Federal and state policy shifts are converging on institutional operations. Inside Higher Ed’s week‑in‑review flagged the Department of Education’s plan to revise accreditation rules this spring—potentially easing entry for new agencies—and chronicled multiple state moves to restrict H‑1B hiring at public universities. Separately, a partial federal government shutdown is extending into the week as Congress delays votes on funding bills, a move that higher‑ed advocates warn could interrupt Education Department operations and research grants. The H‑1B directives—action taken or proposed in Florida and Texas—would bar or pause public-university H‑1B hiring, forcing campuses to disclose visa sponsorship counts and constraining hiring for research and specialized instruction. Accreditation reform could alter institutional oversight models if the Education Department follows through with proposed rule changes. Campus leaders should prepare contingency plans for visa freezes, pause-sensitive hiring, and temporary federal funding gaps. General counsel offices and research administrators will need to coordinate rapidly with state officials and funders to manage compliance and operational continuity.