Portland State University reversed course to comply with an arbitrator’s order and reinstate 10 nontenure‑track faculty laid off last June after a union challenge found procedural violations; the university said it disagrees with the ruling but will comply. The dispute highlighted shared-governance and contract‑compliance tensions as institutions confront budget shortfalls and restructuring targets. In Texas, the state higher-education coordinating board launched a public portal to report alleged violations of the state’s bans on DEI offices and faculty‑senate authority, signaling increased political oversight of campus governance. The Students First portal allows students, employees and the public to file complaints that can trigger state review and enforcement. Together these actions illustrate how labor relations, arbitration outcomes and newly empowered state oversight offices are reshaping institutional decision-making. Provosts, HR leaders and general counsels should align contingency staffing plans with collective-bargaining obligations and strengthen documentation for personnel actions.