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U.Va. fallout: Ryan describes four‑hour ultimatum that ended his presidency
Former University of Virginia president James E. Ryan released a detailed 12‑page account describing the immediate forces that led to his abrupt June resignation. Ryan says he was told by federal...
Judge bars Trump from threatening UC funding – court rebukes politicized pressure
A federal judge issued an order preventing the Trump administration from threatening the University of California system’s federal funding, in a rare judicial rebuke of White House tactics. The...
Federal shutdown ends: schools face months of grant fallout
With the 43‑day federal government shutdown concluded, K‑12 and higher‑education leaders are confronting delayed grants, frozen formula payments and administrative disruptions that will...
Trump budget targets work‑study: program faces deep cuts
The White House proposed steep reductions to the Federal Work‑Study program in its budget outline, putting a decades‑old, bipartisan student support initiative at risk. Work‑study subsidizes...
Sterling College to close: tiny environmental college schedules spring 2026 teach‑out
Sterling College in Vermont announced it will close after the spring 2026 semester, citing sustained enrollment declines and fragile finances. The environmental‑studies college — enrolling fewer...
Common App snapshot: underrepresented applicants rise, international applications fall
New Common App data show notable growth in applications from Black, first‑generation, low‑income and rural students, even as international applications dropped — led by steep declines from India....
Coursera shifts fee model as a liberal‑arts college pilots LLM toolkits
Coursera told partners it will charge a 15% platform fee to colleges and companies using its learning platform starting in 2026, a move that recalibrates the economics of third‑party online...
Accreditation turns political: new regional move challenges national norms
Accreditation, once a procedural backstop for federal aid, has become a political battleground. The recent formation of a new accreditor by six Southern public systems follows Trump administration...
Texas A&M clamps course content on race and gender — faculty push back
The Texas A&M System approved a policy requiring prior approval for courses that “advocate” race‑ or gender‑related ideologies, a move prompted by a viral classroom confrontation and part of a...
Faculty strikes widen as universities cut jobs and press pension changes
Academic unions escalated labor action this week as institutions pursue deep cost reductions. Lancaster University’s faculty voted to strike after plans to cut roughly 400 posts to close a £30m...
U-Va. ouster details... board conflict ignites governance fight
Former University of Virginia president James E. Ryan went public with a detailed 12-page account alleging political pressure and Justice Department interference that led to his abrupt...
Shutdown fallout — federal education staff, grants and program chaos
The 43-day federal government shutdown disrupted Education Department operations, stalled formula payments to Head Start and Impact Aid, and prompted layoffs and back-pay uncertainty for federal...
Application surge and access: Common App ups underrepresented applicants — Hopkins expands aid
New Common App data shows application growth among Black, low-income, first-generation and rural students, while international applications fell—especially from India—raising questions about visa...
Accreditation goes political: New agency bids and federal friction
Accreditation—once technocratic—has moved to the center of policy fights. Ten institutions have signaled intent to seek recognition from a new regional accreditor for public colleges, a move that...
Data rules narrowed: ED limits new IPEDS reporting to four‑year colleges
The U.S. Department of Education refined a controversial plan to require granular, disaggregated admissions data for institutions, clarifying that the new IPEDS Admissions and Consumer...
Classroom content curbs: Texas A&M clamps rules on race and gender teaching
The Texas A&M System approved a policy requiring pre‑approval for courses that ‘advocate’ race or gender ideologies, following a viral classroom video and a professor’s dismissal. Faculty and...
Labor and governance fights: layoffs, grievances and local strikes escalate
Faculty and staff disputes are intensifying across campuses. An arbitrator ordered Portland State University to reinstate 10 non‑tenure-track faculty after finding the university violated its...
Enrollment cliff bites: small college closures and sector scenarios
Falling enrollment and persistent financial shortfalls continue to push small institutions to the brink: Sterling College in Vermont announced it will close at the end of the spring semester,...
AI in schools and campuses: student concerns and liberal‑arts pilots
Students report mounting AI-related worries—cheating accusations, misinformation, data privacy and inaccurate outputs—while also seeking access to AI tools for learning. A Project Tomorrow survey...
Affordability squeeze: work‑study cuts risk and hidden costs threaten persistence
Policy proposals to cut federal work‑study funding have surfaced amid broader federal budget pressure, threatening a program that subsidizes campus jobs for nearly 700,000 students. Education...