College presidents and sector analysts outlined a compact set of priorities for 2026: adapting to new federal policy regimes, responding to the end of Grad PLUS loans and lending caps, deploying AI responsibly for student success, and exploring institutional consolidation. Panels at the Council of Independent Colleges’ Presidents Institute and analyst briefings catalogued these stressors: enforcement actions and investigatory pressure from federal agencies, shrinking student demand in some demographic cohorts, and opportunities in workforce partnerships and course collaboration. Leaders urged pragmatic steps — invest in advising and workforce alignment, pilot emotionally intelligent AI for student support, and pursue mergers or shared services where scale provides sustainability. They also cautioned that political scrutiny and regulatory changes will require sustained advocacy and scenario planning. Why it matters: Presidents and boards are already aligning institutional strategy around a narrower set of levers — partnerships, program prioritization, and technology-enabled advising — to manage fiscal pressure and shifting federal rules.