Get the Daily Brief

All action, no filler. hied.news delivers the industry’s 10 must-know updates, every morning.

Latest Higher Education News

Senator Cassidy probes: 35 selective colleges asked for remedial‑math data

January 23, 2026

Sen. Bill Cassidy opened an inquiry into college readiness, sending letters to 35 selective institutions seeking six years of math‑placement data after a UC San Diego internal report flagged...

Flagships move: UVA, Michigan and others install new presidents

January 23, 2026

Several state flagships and regional universities announced presidential hires in a wave of leadership turnover this week. The University of Virginia selected Scott C. Beardsley, the Darden School...

Cornell lands $371.5m — engineering college renamed

January 23, 2026

Cornell University secured the largest gift in its history: a $371.5 million pledge from alumnus David Duffield, the PeopleSoft and Workday founder. The donation creates a $250 million Duffield...

Florida considers H‑1B freeze — public universities face a hiring pause

January 23, 2026

Florida’s university system is weighing a one‑year ban on new H‑1B hires across public campuses after Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed to curb what he called H‑1B “abuse.” The Board of Governors is set to...

UT‑Austin shutters teaching center — faculty demand answers

January 23, 2026

The University of Texas at Austin announced the closure of its Center for Teaching and Learning and several student and outreach offices, saying the moves will “optimize” resources; faculty called...

Iowa bill would strip student regent — state lawmakers advance overhaul

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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

January 23, 2026

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...