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Federal oversight tightens: accreditation and foreign funding in focus
Federal regulators and sector groups are moving to tighten oversight of accreditation and foreign ties. CHEA’s Policy Watch flags the Department of Education’s AIM negotiated‑rulemaking to reform...
After affirmative action... elite enrollment shifts
Federal enrollment data and campus analyses reveal uneven consequences of the Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative‑action ruling. Highly selective colleges reported substantial declines in Black...
Student‑loan delinquencies rise: defaults climb
Federal data through end of 2025 point to a worsening repayment landscape: roughly a million federal borrowers defaulted late last year and nearly 10% of outstanding balances are more than 90 days...
Epstein files reverberate across campuses — consequences mount
The Justice Department’s release of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein has prompted tangible fallout in higher education: trustees and department chairs have resigned, conferences have been...
AI on campus: pilots, governance and operational playbooks
Colleges are accelerating practical AI deployments while wrestling with governance and security. Utah Valley University rolled out Ask Wilson, an AI assistant trained on course content inside...
Campus discipline and surveillance escalate — faculty rights under pressure
Universities are tightening surveillance and confronting disciplinary incidents that raise questions about academic freedom and campus safety. The University of North Carolina adopted a policy...
FAFSA progress — but federal budget could curb education agenda
Education Department officials reported improved FAFSA metrics—an earlier launch, higher satisfaction and about 8 million submissions for the 2026‑27 cycle—citing simplification and implementation...
Marketing slashed and empty classrooms — campuses underutilized
Colleges have cut recruitment and advertising budgets sharply even as campus operating models show excess capacity. Institutions cut ad spending by more than half over the last decade as...
Accreditation overhaul: USDE convenes AIM committee – Accreditors face outcome-focused rules
The U.S. Department of Education launched a negotiated-rulemaking effort, dubbed Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM), to rewrite how accreditors are recognized and regulated. The...
Borrower distress: federal data show defaults and delinquencies climbing
Federal household‑debt data show a sharp rise in student‑loan delinquency and default: roughly a million borrowers defaulted late last year and nearly 10% of balances were more than 90 days past...
FAFSA rebounds: Education Department touts earlier launch and higher satisfaction
Education Department officials reported improved performance metrics for the 2026‑27 FAFSA at the NASFAA conference: the form launched earlier than required, call‑center wait times fell, and about...
Small private colleges closing: Lourdes, Providence Christian announce end dates
Two small private institutions announced closures after sustained financial stress. Lourdes University (Ohio), citing declining enrollment and an unsustainable funding model, said it will close in...
At‑risk liberal arts: Hampshire College’s survival remains uncertain
Hampshire College reported a steep enrollment shortfall and mounting fiscal distress that could force closure if the institution cannot refinance debt or restore operating margins. Auditors warned...
Epstein fallout: faculty, trustees and centers face consequences
Universities continue to confront fallout from newly released Justice Department documents linking academics and donors to Jeffrey Epstein. Multiple campuses reported resignations of department...
Federal pressure intensifies: Pentagon severs Harvard ties amid anti‑DEI rule wins
The Defense Department said it will end most graduate‑level fellowships and training for active‑duty officers at Harvard starting 2026‑27 and will review similar programs at other Ivy and civilian...
AI on campus: universities deploy assistants as courts test academic integrity
Colleges are piloting curriculum‑embedded AI while the courts and campus disciplinary systems wrestle with generative‑AI plagiarism. Utah Valley University rolled out 'Ask Wilson,' an AI assistant...
Student wellbeing and public‑health shocks: loneliness and measles raise campus risks
New research and outbreak reports paint a worrying picture of student health on campuses. A Trellis Strategies report and campus surveys show more than half of college students report loneliness,...
Campus conduct, surveillance and governance under strain
Universities are confronting high‑profile confrontations and new surveillance rules that complicate faculty governance and campus freedom. Ohio State placed an assistant professor on leave after a...
Small Catholic college closes: Lourdes to shutter in May
Lourdes University announced it will close in May after trustees and the Sisters of St. Francis concluded operations were financially unsustainable. The board cited years of enrollment declines,...
Hampshire College fights for survival: enrollment shortfalls raise closure risk
Hampshire College is confronting a potential shutdown after missing enrollment targets and struggling to refinance debt, according to recent audits and reporting. The college enrolled far fewer...