declined to be interviewed for this story .
It points to emails in which executives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent research .
But now even that is up for debate .
Before she left Google , the company abruptly asked Gebru to retract a research paper critical of Google 's technology .
Linguist Emily Bender at the University of Washington , who was one of her co-authors , said she feels for researchers inside Google right now .
`` I ca n't imagine that it would n't have a chilling effect on people who are working there trying to work on this but now looking over their shoulder wondering , 'When is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be retracted ? '
and their work going to be basically taken away from them ? ''
Bender said .
After Google demanded that Gebru retract the paper for not meeting the company 's bar for publication , Gebru asked that the process be explained to her , including a list of everyone who was part of the decision .
If Google refused , Gebru said she would talk to her manager about `` a last date . ''
Google took that to mean Gebru offered to resign , and Google leadership say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no such offer was ever extended , only threatened .
Gebru learned that Google had let her go while she was on a vacation road trip across the country .
Former Googler Leslie Miley said he does not believe Google would have handled it the same way if Gebru were a white man .
`` You fired a Black woman over her private email while she was on vacation , '' Miley said .
`` This is now tech treats Black women and other underrepresented people . ''
At Google , Gebru 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Pichai what is needed : `` swift and structural changes if this work is to continue , and if the legitimacy of the field as a whole is to persevere . ''

Ousted Black Google Researcher: 'They Wanted To Have My Presence, But Not Me Exactly'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch
Updated at 10:18 p.m. ET
When Google unceremoniously ousted Black researcher Timnit Gebru, she felt targeted.
"My theory is that they had wanted me out for a while because I spoke up a lot about issues related to black people, women, and marginalization," Gebru said in an interview on NPR's Morning Edition.
At Google, Gebru was the co-lead of the company's Ethical Artificial Intelligence team, where she was able to parlay her passion for highlighting the societal effects of AI into academic papers that could shape Google's largest products, like search.
Gebru co-founded Black in AI, a group formed to encourage people of color to pursue careers in artificial intelligence research.
For Google, bringing on Gebru lent credibility to the tech giant's efforts in examining how technology can exacerbate systemic bias and discrimination. Yet she says Google's support for Gebru only went so far.
"They wanted to have my presence, but not me exactly. They wanted to have the idea of me being at Google, but not the reality of me being at Google," Gebru said.
On Wednesday, several of her former colleagues wrote a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking that Gebru be reinstated, saying her departure has "had a demoralizing effect on the whole of our team." The researchers also asked that they not be subject to retaliation for supporting Gebru.
That fear is not unfounded. Google has a history of demoting and firing dissenting employees.
In 2018, tens of thousands of employees walked off the job to protest how Google handled sexual harassment cases, among other issues. Organizers say the company pushed them out.
More recently, the National Labor Relations Board accused Google of breaking the law by sacking employees who tried to unionize.
"Google built this whole company up on the idea that we'll give you free food and a free coffee and pay you well and give you comfortable bean bags to work on as long as you toe the company line," said William Fitzgerald, who spent a decade at Google working on communications.
Google's official company policy is: "if you see something that you think isn't right – speak up!"
What the policy does not state, according to Fitzgerald, is that speaking up can also mean being shown the door.
"Anyone who continues to challenge their power will get squashed or pushed out, and this is something that's been happening at Google for years now and we're only now hearing about it," he said.
Inside Google, women of color and other underrepresented groups who looked up to Gebru have been especially shaken, said former Google employee Ifeoma Ozoma.
"There are serious concerns around her identity as a Black woman and the concerns she raised around diversity as being the main driver for both the firing and the way it was done and the speed," Ozoma said.
Google CEO Pichai wrote to staff that he is aware the episode has "seeded doubts and led some in our community to question their place at Google." He apologized for that. And committed to fix it.
Google declined to be interviewed for this story. It points to emails in which executives say they vigorously support free thinking and independent research.
But now even that is up for debate. Before she left Google, the company abruptly asked Gebru to retract a research paper critical of Google's technology.
Linguist Emily Bender at the University of Washington, who was one of her co-authors, said she feels for researchers inside Google right now.
"I can't imagine that it wouldn't have a chilling effect on people who are working there trying to work on this but now looking over their shoulder wondering, 'When is something all of a sudden going to be retracted?' and their work going to be basically taken away from them?" Bender said.
After Google demanded that Gebru retract the paper for not meeting the company's bar for publication, Gebru asked that the process be explained to her, including a list of everyone who was part of the decision. If Google refused, Gebru said she would talk to her manager about "a last date."
Google took that to mean Gebru offered to resign, and Google leadership say they accepted, but Gebru herself said no such offer was ever extended, only threatened.
Gebru learned that Google had let her go while she was on a vacation road trip across the country.
Former Googler Leslie Miley said he does not believe Google would have handled it the same way if Gebru were a white man.
"You fired a Black woman over her private email while she was on vacation," Miley said. "This is how tech treats Black women and other underrepresented people."
At Google, Gebru's former team laid out in their letter to Pichai what is needed: "swift and structural changes if this work is to continue, and if the legitimacy of the field as a whole is to persevere."


