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Education Dept. delays FSA training as aid administrators press for clarity
Financial-aid offices reacted sharply after the Department of Education postponed its annual Federal Student Aid training, leaving administrators without timely guidance on major program changes....
S&P warns: negative outlook for nonprofit colleges
S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday issued a negative 2026 sector outlook for U.S. nonprofit colleges, saying institutions will face mounting operating pressure and rising closure risk. Analysts flagged...
Trump administration redistributes Education Department functions
The White House has moved to reassign major Education Department programs across other agencies, marking a pivotal federal-policy shift for K‑12 and higher education. The administration announced...
FAFSA completions jump as simplified form and early rollout take hold
FAFSA completions for the Class of 2026 are running well ahead of recent years: advocates reported an early opening and user improvements are driving filings. National College Attainment Network...
Accreditation politics shift as new agency and federal appointments accelerate
States and institutions are moving to test alternative accreditation pathways while the Department of Education refreshed advisory appointments. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
Federal probes, settlements reshape elite campus funding deals
Two high-profile campus standoffs with the federal government remain active and consequential. Northwestern University agreed to a $75 million settlement with the Trump administration to restore...
Campus DEI clampdowns and staff stress escalate
State and system-level directives are tightening controls over course content and campus programming while diversity officers report rising stress and shifting responsibilities. Texas Tech’s...
Audit revelations and warnings point to mounting bankruptcy risk for colleges
An Ohio state audit found 'derelict accounting and controls' at the now-closed Eastern Gateway Community College, flagging $17.3 million in federal aid lacking adequate records and cataloguing...
Graduate programs and campus budgets face cuts after policy shifts
Graduate education is under intensifying strain as funding cuts, visa restrictions and proposed loan caps imperil master’s and doctoral programs. Reporting and analysis indicate growing...
Board oversight and trustee advocacy come into focus
Governing boards and trustees are being urged to sharpen oversight as institutions navigate political pressure and financial stress. Practical guidance pieces circulated this week outline quick,...
Completion rates steady but colleges miss pockets of student growth
New clearinghouse data show six-year college completion for the fall‑2019 cohort held at 61.1%, with clear disparities by enrollment intensity, age and prior dual enrollment. Full-time starters...
S&P issues negative 2026 outlook: nonprofit colleges face mounting pressure
S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday issued a negative outlook for U.S. nonprofit colleges, warning institutions will face mounting operating pressures in 2026. Analysts cited federal policy shifts,...
Accreditation as tactic: states and new agencies push alternatives to traditional accreditors
Federal and state actors are recalibrating accreditation. CHEA leadership and higher‑ed officials argued institutions can use accreditation reviews to sharpen strategy and student‑success goals,...
Universities make high‑stakes deals with the federal government — Northwestern pays $75M
Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million to settle a federal investigation and restore nearly $800 million in research funding, the university and the Department of Education confirmed....
FAFSA rollout rebounds: simplified form and earlier open date lift completions
The simplified FAFSA opened ahead of Oct. 1 this year and early data show a significant rebound: more than a quarter of high‑school seniors had filed by Nov. 21, a roughly 12% jump versus the...
Graduate programs and campus finances: warnings of collapses and bankruptcies mount
Observers are raising alarms about graduate education and institutional solvency. Analysts and reporters point to visa restrictions, funding cuts, and loan‑cap proposals as threats to master’s and...
Board governance under the microscope: checkups and safeguards proposed
Higher‑education leaders are focusing renewed attention on governing boards as trustees take an outsized role in strategic and political disputes. Practical diagnostics—attendance, committee...
Content reviews and campus media suspensions: race, gender and DEI restrictions spread
Public universities are enacting new content‑review rules and taking action against student publications that administrators say may replicate prohibited DEI practices. Texas Tech issued...
AI on campus: facilities and athletics adopt machine learning to cut costs and prevent injury
Universities are piloting AI tools across campus operations. Facilities teams are building digital twins—virtual replicas of buildings and systems—to predict maintenance needs, reduce downtime and...
Access and completion: four‑year colleges add two‑year options as students switch majors
Four‑year institutions are rolling out two‑year associate programs to broaden access for first‑generation and low‑income students. Campuses such as Boston College’s new Messina College pilot...