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Heritage blueprint and accreditors — Washington prepares overhaul of federal gatekeeping
The Heritage Foundation laid out policy recommendations that would sharply reduce accreditors’ role as gatekeepers of federal student aid, advocating state certification and a decoupling of...
State legislatures press anti‑DEI measures — Colleges brace for classroom limits
Lawmakers in Iowa and Kansas introduced bills aimed at curbing instruction on race, gender, and sexuality in some college courses and rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The...
UNC formalizes no‑notice recording policy — Campus debates privacy and academic freedom
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finalized a policy allowing administrators to record or access classroom recordings without notifying instructors in specified circumstances,...
Labouré College to close in August — Curry College to absorb nursing program
Labouré College of Healthcare announced it will cease academic operations at the end of August, citing persistent financial, enrollment, and regulatory pressures. Nearby Curry College agreed,...
Lourdes University to wind down — Trustees cite unsustainable model
Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio, announced it will close at the end of the academic year after trustees and the sponsoring Sisters of St. Francis pointed to declining enrollment and mounting...
Campus protests and reputational fallout — Trials, Epstein files spread scrutiny
A jury deadlocked in the trial of five current and former Stanford students charged over pro‑Palestinian demonstrations, prompting a mistrial that leaves unresolved legal and reputational...
AI and the pipeline — Students use chatbots for searches; employers say grads lack AI fluency
Students are increasingly using ChatGPT and other AI tools to research colleges, prompting institutions to prioritize ‘AI visibility’ in recruitment and digital outreach. Admissions teams told to...
Foreign funding disclosure — Education Dept. posts $5B in 2025 gifts and contracts
The U.S. Department of Education released data showing colleges reported more than $5 billion in foreign gifts and contracts in 2025, part of an administration push for transparency on outside...
DOJ lawsuit compels Harvard: records demand
The Justice Department sued Harvard University, alleging the school has withheld documents needed to determine whether race plays an unlawful role in admissions decisions. The department filed...
Pell Grant shortfall: CBO flags funding gap
The Congressional Budget Office warned of an $11.5 billion shortfall in the Pell Grant program if Congress does not replenish the Federal Student Aid account by Sept. 30. The CBO said without new...
UNC formalizes secret-recording policy after class tapes
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published a classroom‑recording policy that allows administrators, under written authorization from the provost and university counsel, to record or...
Small colleges fold — teach-outs and transfers under way
Two small, tuition‑dependent institutions announced closures and teach‑out arrangements this week as enrollment and financial pressures mount across the sector. The Labouré College of Healthcare...
California sues Education Dept. over gender‑disclosure demands
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Linda McMahon after the department found the state out of compliance with FERPA over...
Heritage pushes overhaul: accreditation’s role targeted
The Heritage Foundation published a higher‑education blueprint urging removal of accreditors as gatekeepers to federal student aid, proposing that states or other third parties assume quality...
AI readiness clash — employers want skills, faculty relax bans
Employers reported in a global survey that universities are not producing enough graduates with hands‑on AI skills; 77% of employers expect new hires to have practical AI experience but 58% say...
Student wellbeing and campus safety collide after spring violence
New survey data show students place high value on mental health but underuse campus counseling: while 93% say mental health is important and 73% trust campus services, only 18% actually received...
Endowments strained as withdrawals surge and gifts fall
Colleges increased endowment spending sharply in fiscal 2025 as funding pressures intensified: institutions withdrew $33.4 billion, a 17% rise from the prior year, while new gifts to endowments...
UK student visas tumble — recruitment risk for universities
Home Office visa data show a sharp decline in sponsored‑study visa applications in January, down roughly 31% year‑over‑year and the weakest January since at least 2022. Universities and...
Justice Department sues Harvard: demands admissions documents
The Justice Department filed suit against Harvard, accusing the university of withholding applicant‑level admissions records needed to determine whether race played an unlawful role in admissions...
Oklahoma phases out tenure... AGB pushes clearer shared governance
Oklahoma’s governor issued an executive order to phase out tenure for public university faculty, prompting immediate concern among professors about academic freedom and faculty recruitment. The...