npr--2020-12-17--Biden Administration: Here's Who Has Been Named So Far

Biden Administration : Here 's Who Has Been Named So Far Updated on Dec. 17 at 8 p.m .
ET President-elect Joe Biden is assembling his inner circle of advisers and Cabinet officials as Inauguration Day on Jan. 20 draws closer .
His latest selections include key members of his climate team , one of four top policy areas for the early days of his presidency .
He tapped Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico to lead the Department of the Interior .
If confirmed , Haaland — who was a lawmaker in the energy-producing state before being elected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Native American secretary for a department that oversees tribal lands and public lands .
She would also become the country 's first Native American Cabinet secretary .
Coordinating the climate agenda from the White House will be Gina McCarthy , Biden 's national climate adviser .
McCarthy led the Environmental Protection Agency during President Barack Obama 's second term .
Biden nominated former Michigan Gov .
Jennifer Granholm to serve as energy secretary .
Granholm is known for her work with the auto sector during the financial crisis .
The president-elect said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental regulator in North Carolina , to lead the Environmental Protection Agency .
And he picked environmental lawyer Brenda Mallory to lead the Council on Environmental Quality .
NPR is providing information on the members of the Biden team as they are announced for the White House , national security , economic policy , additional Cabinet positions and other positions , including CDC director and economic advisers .
As Biden begins to act on some of his early promises , he is naming close advisers and aides to work with him in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations and brief him on top matters of national security , the economy and other key issues .
Most of these officials do not need U.S. Senate confirmation .
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden also are naming their top aides .
As the U.S. continues to fight through a recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , increased focus will be on whom Biden picks to lead his economic , financial and trade policies .
Many of these nominees will play crucial roles in determining further coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Senate .
Biden will also nominate officials to lead the federal government 's domestic and international security efforts .
These officials will oversee U.S. intelligence and defense as well as spearhead relations with world leaders and international coalitions .
All of these officials must also be confirmed by the Senate .
Biden will overhaul departments to remove Trump appointees and nominate officials who will carry out his policy agenda .
These officials require Senate confirmation .
These officials will work on Biden 's push to roll back Trump administration policies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus response .
Many of these officials for key agencies must also receive Senate confirmation .
This page was originally published on Nov. 17 at 11:49 a.m .
ET .

