Get the Daily Brief

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

Latest Higher Education News

Education Dept. warns accreditors — drop DEI standards or lose recognition

March 20, 2026

The Education Department’s top higher‑education official sent formal letters to two accreditors ordering them to rescind diversity, equity and inclusion standards the agency says violate federal...

Federal pressure on campuses: lawsuit and data demands squeeze colleges

March 20, 2026

The federal government escalated scrutiny of higher education this month by suing Harvard while simultaneously demanding expanded admissions data from institutions nationwide. The Department of...

EEOC questionnaires land at Cornell — campus antisemitism probe expands

March 20, 2026

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent a detailed questionnaire to Cornell University employees seeking information about potential civil‑rights violations tied to allegations of...

'Unusually steep' drop in U.S. university autonomy — index downgrades nation

March 20, 2026

An international index of institutional autonomy recorded a dramatic decline for U.S. universities, describing the fall since 2015 as "unusually steep" and downgrading the country to a "moderate"...

Colleges pull César Chávez honors after abuse allegations — renaming debates erupt

March 20, 2026

Following a major investigation alleging sexual abuse by labor leader César Chávez, dozens of colleges and K–12 schools moved quickly to remove his name from programs, cover or remove statues and...

White House pushes federal AI framework — standards bodies and industry step in

March 20, 2026

The White House released a national framework outlining principles for Congress to govern artificial intelligence, urging strong federal leadership and warning against a patchwork of state rules....

AI arms race snarls campus cybersecurity — IT leaders race to set guardrails

March 20, 2026

Colleges are confronting an AI‑enabled escalation in cyber threats even as they rush to adopt generative tools across campus services. Attackers are increasingly using AI to scale phishing, craft...

States and campuses prioritize student health and civil skills — new laws and seminars

March 20, 2026

Policy and programming shifts on campuses are prioritizing recovery and dialogue over punitive responses. California passed a law offering college students rehabilitation and treatment before...

Treasury to collect defaults — first step in $1.7 trillion loan shift

March 20, 2026

The U.S. Treasury will assume operational responsibility for collecting defaulted federal student loans as part of a phased transfer from the Education Department, officials announced this week....

Academics urge Ed. Dept.: don’t gut Grad PLUS loans

March 20, 2026

Hundreds of colleges, thousands of faculty and tens of thousands of public comments urged the Department of Education to reconsider proposed rules that would sharply limit graduate student access...

Colleges press Congress — fill multi‑billion Pell shortfall now

March 20, 2026

More than 60 higher‑education organizations sent a joint letter to congressional leaders this week urging immediate action to fill a looming multi‑billion‑dollar gap in Pell Grant funding for...

Ed. Dept. flags accreditors — DEI standards under threat

March 20, 2026

The Education Department’s under secretary sent formal warnings to two accreditors directing them to formally eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) standards the department contends...

Chávez allegations prompt campus reckonings — renamings spread

March 20, 2026

Colleges and K‑12 districts across the country moved quickly to review and remove public honors for César Chávez after a major investigation alleged sexual abuse by the labor leader. Multiple...

Campus politics flare — pride flags removed, GOP groups sue

March 20, 2026

Campus political and free‑speech disputes intensified this week as faculty at one university protested removal of pride flags from building windows while at another public university a College...

Index shows sharp drop in U.S. university autonomy — experts alarmed

March 20, 2026

A new index reported an “unusually steep” decline in the institutional autonomy of U.S. universities since 2015, downgrading the country’s rating to only 'moderate.' The research cited a roughly...

AI arms race hits campus security — IT leaders push risk frameworks

March 20, 2026

Colleges and universities are confronting an acceleration of AI‑enabled cyber threats even as they deploy AI for detection and response. Campus IT officials reported a rise in AI‑generated...

Students lean on socials for AI help — business schools push curriculum shift

March 20, 2026

Surveys and campus reports show more students are turning to social media platforms for quick answers and AI assistance, raising concerns about accuracy, academic integrity and digital literacy....

Education Dept. proposes easier merger pathways — colleges seek lifelines

March 20, 2026

The Education Department proposed rule changes intended to ease regulatory barriers to college mergers and strategic partnerships, responding to growing financial stress across small and mid‑sized...

Education Dept. hands loans to Treasury: $1.7T shift begins

March 20, 2026

The Education Department announced a phased transfer of its roughly $1.7 trillion federal student‑loan portfolio to the U.S. Treasury, beginning with operational responsibility for defaulted...

César Chavez revelations... campuses face renaming scramble

March 20, 2026

Colleges and K‑12 districts opened rapid reviews of buildings, programs and holidays bearing César Chávez’s name after a New York Times investigation alleged sexual abuse by the labor leader....