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Latest Higher Education News

Fuqua MBA class profiles — global cohort, military and industry leaders

December 07, 2025

Duke Fuqua released profiles of several members of its MBA Class of 2027, showcasing an international and professionally diverse cohort that includes industry managers, a Special Forces company...

Fitch flags 2026: higher-ed outlook turns deteriorating

December 07, 2025

Fitch Ratings issued a “deteriorating” outlook for higher education in 2026, warning institutions face a shrinking domestic student pool, fragile international enrollment and uncertain state and...

Draft Workforce Pell rules: governors to vet short-term program eligibility

December 07, 2025

The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulatory language outlining how short-term workforce programs could qualify for the new Workforce Pell Grants. The rulemaking frames governors and...

Universities cut compacts with Trump: deals and governance alarms

December 07, 2025

Several elite universities have signed agreements with the Trump administration to restore federal research funds and close civil‑rights probes, a series of settlements that included...

Education Department restructuring spurs lawsuits and resignations calls

December 07, 2025

The Trump administration’s moves to shrink and redistribute the Education Department’s programs have provoked lawsuits from 20 states and D.C. and calls for Secretary Linda McMahon’s resignation....

Court rebukes dismantling effort: library grants reinstated

December 07, 2025

A federal court ordered the Institute of Museum and Library Services to reinstate grants that the Trump administration had canceled amid efforts to dismantle the agency. The funding restoration...

Supreme Court to take birthright citizenship case: schools brace for impact

December 07, 2025

The Supreme Court agreed to review the legality of President Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, a move education leaders say could have broad consequences for school...

Conservative playbook targets campus governance and grading norms

December 07, 2025

A right‑wing playbook aimed at reshaping higher education argues for reframing students as customers to pressure faculty and campus governance. The strategy outlines tactics to influence grading,...

ICE detains Harvard visiting scholar after pellet‑gun incident

December 07, 2025

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a visiting Harvard law professor after he fired a pellet gun near a Boston synagogue, authorities said. The professor, a Brazilian national, reportedly...

Teacher morale hinges on flexibility and stable leadership

December 07, 2025

Education Week’s State of Teaching symposium highlighted that workplace flexibility and leader stability are the strongest predictors of rising teacher morale. Panelists pointed to policy...

States push district consolidations as enrollments drop and budgets squeeze

December 07, 2025

Facing declining student counts and mounting overhead, multiple states including Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania are proposing bills to consolidate small school districts. Officials warn the...

Higher education outlook deteriorates: Fitch warns of 2026 squeeze

December 07, 2025

Fitch Ratings issued a “deteriorating” outlook for the higher education sector in 2026, citing a shrinking pool of prospective students, rising costs, and growing uncertainty over state and...

Workforce Pell rules draft: Education Dept maps path for 8‑week grants

December 07, 2025

The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulatory language for the new Workforce Pell program, outlining how short‑term programs as brief as eight weeks could qualify for federal Pell...

Universities pay to placate White House — settlements redraw research oversight

December 07, 2025

Several elite universities, including Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania, signed agreements this year with the Trump administration that restored frozen...

Education Department breakup ignites legal fight: McMahon under pressure

December 07, 2025

The Trump administration’s moves to redistribute Education Department programs across other federal agencies sparked immediate legal challenges and political backlash. Twenty states and the...

Court order restores library grants: funds reinstated after Trump cuts

December 07, 2025

A federal court ruling forced the Institute of Museum and Library Services to reinstate grant funding that the administration had canceled, reversing moves intended to dismantle the agency. The...

MacKenzie Scott doubles down on access: $155M to public, minority‑serving colleges

December 07, 2025

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced gifts totaling roughly $155 million this week to public, access‑oriented institutions, including $50 million to CSU‑East Bay, $50 million to Lehman College...

Higher‑ed finances demand precision: new playbook urged for instability

December 07, 2025

Financial leaders in higher education are being urged to adopt a ‘precision mindset’ as institutions confront federal funding cuts, an enrollment cliff and rising labor and operational costs. The...

AGB to Virginia governor‑elect: depoliticize college boards now

December 07, 2025

The Association of Governing Boards sent a letter urging Virginia governor‑elect Jennifer McClellan (Spanberger referenced in the letter) to reverse recent politicization of public college and...

Alabama still bars some undocumented students from college — access under threat

December 07, 2025

Alabama remains one of only three states that block certain undocumented students from accessing state colleges and in‑state tuition paths, a policy that local advocates say curtails educational...