Biden Administration: Here Are His Cabinet Members And Key Advisers
Enlarge this image Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr
The U.S. Senate continues to take up President Biden's nominees for key roles.
The top figures in an administration are made up of a combination of Cabinet and high-ranking nominees who require Senate confirmation, and senior advisers tapped by the president, who don't require congressional approval.
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Below, see who Biden's chosen for:
Note that Biden's original nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration on March 2.
National security: These officials oversee U.S. intelligence and defense, and spearhead relations with world leaders and international coalitions.
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Economic policy: These picks direct Biden's economic and trade policies, and the government's financial oversight.
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Additional members of Biden's Cabinet: These nominees, who all require Senate confirmation, help carry out Biden's policy agenda on issues ranging from health care to climate change.
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Other key positions: These top roles include officials who help in the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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White House: These are the top aides Biden counts on to run his White House and advise him on top policy initiatives. Most did not need confirmation by the Senate.
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NPR's Roberta Rampton contributed reporting.


npr--2020-12-17--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress , which has seen a series of outbreaks .
By November , more than 25 members of Congress and at least 150 workers have tested positive , or were presumed so , for the coronavirus .
And a Florida member 's aide died this summer from COVID-19 .
As a result , both chambers of Congress have recessed multiple times throughout the year as the Capitol has largely gone without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Democrat-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings earlier this year .
And in November , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi triggered a broader COVID-19 testing program for Congress following a new requirement for travelers to the Washington , D.C. , area .
But the plan to test as many as 2,000 a week still falls woefully short for a Capitol complex that includes more than 530 lawmakers and a workforce of 20,000 or more .
Before traveling to Washington , D.C. , for a November session , several House members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alaska Republican Don Young .
Others included outgoing Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Cheri Bustos of Illinois and Republican Tim Walberg of Michigan .
A previous outbreak was tied to a September White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as President Trump 's Supreme Court justice nominee .
Trump , first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive , including Republican Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina .
It was one of several instances forcing a recess for Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since its March beginnings , as House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month , the House approved historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings .
The initial rash of cases began March 8 , when two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Congress to announce self-quarantines .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, where an attendee at the conference had fallen ill .
The following week , the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus illness .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
By this summer , dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from COVID-19 on July 24 .
Some lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members , staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new mask mandate after Rep. Louie Gohmert , R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
Now , members can be forcibly removed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor if they are not wearing masks .
This story was originally published on April 15 , 2020 .

