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Week in Review: Super Bowl Snacking

Ali Lincoln

I know I’m in the minority here: I really don’t like the Super Bowl. Not even for the ads. Not even for the halftime show. Not even when my record-holding home team is playing. (That’s when it’s worse, in my opinion, because then my family actually wants to watch it.) What I do like is the delicious spread of food associated with big sportsball parties and events. This year, I’m facing a tough decision—how much cheese is too much cheese? I’ve got my eye on jalapeño popper dip, mini pretzel bites with cheese fondue, and pimento cheese stuffed potatoes, and though I’m not sure which one will go best with reading on the couch while my husband is yelling at the TV, all of them sound like a slam dunk to me…wait, that’s not right…

If you’re all set on your snacking needs for this weekend, then scroll on down to get the latest in higher ed news.

What’s new this week:

As the higher education world continues to grapple with the effects of the executive order on immigration, refugees, and the travel ban, a few of our professors weighed in for The Conversation. Professor David Cook-Martin of Grinnell College addressed why the immigration order is bad foreign policy, while College of the Holy Cross professor Mathew Schmalz looked at what the Bible says about welcoming refugees.

Drake University law professor Mark Kende offered his expertise on the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch for Law360.

NASPA president Kevin Kruger shared some valuable insight on dealing with controversial speech on campuses in a piece for Inside Higher Ed.

This week on Inside Higher Ed’s Call to Action blog, be sure to read up on the exemplary higher ed marketer and top Super Bowl ad takeaways for higher ed.

What we’ve been talking about:

Teresa examined the implications of “alternative facts” for our industry and advocates for communications professionals to fight them with the truth for the Call to Action blog on Inside Higher Ed. The piece also made an appearance as a Quick Hit on the TVP Comms blog.

What’s next on our calendars:

On March 30, Erin will be presenting with Inside Higher Ed’s Paul Fain on crisis communications at CASE’s 25th Annual Conference for Institutionally Related Foundations.

What we’re recommending: 

Erin Hennessy
I’m taking the advice of a lot of experts lately and trying to be more strategic about my news consumption. (See this New York Times piece on how to manage your daily news diet.) I’ve also partially cut the cord, so I’m not watching morning or evening news programs nearly as often as I used to. So I was thrilled to hear about The New York Times‘ new podcast called The Daily. It launched on Wednesday and is a great way to get 15 minutes of news before I get out of bed without subjecting myself to the swirl and drama of cable news first thing.

Teresa Valerio Parrot
Any free moment in the Parrot household is consumed with online and in-person prom dress shopping. Yup! Prom is just around the corner. My daughter is petite (which is the preferred way to say she is 5’1”), so we are having a harder time than you might imagine finding a “perfect” dress that doesn’t look too little girl or doesn’t need a whole lot of alternations. Add that this year’s theme is “The Enchanted Garden” and she has her heart set on something with flowers on it, and we have a Herculean task. What wasn’t hard was deciding what she would do with it after prom. She knows she wants to donate it to Becca’s Closet after the big dance, which means at least two girls will benefit from our search.

Cristal Steuer
As a lifelong Patriots fan, I have an extra special interest in the Super Bowl this weekend. In addition to watching and reading all the hype surrounding No. 12 and company this week, I came across this article on how Apple updated Siri for the Super Bowl. Siri says the Patriots will win the big game, since she recites the Vegas odds when asked. (The Pats are favored by three.) Apparently, she can also remind you to buy avocados for your guacamole.

And if you’re not a Patriots or a Falcons fan, here is a sneak peek at this year’s Super Bowl commercials.

Ali Lincoln
My husband and I watched The OA over the weekend and honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. It’s a Netflix original series and after enjoying House of Cards, Stranger Things, and The Crown, I took a risk. The OA only has one (short) season out right now, and it’s a weird one that felt more like a really long movie. This Atlantic article, “What is The OA Actually About?” (contains spoilers) was a solid read for help dissecting and digesting the show, but I’m still on the fence about whether or not I actually liked it. 

And, I couldn’t help sharing this piece from NPR’s The Salt. “Saving the monkeys, preserving the rain forest, and securing a good price for high-quality, eco-friendly chocolate? That seems like a recipe for a sweet victory.” Anywhere that food and environmental justice intersect, count me in!

Kristine Maloney
It’s hard to resist a love story, and we could all use a little more love these days. So, I was drawn to this article about a love that emerged between a Boston Marathon bombing survivor and the firefighter who saved her. The couple plans to be married in the fall.

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