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Kent–Greenwich merger approved: UK’s first ‘super‑university’ takes shape
The universities of Kent and Greenwich secured formal approval and exchanged contracts to merge into the UK’s first consolidated university group, a legal entity set to operate from 1 August....
Free‑college boost: Michigan Reconnect raised adult community‑college enrollment 38%
A recent study finds Michigan Reconnect—the state’s tuition‑free program for adults—boosted community‑college enrollment among adults (age 25+) by about 38%, or roughly 623 additional students per...
Australia’s research funding crunch: reforms demand multi‑budget action
Australian research lobbyists pressed the government to fund implementation of the Strategic Examination of Research and Development (Serd) recommendations across multiple budgets, warning reforms...
AI readiness and capacity: campuses debate literacy while IT plans storage
Universities are accelerating discussions about AI literacy and infrastructure. Jay Rothman, president of the University of Wisconsin System, urged campuses to integrate AI into curricula and to...
Faculty scrutiny rises: surveillance, syllabi rules and teaching mandates
New laws and proposals are expanding oversight of faculty practices and course content across multiple states. Reports show measures increasingly require professors to post syllabi publicly,...
Universities, states tighten surveillance: professors hit by new reporting rules
State legislatures and some university systems have moved to formalize classroom oversight, adopting requirements that professors post detailed syllabuses, maintain contact logs and provide...
Princeton braces for cuts: endowment drag and new tax pressure force belt‑tightening
Princeton University told its community it will tighten budgets after weaker investment returns and looming federal changes to endowment taxation. President Christopher Eisgruber said university...
Michigan Reconnect moves adults back to campus: community‑college enrollment jumps 38%
A study of Michigan Reconnect, the state’s last‑dollar tuition program for residents age 25 and older, found a 38% increase in adult enrollment at community colleges after the program’s 2021...
Education Dept. paid sidelined civil‑rights staff—GAO flags $28M–$38M tab and enforcement gaps
A Government Accountability Office review found the U.S. Department of Education spent an estimated $28 million to $38 million paying Office for Civil Rights (OCR) staff who were placed on...
Post‑affirmative‑action shuffle: elites lose, flagships and others gain under new admissions order
New federal data and analyses show the Supreme Court’s ban on race‑conscious admissions reshaped first‑year enrollment patterns in 2024. A Class Action report found Black and Hispanic freshmen...
Greenwich and Kent merge: UK’s first 'super‑university' approved as sector seeks resilience
The universities of Greenwich and Kent have formalized merger terms to create the UK’s first so‑called 'super‑university', a single legal entity due to operate from Aug. 1 while both institutions...
Presidential shuffle: Caltech, Columbia, Michigan and others name new leaders
A broad set of leadership changes was announced across U.S. campuses, with appointments ranging from Ray Jayawardhana as president of Caltech to Jennifer Mnookin named president of Columbia...
MSU wins $50M pledge: new engineering and AI hub aims to expand capacity and industry ties
Michigan State University announced a $50 million commitment from the Leinweber Foundation to fund the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation, the largest gift ever earmarked for...
Sussex fights regulator: High Court challenge tests OfS power and free‑speech enforcement
The University of Sussex has launched a High Court challenge to a record £585,000 fine imposed by England’s regulator, the Office for Students, arguing the regulator acted beyond its powers and...
Workforce Pell and community colleges: four‑year colleges chase short‑term credentials as two‑year sector booms
Four‑year institutions unexpectedly captured nearly half of FIPSE grants for short‑term programs eligible for Workforce Pell, signaling universities’ rapid pivot to stackable credentials and...
Trump signs $79 billion education package – department funded through Sept. 30
President Donald Trump signed a consolidated appropriations bill that funds the U.S. Department of Education at roughly $79 billion for fiscal 2026. The measure passed the House 217–214 after...
GAO: Education Department paid civil‑rights staff during layoff fight – cost estimated up to $38M
A Government Accountability Office review found the U.S. Department of Education spent as much as $28 million to $38 million paying Office for Civil Rights staff who were put on administrative...
University of Sussex launches High Court challenge – £585k OfS free‑speech fine contested
The University of Sussex has begun a High Court judicial review of a record £585,000 fine imposed by England’s Office for Students for alleged failures to protect freedom of speech. Sussex argues...
Trump‑Harvard talks erupt over finance demand – president doubles down on $1 billion ask
Negotiations between the White House and Harvard University over alleged campus misconduct have frayed after President Trump abruptly raised his settlement demand to $1 billion and insisted any...
Supreme Court decision reshapes enrollments – elite colleges lose students of color
New federal enrollment data analyzed by Class Action shows a stark redistribution of underrepresented minority freshmen after the Supreme Court barred race‑conscious admissions. Among the 50 most...