The Department of Education issued guidance urging colleges to adopt best practices to reduce student‑loan default rates and warned institutions that failing to address defaults could jeopardize access to federal student aid. The guidance arrives ahead of federal student‑loan policy changes this summer and has been interpreted by some higher‑ed leaders as increased regulatory pressure tied to the administration's broader accountability agenda. At the same time, major health‑care professional groups formed a coalition to oppose new federal loan caps impacting graduate programs in fields such as occupational therapy and other allied health professions. Coalition leaders warned loan limits could shrink program pipelines at a moment when the health sector faces workforce shortages. The twin developments press institutions to reconcile financial‑aid risk management with workforce‑aligned program sustainability. Campus leaders and sector associations say they need clearer statutory guidance and transitional funding to avoid unintended cuts to high‑need professional training.