Congress and COVID-19: members' cases and quarantines
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Editor's note: This page is no longer updating as of Dec. 31, 2021.
A number of congressional lawmakers experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections as coronavirus cases rose nationwide with the spread of the omicron variant.
Earlier in 2021, Congress went months with no coronavirus cases among its members. That came a halt amid a national surge driven by the delta variant, when Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Clay Higgins of Louisiana reported infections in July. Buchanan says he was fully vaccinated, but that was less clear for Higgins.
At least another dozen members followed throughout the fall with news they had also tested positive for coronavirus; many of those infections involving vaccinated Senate and House members.
Before these latest waves, Congress' nearly six-month case pause came after a majority of more than 500 lawmakers were fully vaccinated by January. The Capitol's attending physician then lifted much of the mask mandates that dominated the past year. However, a minority of House Republican members have refused to seek vaccination.
Lawmakers impact by the coronavirus
This new threat arrives after the coronavirus already exacted a large toll on the Capitol.
Last year, the pandemic upended daily work for months, sickening dozens of members and hundreds of workers. A sitting congressman, a member-elect and an aide died.
By February 2021, more than 60 lawmakers and 360 Capitol Hill workers had tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus, according to NPR's tracker and congressional aides.
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See a list of all members who tested positive or quarantined.
That same month, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, became the first sitting member of Congress to die after a more than two-week battle with COVID-19. In December, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died days before he was due to be sworn in for a seat that was later filled in April by his widow, Rep. Julia Letlow, following a special election.
And last summer, an aide to Buchanan died from COVID-19.
The rash of infections among members continued at a consistent pace since the pandemic began, with the longest stretch without any such cases lasting about three weeks during recess periods away from Washington, D.C.
But this past March, Capitol Hill began its first month-long stretch without any reported cases or quarantines among members. The most recent positive case before July was reported by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., on Jan. 29, despite his having received his second dose of the vaccine days earlier.
Another member, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., reported that she quarantined on Feb. 1. It ended Feb. 8 without a report of a positive test.
January 6 insurrection caused spike in cases on Capitol Hill
Up until this summer, the most recent outbreak of cases on Capitol Hill for members was triggered by the Jan. 6 insurrection, which forced members to cluster together in rooms for several hours. Some House Republicans were seen refusing to wear masks during the ordeal.
Later, Monahan told Congress that at least one of these holding rooms for House members included a lawmaker who was already positive.
More than a half-dozen members quarantined as a result, and several tested positive, including Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
In all, January proved to be one of members' worst month for the coronavirus, with at least 16 lawmakers testing positive. Before the insurrection, the House met to launch a new session before reinstating rules allowing proxy voting.
This, as congressional leaders and lawmakers received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which became available to members in December. The doses were provided to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations, Monahan told members in a Dec. 17 note.
Pandemic impacted congressional operations
Ahead of the vaccinations, both chambers of Congress recessed multiple times last year as the Capitol went largely without a widespread testing program.
The Democratic-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings in May 2020, and Pelosi extended the covered period several times due to the pandemic. It remains in place until at least until mid-August.
In November, Pelosi triggered a broader coronavirus testing program for Congress following new requirement for travelers to the Washington, D.C., area.
Pelosi has previously said with about 75% of House members vaccinated, and several Republicans who refuse to do so, she's unclear when Congress will fully get back to normal.
"One of the most substantial steps that can be taken is that everybody should be vaccinated," Pelosi told reporters in March, later adding, "We need 100% of the members vaccinated, because it just takes one to endanger others."
The pandemic delayed other rituals, such as President Biden's first address before a joint session of Congress, which was held with only 200 socially distanced guests on April 28.
Last year remains a reminder of how quickly outbreaks spiraled out of control among lawmakers.
In December, at least nine House members, including six Republicans, tested positive for the coronavirus. And November proved to be another one of the worst months of the pandemic for Congress, when at least 15 lawmakers said they were infected, including two of the oldest, Republicans Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
A previous outbreak in September was tied to a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as then-President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee. Trump, then-first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive, including Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
It was one of several instances forcing leaders to change the congressional schedule.
Starting in the first month of the pandemic, in March 2020, House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing.
The Senate returned in May 2020, but the much larger House remained mostly away under the advice of Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician. That same month, the House approved its historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings.
The first spate of cases began March 8, 2020, when two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines. Both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., where another guest fell ill.
The following week, the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus. Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and then-Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 floor vote on a coronavirus relief package.
By last summer, dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so, and Gary Tibbetts, a longtime staffer for Buchanan died from COVID-19 on July 24.
Some lawmakers also took antibody tests to see if they were previously infected. They include Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring.
To stem the flow of new cases, both chambers early on issued new social distancing guidance. Also, the U.S. Capitol closed to public tours and remained open only to members, staff, the press and official business visitors, and aside from the Jan. 6 breach by pro-Trump extremists, it has remained so.
In late July 2020, Pelosi also issued a temporary, new mask mandate after Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who often rejected such protocols, tested positive. Gohmert had attended several hearings a day earlier and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection.
Gohmert's case triggered quarantines for five House members, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Days later, Grijalva tested positive but fully recovered symptom free. Until recent changes lifting the mask mandates, members could be fined or be forcibly removed by Capitol Police if they are not wearing masks.


npr--2020-12-17--Texas Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Hospice Fraud Scheme

