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Latest Higher Education News
Texas pauses H‑1B hiring at state campuses – visa freeze rolls out
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a freeze on new H‑1B visa applications at state colleges and universities, pausing hiring of new foreign skilled workers for state‑funded positions through May...
Ph.D. exodus drains federal research agencies
Fourteen federal research agencies lost thousands of Ph.D. holders in STEM and health roles in 2025, producing a net decline of 4,224 senior scientists and researchers, Science reported after...
Education Dept. seeks accreditation rewrite – CHEA fights back
The U.S. Department of Education proposed sweeping changes to accreditation rules aimed at easing recognition of new accreditors and constraining diversity, equity and inclusion standards. The...
Colleges split on affordability: Yale expands aid... Nevada raises tuition
Two high‑impact financial moves hit higher education this week: Yale University expanded its tuition guarantee to cover families earning under $200,000 and will fully cover cost of attendance for...
Testing market shifts: ETS lists GRE and TOEFL as online testing risks surface
Educational Testing Service (ETS) is exploring a sale or strategic investor for two flagship exams—the GRE and TOEFL—as demand declines and new competitors reshape testing markets. ETS is seeking...
Twin Cities enforcement forces campuses to adapt
Universities in Minneapolis‑Saint Paul shifted operations—moving some classes online, increasing security and organizing escorts—after expanded federal immigration enforcement and two fatal...
Legal front lines: colleges brace for court fights and state oversight
Higher education faces a crowded courtroom calendar as institutions and the federal government square off over funding, research, and free‑speech issues. A sector roundup flagged five major...
Student supports and campus life reshape retention
A new survey from the Hi, How Are You Project found that while 55% of students received mental‑health care recently, only 18% accessed services on campus—highlighting an access gap for campus...
MBA market reorders—applications fall even as top online programs hold ground
Applications to several leading U.S. MBA programs plunged in the 2025/26 admissions cycle, with some schools reporting double‑digit declines driven largely by lower international applicant...
Ph.D. Exodus: Federal labs lose thousands as grant cuts bite
A mass departure of Ph.D.-level scientists and health researchers has hollowed out 14 federal research agencies, producing a net loss of more than 4,200 positions over the past year. Science’s...
Accreditor shakeup: Education department and undersecretary push reforms
The U.S. Department of Education signaled a regulatory push to reshape accreditation while Education Under Secretary James Kent publicly criticized accreditors’ oversight, arguing they’ve failed...
States vs. visas: Texas freezes H‑1Bs; Virginia hunts for legal counsel
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a freeze on new H‑1B visa applications at state colleges and universities through May 2027, requiring institutions to document hiring efforts and existing visa...
Diverging affordability moves: Nevada hikes, Yale expands free tuition
Two opposing tuition decisions this week illustrate a growing fissure in higher‑education pricing. Nevada’s System of Higher Education approved a multi‑year plan to raise tuition and fees up to...
Tests under pressure: ETS markets exams as online cheating spreads
Educational Testing Service is exploring sales or strategic investments for its GRE and TOEFL exams as demand shifts and competition grows, The Wall Street Journal reports. ETS faces a shrinking...
AI in student services: Chatbots and human‑centered pilots scale
High school students and college applicants are increasingly turning to chatbots as virtual college counselors, a sign that AI is shifting the admissions advising market. The rise in AI use for...
Campus security and speech: ICE operations push universities to adapt
Universities in the Twin Cities and beyond have moved classes online, increased campus escorts and tightened safety protocols as federal immigration enforcement operations and protests escalated...
Leadership under pressure: Presidents navigate speech, protests and picks
College presidents are recalibrating when and how to issue public statements as political crises and campus protests mount. Panels at the AAC&U conference urged reticence and mission‑driven...
Programs and competition: Business schools expand while community colleges seek baccalaureates
Washington University’s Olin Business School announced three new specialized master’s programs—AI for Business, Sports Business and Wealth Management—aimed at short, industry‑aligned credentials...
Legal politics and research costs: Five lawsuits meet indirect‑cost scrutiny
A legal docket of higher‑education cases tied to Trump administration policies will shape institutional finances and autonomy this year, from funding freezes to enforcement of new compliance...
Education Dept. overhauls accreditation: rules to reshape gatekeepers
The U.S. Department of Education announced a formal push to rewrite accreditation regulations, signaling faster recognition for new accreditors and explicit limits on diversity, equity and...