Faculty governance and career pathways are in the spotlight after high‑profile tenure disputes and state hiring freezes. A public legal battle over Harvard Business School’s denial of tenure for Ben Edelman exposed internal review materials and raised questions about due process and confidentiality in tenure decisions. At the same time, faculty associations warn that state H‑1B pauses and moratoria limit universities’ ability to recruit research talent, amplifying career uncertainty for scholars and curtailing program capacities in STEM and health fields. The convergence of public litigation and hiring restrictions is forcing institutions to reassess hiring policy, legal exposure and faculty governance protections.