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Iowa bill would strip student regent — state lawmakers advance overhaul
An Iowa House higher‑education subcommittee advanced a bill that would remove the voting student regent from the Iowa Board of Regents and replace the seat with a gubernatorial appointee. The...
Four campuses lockdown after swatting calls — FBI probes threats
At least four colleges closed or locked down operations after coordinated swatting calls—false reports intended to draw emergency responses—forced campuses to evacuate or shelter in place....
Students miss HBCUs: UNCF finds early exposure gaps shape choices
A new UNCF study found many high‑school students lack familiarity with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, narrowing postsecondary options before applications begin. Researchers surveyed...
Higher ed ramps up defense: lobbying dollars and coalition building
Universities and research institutions spent heavily on federal lobbying in 2025, targeting policy fights over international student rules, financial aid, AI governance and visa fees, while legal...
Education Department backs off: anti‑DEI enforcement stalls
The U.S. Department of Education has stepped back from enforcing a sweeping anti‑DEI Dear Colleague letter after legal challenges and a court injunction. The agency signed a joint motion to...
Iowa bill removes student voice from regents — Governor to appoint seat
Iowa lawmakers advanced legislation that would eliminate the sole voting student seat on the Iowa Board of Regents and replace it with a governor‑appointed regent. The House higher education...
Florida moves to curb H‑1B hiring at public universities — board vote set
Florida’s university system is weighing a policy that would bar public institutions from using the H‑1B visa program for new hires through Jan. 5, 2027. The Board of Governors planned to introduce...
Cornell lands record $371.5 million gift — engineering college renamed
Cornell University received a $371.5 million pledge from alumnus David Duffield, the largest single gift in the university’s history, the school announced. The donation creates a $250 million...
UT‑Austin shutters teaching center — faculty alarmed over cuts
The University of Texas at Austin will close its Center for Teaching and Learning at the end of the semester, part of a set of cuts announced by Provost William Inboden that also include...
Penn fights EEOC subpoena — university refuses to disclose Jewish employees
The University of Pennsylvania is resisting an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission demand for lists of employees tied to Jewish faith or organizations, filing court documents that call the...
Higher ed doubles down: lobbying spending rises as institutions brace for political fights
Universities and research institutions spent heavily on lobbying in 2025 to shape policy on international students, financial aid, AI governance and federal funding, a sector analysis shows....
State leadership and governance shakeups — new presidents and political oversight
Several public flagships and regional universities announced new presidents in a wave of leadership changes, while state policymakers are moving quickly to reshape governance. Appointments include...
Campus safety: fresh spate of swatting calls forces closures and lockdowns
At least four college campuses received swatting calls in a coordinated series of hoaxes that prompted evacuations, lockdowns and canceled classes. Villanova University, Alcorn State, Wiley...
Prison higher ed debate: studies tie reincarceration to supervision practices, not classroom programs
A contested working paper linking prison higher‑education participation to higher rates of reincarceration for technical violations has spurred responses from national prison‑education advocates...
Cornell gets $371.5M gift: engineering college to be renamed
Cornell announced a $371.5 million pledge from alumnus David Duffield that will become the largest single gift in the university’s history and fund a renamed engineering college. The gift creates...
Education Department retreats: anti‑DEI enforcement put on ice
The U.S. Department of Education moved to drop its appeal of a federal court order that blocked a sweeping anti‑DEI Dear Colleague letter, effectively pausing an aggressive enforcement effort...
Florida board eyes pause on H‑1B hires: public universities in the crosshairs
Florida’s university system is considering a policy to bar public institutions from making new H‑1B hires through Jan. 5, 2027, implementing Gov. Ron DeSantis’s directive to end alleged “H‑1B...
Penn rebuffs EEOC subpoena: university fights for employee privacy
The University of Pennsylvania filed court papers refusing an EEOC subpoena that sought names and personal data of employees tied to Jewish faith or involvement in Jewish campus organizations,...
UT‑Austin shutters teaching center — faculty demand answers
The University of Texas at Austin will close its Center for Teaching and Learning, along with three other units, at the end of the semester as part of an administrative streamlining the provost...
Iowa committee advances bill to strip voting student regent
An Iowa House higher‑education subcommittee advanced legislation that would eliminate the Board of Regents’ sole voting student position and replace it with a governor‑appointed regent, while...