The Education Department has begun relocating over 100 programs to other federal agencies under a series of interagency agreements, and it has proposed regulatory changes that would sharply limit Grad PLUS loan access for many graduate students. Institutions and faculty have responded with tens of thousands of public comments and pleas for modifications that would preserve workforce pipelines, especially in healthcare and social services. Officials framed program moves as administrative realignment while critics say the changes are part of a broader plan to shrink the department. The proposed Grad PLUS restrictions would reclassify eligible graduate fields and curtail borrowing capacity for many programs; universities warn the rule could depress graduate enrollment and impair pipeline professions reliant on master’s‑level training. Higher‑education leaders and professional associations are pushing for targeted exceptions and asking the department to preserve funding continuity and clear transition plans to avoid interruptions in grant programs, student services, and institutional operations.