A Texas corporate executive has been sentenced by a federal jury to 20 years in prison for running a scheme in which people with long-term illnesses were falsely told they would die soon , and then enrolled them in hospice programs .
In the scheme , thousands of patients with diseases like Alzheimer 's and other types of dementia were told they had just six months to live .
Going on palliative care meant that they were no longer able to have medical insurance cover curative medical services , the Justice Department said in a press release Thursday .
Rodney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McInnis , 48 , were convicted last year of one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud , conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to obstruct justice , as well as six counts of health care fraud .
Mesquias was also convicted on one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks .
He must pay $ 120 million in restitution .
McInnis and two others who pleaded guilty are awaiting sentences .
The details of the scheme are grim .
Mesquias owned Merida Health Care Group , which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McInnis was CEO .
Dr. Francisco Peña , a physician who was at the time the mayor of Rio Bravo , Texas , was a medical director for the company .
In many cases , the people were still walking , driving , even coaching sports , when they were told by Merida Group marketers that they will likely die within six months .
In the U.S. , people enrolled in Medicare can receive hospice care if their health care provider thinks they have less than 6 months to live .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes sent chaplains to discuss last rites and prepare people for imminent death , while enrolling them at group homes , nursing homes , and housing projects .
People were kept on hospice services for years – lining the pockets of Mesquias and his conspirators .
Peña told a witness that `` the way you make money is by keeping [ patients ] alive as long as possible , '' according to prosecutors .
`` Families seek to give comfort and support to their ailing loved ones when all other medical options are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI 's San Antonio Division .
`` It is unconscionable and evil to prey upon the most vulnerable in our community to commit fraud against government-funded programs . ''
The scheme , which lasted from 2009 to 2018 , also involved kickbacks to physicians for referring patients as qualified for hospice care – though patients were not , in fact , qualified for hospice care .
Peña , the medical director and former mayor , was convicted last year on counts of fraud and money laundering .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting COVID-19 while in detention , the Laredo Morning Times reported .
Prosecutors say the men used the proceeds to buy luxury cars , jewelry , clothing , real estate , season tickets for the San Antonio Spurs , and bottle service at Las Vegas nightclubs .
`` This victimization is intolerable , and our investigators and law enforcement partners will continue to work hard to bring such criminals to justice and to protect those relying on federal health care programs , '' said Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Inspector General 's Dallas Region .

Texas Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Hospice Fraud Scheme
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
A Texas corporate executive has been sentenced by a federal jury to 20 years in prison for running a scheme in which people with long-term illnesses were falsely told they would die soon, and then enrolled them in hospice programs.
In the scheme, thousands of patients with diseases like Alzheimer's and other types of dementia were told they had just six months to live, the Justice Department said in a press release Thursday. Entering hospice care meant that Medicare would not cover curative medical treatment.
Rodney Mesquias, 48, and co-conspirator Henry McInnis, 48, were convicted last year of one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as six counts of health care fraud. Mesquias was also convicted on one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. He must pay $120 million in restitution.
McInnis and two others who pleaded guilty are awaiting sentences.
The details of the scheme are grim.
Mesquias owned Merida Health Care Group, which had dozens of locations around Texas, and McInnis was CEO. Dr. Francisco Peña, a physician who was at the time the mayor of Rio Bravo, Texas, was a medical director for the company.
In many cases, the people were still walking, driving, even coaching sports, when they were told by Merida Group marketers that they will likely die within six months. In the U.S., people enrolled in Medicare can receive hospice care if their health care provider thinks they have less than 6 months to live.
According to testimony presented by prosecutors, the company sometimes sent chaplains to discuss last rites and prepare people for imminent death, while enrolling them at group homes, nursing homes, and housing projects. People were kept on hospice services for years – lining the pockets of Mesquias and his conspirators.
Peña told a witness that "the way you make money is by keeping [patients] alive as long as possible," according to prosecutors.
"Families seek to give comfort and support to their ailing loved ones when all other medical options are gone," said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI's San Antonio Division. "It is unconscionable and evil to prey upon the most vulnerable in our community to commit fraud against government-funded programs."
The scheme, which lasted from 2009 to 2018, also involved kickbacks to physicians for referring patients as qualified for hospice care – though patients were not, in fact, qualified for hospice care.
Peña, the medical director and former mayor, was convicted last year on counts of fraud and money laundering. He died last month at age 84 after contracting COVID-19 while in detention, the Laredo Morning Times reported.
Prosecutors say the men used the proceeds to buy luxury cars, jewelry, clothing, real estate, season tickets for the San Antonio Spurs, and bottle service at Las Vegas nightclubs.
"This victimization is intolerable, and our investigators and law enforcement partners will continue to work hard to bring such criminals to justice and to protect those relying on federal health care programs," said Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's Dallas Region.