Senior higher-education leaders report immediate, operational harm from shifting federal policy. A new American Council on Education pulse survey found 98% of senior leaders say federal policymaking has injected uncertainty into institutional planning; more than 70% flagged threats to institutional autonomy and academic freedom. The survey names research funding, immigration policy and student-aid changes as the dominant pain points shaping budgets and hires. A separate industry analysis of campus leadership responses shows presidents and boards are recalibrating near-term tactics—hiring freezes, budget adjustments and frozen capital projects—rather than assuming a return to prior norms. The combination of threatened research restrictions and visa uncertainty is driving universities to model revenue downside scenarios and to defer multi-year investments until Congress and the administration clarify funding rules. Leaders cited in the studies and reports include presidents, provosts and system CFOs who say the unpredictability is altering enrollment and international engagement strategies. Institutions with large research portfolios and heavy reliance on international students report the sharpest disruptions.