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Federal accreditation rules move toward measurable outcomes
The U.S. Department of Education reached consensus on sweeping accreditation reforms through negotiated rulemaking, setting up changes that could alter how colleges and universities qualify for...
Education research funding and spending deadlines face renewed pressure
Coalitions of K–12 and higher education groups, along with bipartisan senators, are urging the U.S. Department of Education to release nearly $300 million in education research funds tied to the...
Gainful employment rules face a new earnings-test fight
A proposed U.S. Department of Education rule tied to “earnings bump” requirements has sparked warnings from Democratic lawmakers and higher education experts. Under the proposal, programs could...
Mental health support meets compliance risk in AI apps
Schools are increasingly considering AI-powered mental health apps amid psychologist and counselor shortages, but a new risk assessment warns the market is largely unregulated and some tools can...
Campus climate and discipline collide with student rights
Florida International University imposed two-year suspensions on two former College Republicans leaders following the leak of racist, sexist, and antisemitic messages in a WhatsApp group chat. The...
Research integrity and foreign co-authorship restrictions tighten
NIH and NASA are restricting certain research collaborations involving foreign co-authors, according to reporting in Science. The outlet said NIH officials told grantees to request advance...
Architecture accreditation gains CHEA recognition
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognized the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) after the CHEA Board accepted a recommendation from its Committee on...
AI governance and student advancement data drive higher-ed tech spending decisions
Higher education leaders are moving from AI “posture” to “placement” in strategy and budgets, but the limiting factor is increasingly data readiness rather than model availability. A new editorial...
Federal student aid consumer protection and gainful employment enforcement
The U.S. Department of Education’s proposed rule would tighten federal student-loan eligibility through new earnings tests, with undergraduate programs measured against earnings of peers with only...
Accreditation overhaul moves toward final rulemaking
The Department of Education advanced a sweeping set of accreditation reforms that would shift accreditors’ focus toward measurable student outcomes and graduation-to-success metrics rather than...
Research funding pressure builds over Institute of Education Sciences lapses
Pressure is mounting on the U.S. Department of Education to release nearly $300 million in unallocated education research funding tied to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Two coalitions...
AI governance: executive order postponed after tech-led lobbying
President Donald Trump indefinitely postponed signing an executive order on AI after last-minute pushback from major technology executives and policy figures. The order would have created a...
Social media liability: bellwether settlement in school mental-health lawsuit
Meta reached a settlement with Breathitt County School District in Kentucky in a bellwether lawsuit testing claims that social media harms students’ mental health and learning. The case was on...
Student discipline and free-speech fights on campus
Florida International University suspended two students for two years for roles tied to a racist, sexist and antisemitic group chat that drew public scrutiny after reporting by the Miami Herald....
Federal policy shift on immigration pathways affecting education populations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a major change to green card processing for certain people seeking lawful permanent residency. Under the new policy framework, many...
Higher ed compliance and recognition: CHEA accepts NAAB recognition
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) accepted the Committee on Recognition’s recommendation to recognize the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). CHEA’s action follows...
AI in education: student mental health app risks and school procurement cautions
A new risk assessment from Common Sense Media and Stanford’s Brainstorm Lab warns that AI-powered student mental health apps are largely unregulated and can be harmful, particularly when used...
Campus climate and student disability allegations
A report examines whether students are faking disabilities and finds that the lived reality of many students with disabilities includes significant paperwork burdens, rising health costs,...
Federal higher ed consumer protection: gainful employment and student loan eligibility
The U.S. Department of Education proposed major changes to federal student-loan eligibility tied to program outcomes, and critics warned the rules could weaken protections for students in...
Higher education accreditation overhaul: federal recognition, student outcomes, and transfer policy shifts
The U.S. Department of Education moved toward a sweeping accreditation overhaul through the negotiated rulemaking process, aiming to shift accreditation from checkbox compliance to measurable...