About 950 full‑time non‑tenure‑track faculty at New York University walked out in a pay and job‑security strike, the institution said classes would continue but the labor action underscores growing unrest among contingent faculty over compensation and protections. At the same time, two major accreditors received warnings from the Education Department over lingering diversity, equity and inclusion standards; the department ordered formal elimination of those requirements and threatened recognition loss if enforcement resumes. The dueling pressures—faculty labor actions and federal oversight of accrediting bodies—signal mounting governance stress points for institutions and potential shifts in institutional accountability frameworks.