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Financial aid policy: GAO says FAFSA Simplification Act expanded Pell eligibility
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that the FAFSA Simplification Act is meeting key goals, including increasing Pell Grant eligibility and expanding access to the maximum...
Institutional risk and budget crunch: more colleges report cash-flow instability
A report-backed analysis highlights how higher education budget constraints are intensifying as colleges face staff cuts, program eliminations and credit-rating downgrades alongside persistent...
Public research universities: future shaped by trust and visibility gaps
A new analysis argues that public research universities are being overlooked in favor of elite private institutions when media and pundits discuss the future of research higher education. The...
AI in teaching and learning: course redesign and adoption risks for online programs
Higher education course designers and instructional leaders are increasingly exploring how AI can support online course redesign, but guidance emphasizes structured, risk-aware implementation....
IT governance and data-centric institutions: why campus IT teams are central
A report-style briefing argues that higher education institutions need campus IT teams to play a central role in turning data into a strategic asset. It highlights persistent barriers—fragmented...
Federal policy for English learners: Democrats push back on dismantling OELA
House Democrats challenged the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to dissolve the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), arguing that relocating programs for English learners could...
Accredited student services and civil discourse programs: universities build structured dialogue
Marquette University is requiring a civil discourse course for many first-year students as campus communities respond to heightened political polarization and conflicts over classroom speech. The...
Federal financial aid rulemaking: FAFSA Simplification Act and Pell eligibility
The Government Accountability Office reported that the FAFSA Simplification Act is meeting key goals, including increased Pell Grant eligibility and higher shares of students receiving the maximum...
State tuition affordability oversight: South Carolina scholarship shortfall
South Carolina’s Commission on Higher Education disclosed a projected $25 million shortfall in state scholarship funding after underestimating the amount required for the current fiscal year. L....
Higher ed AI and operations: Campus IT pushes data-centric governance
Higher education IT leaders are being positioned as the central builders of data-centric institutions as adoption of AI and demand for real-time analytics grows. A new industry analysis argues...
Cybersecurity and student-facing disruption: Canvas breach deal
Instructure said it reached an agreement with the unauthorized actor behind the Canvas cyberattack that disrupted classes and finals across thousands of institutions. The company reported that the...
Institutional governance under pressure: Kentucky State University overhaul blocked in court
Kentucky State University students and alumni filed a class action asking a federal court to stop a state-mandated overhaul that would convert the historically Black land-grant institution from a...
Workforce access and student success: peer mentoring for neurodivergent students
Adelphi University is expanding student success support through a peer mentoring model designed specifically for neurodivergent students. The approach aims to help mentees build confidence,...
Academic grading integrity: Harvard faculty vote on limiting top grades
Harvard College faculty are voting on whether to cap the number of A grades awarded in undergraduate courses in an effort to address grade inflation and compressiveness. The proposal would set a...
Higher ed policy and civil discourse: Marquette adds civil debate to core curriculum
Marquette University is requiring a civil discourse course for many first-year students, aiming to teach students how to debate and engage with challenging topics rather than avoid conflict. The...
Compliance and admissions administration: Office for English Learners threatened
U.S. House Democrats urged the Department of Education to halt plans to dismantle the standalone Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), warning the change could disrupt federal support for...
Internationalization and student mobility: Soka University to acquire Middlebury Institute programs
Soka University of America is moving toward acquiring Middlebury College’s international studies institute campus in California and selecting graduate programs after both institutions began...
Campus finance shock and student debt pressure—real-time relief at NC State commencement
North Carolina State University used a commencement surprise to directly address student debt: the Wilson College of Textiles commencement speaker, Anil Kochhar, pledged to pay off the final-year...
Faculty governance on grade inflation—Harvard weighs capping A grades
Harvard College faculty are voting this week on whether to limit the number of A grades earned in undergraduate courses, aiming to curb grade inflation. Online voting closes May 19, with a...
Higher-education cybersecurity disruption—Canvas data breach and ransomware response
Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management system, reached an agreement with the ShinyHunters ransomware/extortion group days after the breach disrupted colleges and K–12...